What Is a Cypress Bolt?

Definition

• "Bolt" is a common lumber term used to describe short logs cut from trees. A cypress bolt is a bolt cut from a cypress tree. In general, bolts are shorter than the typical commercial log, which is usually more than 8 feet. The terminology can be somewhat flexible, though, because some sources refer to 8-foot logs as bolts, too.

Divisions

• Bolts are divided into stave bolts and heading bolts and are measured in bolt-feet. The diameter of a bolt varies and is not universal for all uses, although a particular industry or project can require specific diameters. For example, some companies often require a minimum diameter of 12 inches for all bolts.

Advantages

• In general, bolts allow more of a tree to be used instead of destroyed and discarded. If a tree has only short sections of usable wood interrupted by weak, damaged or otherwise unusable portions, sawmills looking for full-size logs might disregard that tree or discard the entire section. Cutting shorter bolts allows more of the tree to be saved and put to use. Because cypress trees aren’t the fastest growing trees, cutting one down can have a noticeable effect on the surrounding area. That factor makes wasting a tree highly undesirable because it can take several years for a new tree to grow to a substantial size.

Uses

• Cypress is used for furniture and building structures that require sturdy, rot-resistant wood. Its cost varies depending on how far the lumber has to travel from the site at which it was cut. So cypress is not always the main wood used in a project. Using shorter bolts could save money because less weight and mass need to be cut down and shipped. Bolts are also more convenient for use in research to prevent pests and diseases.