Definition of "Green lumber"

Chris Hill  real estate agent

Written by

Chris Hill elite badge icon

Century 21 New Millennium

Green lumber is not necessarily a lumber that’s green; though it might, sometimes, be a little greenish. And it’s also not a definition of an environmentally conscious type of wood.

Ok, what’s the best green lumber definition, then?

Let’s say that green lumber is wood that had not had the adequate time to dry and be seasoned. That kind of wood is not good for Real Estate, so you might hear a contractor say “That’s green lumber; we can’t use it”. And the reason why it’s no good is because green lumber can warp with time – not to mention that is much more difficult to work with. Cutting and nailing a green lumber is basically a waste of time and energy.

Some people call it wet lumber, but the term is not 100% correct because a wet/moist lumber is not necessarily a green lumber and it can be used in construction.

However, because the environment changes materials, green lumber is sometimes used in arid regions of the United States like Arizona and California. The thinking behind it is that (i) green lumber is cheaper and (ii) because the lumber dries and comes of age faster over there, once they get transported they will quickly reach a fine point for construction.

Because of floods, wood can revert to flood, so home inspectors and flood insurance companies typically look for green lumber on houses to assess risks.

Real Estate Tips:

Don’t get a “green real estate agent”; search through our Real Estate Agent Directory and find an experienced one that won’t warp or break!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

A two-story house characterized by a balcony spanning the width of the second story. Monterey architecture was adopted from the early California Spanish period. ...

A loan used for acquiring land. Loans used to purchase unimproved land have more risk than a mortgage to purchase improved property, thus, land loans traditionally have a somewhat higher ...

A lease granted for the right to explore for and recover oil and gas on a specific parcel of property. The terms of an oil and gas lease specify the length of time of the contract, the ...

In order to define the rate of return on investment, or more commonly known as ROI we are also going to explain how it can be calculated and what to look for in the return rate. Investing ...

Economic or physical life of a fixed asset. The property is depreciated over the period benefited. ...

(1) Right to engage in and earn from a particular activity in return for services or for a particular use. (2) Reduced price used as an incentive. (3) Permission or right, granted by a ...

The value of property subject to tax. The tax equals the tax rate multiplied by the property's value. ...

A land property estate contingent upon the occurrence or lack of occurrence of a particular event whereupon it can be created, augmented, or dismantled. ...

In-ground watering system generally controlled by a digital timer that waters the grass and shrubbery of a property. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions