At Virgin Cypress we like to make the process simple & straightforward so you feel comfortable doing business with us. We have gathered some commonly asked questions and information to help you in this process. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.

General Questions

Why should I use Virgin Cypress?
We are your direct lumber and sawmill supplier. We offer a diverse selection of exotic and durable woods. Perfect for residential and commercial use. We not only have everything at one location but we offer mill-direct pricing. We also have the largest selection and supply of Sinker Cypress. View our About page to understand even more about Virgin Cypress and how we work for you.

Homeowners or professionals who does Virgin Cypress cater?
Both! Whether you’re a homeowner looking for a conversation piece such as a Pecky Cypress Mantle or a fine homebuilder wanting to use a unique Cypress wood for flooring we cover it all. We make the process custom fit to the customer depending on what they need. Everyone is treated with the same attention and diligence no matter what size the order. When looking at Our Products remember if you have any questions or if its just too confusing don’t hesitate to give us a call or email and let us work for you in figuring out the answers.

How large is the lumberyard and millwork facility at Virgin Cypress?
Our facility is over 50,000 SqFt. and houses over $3 million dollars’ worth of inventory.

Where do our recovered woods come from?
We buy our recovered logs in all of the south east costal states ranging from Louisiana through South Carolina.

How much recovered wood is available in the United States? Is it being replenished?
The amount of reclaimed and recovered cypress available in the United States is uncertain. There is only so much old growth lumber available to be pulled or reclaimed making Sinker wood a rarity and a nonrenewable resource.

How dry is our wood?
Virgin Cypress dries our cypress to 10-12% moisture content. Cypress Lumber holds moisture in pockets and if the wood is dried too quickly, it will cause the pockets to explode causing cracks (checking) and end splits. As a rule of thumb air drying sinker cypress takes 1 year per inch thickness of lumber. The key to drying all cypress is stabilizing the wood while removing the moisture slow and consistently.

What does rough sawn or smoothed planed mean?
Rough sawn is lumber that has been sawn and has a rough texture. Smoothed planed lumber is lumber that was rough sawn and then ran through a planer, therefore it has a smooth surface on the bottom and top of the board.

What does gang ripped mean?
Gang ripped is when a circular saw rips both sides of the board to a specific dimension.

How diverse is the millworking facility at Virgin Cypress?
We have a very capable millworking facility that can generally do anything that’s required. We have a knife library that consists of over 5000 moulding profiles. If we do not have the specific profile you are looking for we can custom grind a knife for your project. We are able to make sure that as a customer you get exactly what you desire for any type of project.

What is some of the common millwork that Virgin Cypress does?
We do many different things daily at our mill. We do flooring, moulding, casing, crowns, and even specialty products like beams, rafter tails, and more. Checkout Our Product page for pictures and products of our millwork.

What is Plank flooring?
Plank flooring is flooring which is made from solid wooden planks. Flooring planks are typically wide and very thick, designed to withstand a lifetime of use, and they can be stained or painted or left untreated, depending on personal taste. One of the major advantages to plank flooring is that if a single plank fails, it can be replaced with another one without the need to tear up the whole floor. Typically, the character of the wood in the form of whorls and knots is retained in plank flooring. New homes have planks installed because people appreciate their look and durability

What is the difference between Board Feet, Square Feet, and Linear Feet?
Board Feet is a measurement of volume. It is a term used in the lumber industry equal to a piece of wood 12”x12”x1” thick, or 144 cubic inches.
Square Feet is a measurement of area. It would be like the floor of your home, simply width x length = area. For example, 10’ wide x 20’ long = 200 square feet.
Linear Feet is a measurement of length. It only measure how long something is, not its width or thickness. Example you have 2 pcs. Of wood each piece is 16’ long your Linear Feet would be 32LFT.

Can I receive samples?
Here at Virgin Cypress we do send out samples. Contact us and let us know what product you would like to sample and we will get it sent out to you. We only ask that you cover the small shipping fee. View Our Contact & Quote Page to request a sample.

