New Species of Wood Revolutionizing Fences

Northeast Oregon Now
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Mike McKamey, owner of All That Wood in Hermiston, has added Pacific Albus, a hybrid poplar clone grown at the nearby Boardman Tree Farm, to his inventory of fencing materials.

[quote style=”2″]Hermiston’s All That Wood Marketing Pacific Albus[/quote]

Within the past few years a new species of hardwood has gained recognition in the lumber industry. Pacific Albus, a plantation-grown hybrid poplar clone, is strong, lightweight and ideal for machining, gluing, sanding, boring and turning.

The Collins Companies operate the Upper Columbia Mill near Boardman, producing and marketing the Pacific Albus grown at the Boardman Tree Farm. About a year and a half ago Collins Pacific Albus Product Manager Lee Jimerson contacted All That Wood, a wood and vinyl fence supplier in Hermiston, to market the new product.

Mike McKamey, owner of All That Wood, was hesitant at first to add the poplar hybrid to his inventory.

“One of (Jimerson’s) claims was that it had the qualities of cedar,” McKamey said. “I’ve had a lot of people bring me different types of woods,” some of which McKamey later regretted stocking. However, he accepted some samples from Jimerson and placed them outdoors to see how they would weather.

“They’ve been out there a year and a half. You go and put a brand new board next to them, and it’s almost the same color,” McKamey said. He decided last spring to take the risk and offer Pacific Albus to the public.

All That Wood 2
Pacific Albus (the light-colored wood above) has fared well compared to cedar in a test fence at All That Wood near Hermiston. The hybrid poplar is grown and milled nearby at Collins Companies’ Boardman Tree Farm and Upper Columbia Mill.
“We’ve been really excited about it,” he said. “It’s out-performed cedar in a year and a half, hands down – and for a tree that’s only 12 years old when they harvest them. As hard as cedar has been to get for the last four or five years, I’ve dubbed (Pacific Albus) the next generation’s fence board.”

Not only does Pacific Albus outshine cedar in durability, it is less expensive. McKamey says that high-quality cedar fence boards cost about $3.50 each while a Pacific Albus board of the same quality costs $2.75.

McKamey also puts Pacific Albus boards that don’t make the grade of fence board into a bin from which crafters can choose pieces to use for furniture or other projects.

All That Wood also carries picket vinyl, privacy vinyl and ranch rail vinyl fencing. They also use vinyl scraps to make raised planter boxes that won’t rot.

All That Wood is located north of Hermiston, on North Highway 395 on the corner of Follett Lane. From the highway, passersby can see just a portion of the fence supplies available, most of which are stored behind the office building.

“I guarantee the box stores would have nothing close to (our inventory),” says McKamey.

All That Wood puts customer satisfaction first. “We sort through (the wood) and get the grades so that people aren’t surprised like with what they get straight from the mills,” McKamey said.

For more information about McKamey’s inventory of Pacific Albus, cedar or vinyl fence products, visit All That Wood or call 541-667-8191. Business hours during fall and winter are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Spring and summer hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday -Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.