Cants vs Dimensional Lumber

Cants: squared, not sized

A cant is a log squared on four sides. It is solid and square-edged, but it is not cut to a standard finished dimension. Think of it as timber in an intermediate state: ready to be remanufactured, or used as heavy timber where a rustic, full-bodied piece is wanted.

Dimensional lumber: cut to a standard size

Dimensional lumber is sawn to standard finished sizes for framing and construction. If you are building to a plan that calls out specific board dimensions, that is usually what you need. We do not produce planed or graded dimensional lumber. Many of our cants are remanufactured into sized lumber by our partners downstream.

What we make

We mill dry balsam into cants and two-inch rough-cut boards. Rough-cut boards are a practical choice for fences, barns, and farm projects where a finished grade is not required.

Rough-cut vs dimensional for farm projects

For fences, corrals, barns, and outbuildings, the choice usually comes down to rough-cut. A two-inch rough board is a full two inches thick, not the inch and a half a dressed "2x" gives you, and on a fence line or a corral rail that extra wood is what takes the abuse. It is also priced for working land rather than for a showroom.

Dimensional lumber earns its place when the build is engineered or permitted: trusses, spans from a table, anything an inspector will measure. Our boards are ungraded and untreated, so use them where honest rough wood is the right tool and buy graded stock where the plan demands it. We will tell you which is which if you ask.

Which one should you buy?

• Choose cants for heavy timber, remanufacturing, or projects where a solid squared piece is the point.
• Choose rough-cut boards for fences, barns, and outbuildings where a rustic finish is fine.
• Need graded dimensional lumber? Tell us the job. We will point you in the right direction rather than sell you the wrong product.

When you are ready, our how to buy guide covers pickup, delivery, and minimums.