Western Core Company has been a leader in the stave core manufacturing industry since 1973. We’re specialized in crafting stave core and laminated veneer lumber core for architectural doors, stile and rail doors, work surfaces, countertops, table tops, custom furniture, and more.
Abrasives refer to materials used for sanding and smoothing wood surfaces, such as sandpaper sheets, sanding belts, or sanding discs. The choice of abrasive depends on the specific woodworking task, the type of wood being worked on, and the desired surface finish.
Air-dried refers to the process of drying wood naturally by exposing it to ambient air over an extended period of time. During air drying, freshly cut or sawn wood is stacked and stored in a well-ventilated area, allowing the moisture within the wood to gradually evaporate into the surrounding air.
The air drying process aims to reduce the moisture content of the wood to a suitable level for its intended use in construction, woodworking, or other applications. This process is much slower than kiln-drying.
A type of warp where the board bends along its length in a convex manner.
Downfall is used to refer to a negative characteristic or issue with a particular piece of wood or lumber, such as defects, cracks, or other flaws that could affect its quality or usability.
A joint used to connect two pieces of wood at right angles. This type of joint is known for its strength and durability.
A joint made by interlocking fingers of two pieces of wood to form a longer piece. It is also sometimes referred to as a box joint or comb joint.
The grain is the pattern formed by the alignment of wood fibers in a piece of lumber. The grain pattern impacts the wood's appearance, workability, strength, and stability.
Green lumber is freshly cut lumber that has not undergone any drying or processing.
Grading is the classification of lumber based on its quality and appearance, typically done according to industry standards. Lumber is graded to ensure customers receive wood products that meet specific standards and requirements and to facilitate fair trade practices within the industry.
Grading involves evaluating a variety of wood characteristics, including knots, grain, warping/bowing, moisture content, density, color, and more.
Growth rings, also known as annual rings or tree rings, are visible concentric circles found in the cross-section of a tree trunk or branch. They are formed as a result of the tree's annual growth cycle and provide valuable information about the tree's age, growth rate, and environmental conditions during its life.
Wood that comes from deciduous trees (e.g., oak, maple, cherry) that shed their leaves annually. Hardwood is known for its dense and durable nature, making it a great option for a wide range of applications, including furniture, flooring, cabinetry, millwork, and various other interior and exterior uses.
Kiln-dried is used to describe lumber that has been dried in a kiln to a specific moisture content suitable for its intended use.
A knot is a portion of a branch that becomes part of the wood after being cut down. Knots can affect the strength and appearance of the lumber. Unlike a lot of stave core manufacturers, Western Core removes knots and other defects from our lumber as much as possible, resulting in a stronger, better-looking core.
Laminated Veneer Lumber is an engineered wood product made by layering thin wood veneers and bonding them with adhesives to create strong structural beams.
The wood veneers are typically rotary peeled or sliced thin, dried, and sorted in the same direction, then bonded with heat and pressure and sealed. LVL is known for strength, stability, and load-bearing capacity.
Lumber is a broad term used to describe wood that has been cut and processed into standardized sizes for construction and manufacturing purposes.
Moisture content refers to the amount of water or moisture present in a material, typically expressed as a percentage of the material's weight. In the context of wood, moisture content is a crucial property that impacts its dimensional stability, workability, and overall performance in various applications.
Particleboard, also known as chipboard, is an engineered wood product made from wood particles or wood chips and sawdust combined with an adhesive binder and compressed under heat and pressure.
Particleboard comes in different grades and densities, ranging from low-density particleboard (LDPB) to medium-density particleboard (MDPB) and high-density particleboard (HDPB). The density and thickness of particleboard influence its strength, stability, and suitability for various applications.
Stave core is often chosen over particle board due to its strength and more consistent quality across products.
Plywood is an engineered wood product made from thin layers of wood veneers glued together with the grains of adjacent layers running at right angles to each other. Its cross-grain construction and versatility make it a popular choice for various construction, furniture, and woodworking applications.
Polyvinyl Acetate — sometimes called PVA, PVAc, carpenter’s glue, or wood glue — is an adhesive bonding agent for wood, making it a key component in stave core manufacturing. PVA glue is known for its ease of use, versatility, and strong bonding capabilities on porous surfaces. It is non-toxic, fast-drying, and water-soluble, making it an ideal for a wide variety of wood projects and applications.
A radio frequency (RF) press system, also known as a radio frequency gluing or curing system, is a specialized equipment used in the woodworking and adhesive industries for the rapid and efficient bonding or curing of materials using radio frequency energy.
Lumber that has been sawn but not planned or surfaced, maintaining its original dimensions.
Wood that comes from coniferous trees (e.g., pine, spruce, cedar) known for its quick growth and easy workability.
Stave core, also called stave lumber core, is a solid wood core composed of narrow blocks of wood (known as staves) arranged side by side. The staves are joined together with glue and heat, then sanded to create a smooth surface and uniform thickness throughout.
Wood cores, like stave core, are often used to manufacture doors and furniture, providing a durable, lightweight structural core. The method allows manufacturers to create large panels without relying on a single continuous piece of wood, which may be challenging or costly to obtain in certain wood species or sizes.
Lumber that has been planed or sanded on one or more sides to achieve a smoother and more uniform surface.
TimberStrand® Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) is an engineered wood product that belongs to the family of structural composite lumber (SCL). It is created by layering strands of wood, usually from fast-growing and small-diameter trees, with adhesive to form larger, strong, and dimensionally stable structural members.
LSL can splinter more easily than stave core and is a heavier product resulting in more expensive shipping and manufacturing costs.
Veneer refers to a thin layer of wood, typically less than 3 millimeters thick, that is sliced, peeled, or sawn from a log or piece of wood. It is used to cover the surfaces of furniture, cabinetry, interior fixtures, and other items, providing an attractive and durable wood finish without using solid wood throughout.
The distortion or bending of lumber due to uneven drying or environmental factors.
Chemical substances applied to wood to protect it from decay, insects, and other environmental factors.
Not finding what you’re looking for here? Contact us for more common lumber terms or insights about our company and products. We’d also love to send you a free sample of our stave core or laminated veneer lumber (LVL).
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Our samples are a great way to see our core in person, so you can make sure it meets the strict requirements for your products and customers.
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