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David J. Edens
08-30-2008, 07:37 AM
Does anyone know the type of hardwood used on houses from about 1950's and earlier (especially around Middle Tennessee)? It is tough stuff, more termite proof perhaps?

Ted Menelly
08-30-2008, 07:42 AM
Does anyone know the type of hardwood used on houses from about 1950's and earlier (especially around Middle Tennessee)? It is tough stuff, more termite proof perhaps?

I am sure it was not hardwood unless you want to call old stand (lob lolly) pine (southern yellow) Try to drive a nail or screw into it and you would think it were worse than hardwood.

Billy Stephens
08-30-2008, 08:25 AM
Does anyone know the type of hardwood used on houses from about 1950's and earlier (especially around Middle Tennessee)? It is tough stuff, more termite proof perhaps?
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Could be any species of wood native to your area.

When clearing land some owners would setup a sawmill on site to process the timber for use.
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Jerry Peck
08-30-2008, 01:53 PM
Possibly AKA "kindling", i.e., wood with large amounts of sap used. Gets *REAL* hard when it ages, burns *REAL* fast though. :)

I owned a house in Gainesville, Florida which was built in 1894 from that stuff - I had to pre-drill all the nail holes whenever I wanted to do any nailing to it. :(

Was very resistant to termites too (termites like wood, not sap). :cool:

But I imagine it would have 'gone up quicker than a mobile home' had anything caught on fire. :eek: