Tidewater Lumber and Moulding has been selling Cypress (Taxodium Distichum) for over 35 years. Our office was built in 1981 and we chose #2 Cypress stained “Driftwood Gray.” We make sure the lumber is thoroughly kiln dried so it can be used for interior or exterior. We can mill a stock profile or we can make custom profiles, and even match historic restoration projects.
We choose to sell Cypress because of its beauty and its durability. Cypress is a beautiful blond color with a touch of red that looks similar to antique heart pine. It has some vertical grain and contrasting black knots.
Cypress is available in three grades. Select, which is virtually clear of knots. #2 is a knotty grade and is the least expensive grade, and Pecky Cypress.
Here at Tidewater Lumber, we hand select our Cypress Lumber for each and every job order we ship out. We strive to provide our clients with the best possible cypress lumber available anywhere in the country!
The heart of Cypress can be attacked by a fungus that causes a brown pocket rot. It is separated out for this distinct characteristic and sold under the name of Pecky Cypress. It is primarily used in high end custom homes or commercial projects. It is hard to come by and is sought after for its character and uniqueness.
The pecky area of the lumber does not continue to rot after the tree is cut down and the pocket does not affect the durability of the cypress.
Cypress siding should be stored on the jobsite under cover on dry sticks to keep it off ground and off the concrete. Interior cypress paneling should be stored inside the house with HVAC system running.
Both cypress siding and cypress paneling should acclimate to the job conditions for 10 days prior to installation for the highest quality finished product.
We recommend factory finishing cypress lumber to our customers. This is a stain, paint, or clear coat, that covers all four sides of the board.
This encapsulates the cypress board and helps it from picking up or losing moisture. It also saves time and money because your cypress lumber is coming with a top quality finish direct from us!
For example if we make TG&V paneling and the customer wants a dark stain, the tongue is pre-stained. So when this paneling goes through seasonal movement, which is normal shrinking and swelling, the tongue has the dark stain color on it so you don’t see the raw wood. This same concept works for seasonal movement on exterior siding as well.