Why Should I Use recovered or reclaimed cypress?
Recovered or Reclaimed wood is unlike the new growth wood today it has an antique quality. The recovered Sinker Cypress has over 18 growth rings and fine grains in every log while new growth contains around 5 growth rings. The rings along with grain, and color drastically effect the gorgeous look you receive when using reclaimed wood. Also using reclaimed wood is ecofriendly because these trees were cut centuries ago and do not require new trees to be cut down. View our Why Sinker page to learn more about recovered and reclaimed cypress.

Why Sinker Cypress?
Due to the age of the trees cut, the growth rings are much closer: which allows more stability. All of the sap wood has already disintegrated off the log, leaving all heart wood with high concentration of cypressene oil which makes sinker cypress durable and excellent for outdoor or indoor use. View our Why Sinker page to learn more about Sinker Cypress.

How old is Sinker Cypress?
These logs were cut with an axe and floated down the rivers from 1880-1920. The trees ranged anywhere from 150-1500 years old when they were cut. That means the youngest logs are still at least 230 years old. View our Why Sinker page to learn more about Sinker Cypress.

What is the difference between Sinker Cypress, Pecky Cypress, Sinker Pine, Curly Sinker Pine, and Tidewater Cypress?
Sinker Cypress is lumber that’s been preserved underwater that has a high amount of growth rings and fine grain patterns with distinctive color hues.

Pecky Cypress is a unique grade of Sinker Cypress that is caused by a fungus. The fungus only grows while the tree is alive and forms tubular pockets inside the tree. These pockets give the cypress a rustic look. Normally Sinker Cypress does not have those tubular pockets
Sinker Pine has also been recovered after being submerged for a long period of time.

Curly Sinker Pine is a unique grade of Sinker Pine resulting from an abnormal growth usually called a burl, that’s forms on the tree. The burl causes the grain to grow curly and give the lumber a gorgeous grain pattern.

What can Sinker Cypress be used for?
Sinker Cypress has a variety of uses due to its durability some examples are Mantels, beams, post, timbers, siding, decking, lumber, ceiling, cladding, flooring, siding, columns, crown, base, casing, and all applied mouldings. View Our Products and Gallery to better see how Sinker Cypress is used.

What is the weight of Sinker Cypress?
Sinker Cypress WET weighs 8-10 LBS per BFT
Sinker Cypress DRY weighs 3.5 LBS per BFT

Is Cypress a good interior flooring choice?
Sinker Cypress is very durable and pest resistant. Due to its antique quality and exceptional beauty, strength, and story it makes a wonderful flooring choice.

Is Cypress easy to work with?
Sinker Cypress works well with both hand tools and machine tools. The wood can have a dulling effect on sharp tools. the wood easily holds nails, glue, paint, and finishing.

Is Cypress a softwood or hardwood?
Cypress is a softwood, but it is graded by the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s cypress rules.

Is Cypress a durable wood?
All of the sap wood has already disintegrated off the log, leaving all heard wood with high concentration of cypressene oil which makes sinker cypress have extreme durability and weathering properties. It is also highly resistant to insects and pests which make it excellent for
outdoor or indoor use.

What are commonly used names of Sinker Cypress?
Virgin Cypress, Deadhead Cypress, River Recovered Cypress, Old Growth, and Heart Pine are all commonly used names when describing Sinker Cypress.

What is a wood slab and what are its uses?
A wood slab is a large cut of wood that’s used for decorating and design purposes. The slabs have a wide variety of uses. They do make wonderful tables, desks, nightstands, etc.

Questions about ordering and shipping

Does Virgin Cypress have a minimum order size?
We do have a minimum order size which is at least $500 before freight charges ad applicable taxes.

How much is shipping?
Generally shipping charges begin at $300 and rise depending on the distance, size and weight of the order. Each order is individually quoted and listed on your estimate.

How does Virgin Cypress ship its products?
We ship our products nationwide and use different freight carriers to make sure we are getting you the lowest price available. We always make sure to pack, and load your shipment where it doesn’t get damaged and it is protected while its being shipped.

Can I pick up my order at Virgin Cypress headquarters in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida?
Yes! If your working close by and its convenient to you to pick it from our lumberyard you are more than welcome to. Just give us a call and let us know you are coming

How is the shipment handled?
Our shipments are always handled with the upmost care during loading and transit to make sure that when the products arrive to you they are exactly what you wanted with no damage.