Modern Marvels

Season 12, Episode 59

Episode Title: The Lumberyard

Air Date: 2005-11-30

Overview:

At the center of the American Dream is the home–and at the center of its creation or renovation is the lumberyard. We'll explore the options lumberyards provide for builders and renovators–from natural to engineered woods. We'll show how plywood and pressed woods are made, trace exotic woods to jungle and desert, visit a special lumberyard that deals in recycled and antique woods, and go on an underwater expedition as divers locate ancient logs buried in the Great Lakes and New Zealand. We'll see how 50,000-year-old ancient Kauri wood is "mined" from a bog and is now all the rage among those who live in mansions and travel on yachts. From the lowly 2-by-4 used to build a tract home, to a reclaimed set of historic planks used to make a million-dollar bar in a 5-star hotel, this eye-opening program hits the nail right on the head.