Caring for redwood patio furniture - Redwood Bench & Table Company - Makers of outdoor patio furniture, garden furniture, wooden patio furniture, backyard accessories, redwood decks, deck furniture, redwood benches, redwood tables, lawn furniture, pool furniture

REDWOOD BENCH & TABLE COMPANY

Common Questions about Redwood

Does Your Redwood Come From Parks or Commercial Forests?

Commercial forests. The commercial redwood forests tend to be different in nature from the parklands. These commercial forests are seldom 100% redwood; typically, they are a mixture which can include redwood, douglas fir, white fir, hemlock and hardwoods. about 85% of the state's old growth coastal redwoods are preserved in 255,--- acres. This equals 350 square miles of parkland and is equivalent to a one mile wide redwood forest stretching from San Francisco to Los Angeles. None of these preserved ancient forests are used to produce lumber. There are two native types of redwood; The Coastal Redwood (Sequoia semperviens) and The Sierra Redwood (Sequoiadendron gigantea). The Sierra Redwood, also known as the Giant Sequoia, isn't used commercially. In fact, 95% of the Sierra Redwoods are preserved in state and federal groves.

Does Redwood Last?

Yes. Redwood performs excellent and is ideal for outdoor applications. Wood acts like a sponge; when it absorbs moisture it swells and when it loses moisture it shrinks. Redwood is less likely to warp, split, cup or check.

But Isn't Redwood an Endangered Species?

No. Redwood is not an endangered species. In fact, growth rates have been steadily increasing over the years as a result of improved timber management and re-planting. The result, there are more redwoods today than when man first harvested the trees.

What Happens to Lands After Redwoods are Harvested?

After harvest, lands are replanted for a second growth and managed to ensure that redwood forests are renewed. Given the rapid growth rate of redwoods the renewal process is very quick when compared to other harvestable woods that we might have selected for our products. The fact is, most of the redwood available to us is second and third growth redwood from lands that have been repeatedly replanted. Second growth trees are easy to regenerate (they sprout from stumps and root crowns) and grow rapidly. A 50-year-old tree might be 25 inches in diameter or larger, with 60% heartwood. Redwood is the fastest growing softwood (conifer) in the country. Some studies have shown that a redwood can reach 7 feet in one growing season.

Are We Losing All Our Ancient Redwood Forests To Logging?

Definitely not! Over 95% of the ancient old growth coastal redwood forests are already in redwood parks where they are protected forever. Old growth is usually considered to be trees over 200 years old. More than 96% of today's redwood lumber comes from lands that have been previously harvested.

If you have any further questions please feel free to call or send email.

Thank you for your concern, Bruce

Redwood Bench & Table Company
P.O. Box 354
Mitchell, OR 97750
(541) 462-3232