What type of wood is this? This is floor joists and beams from a warehouse in MS, built in 1945. It has a dark patina. I thought it was pine but maybe cypress.
Not real familiar with wood species (so take this with a grain of salt, but I'd say) old growth pine? I demo'd a house while back and that looks awfully familiar.
If you ask an experienced carpenter in the area and give him the year and general location, he should be able to tell you without even looking. But ask an actual carpenter, not some guy who owns a hammer.
I'm pretty positive it's alder. And by alder. I mean cypress. I could pull a cypress board out the shop that has the exact same texture if I wasn't lazy at the moment.
I would say that it is almost certainly pine. Here is how to tell. Cut a clean slice on the end grain with a very sharp knife or razor knife. Look closely at the growth rings. If it is pine, you will see resin canals. A magnifying glass or hand lens will make it easy to see them if there are there. If it is pine, you will definitely see them.
Cypress does not have resin canals. Here is what a resin canal looks like.
My first impression from the grain was western red cedar but not sure how common that would have been in MS back in the 40's especially with an easy supply of pine available. I would take a knife and slice off some of the patina to see the underlying color and also see if you can smell the wood. Cedar may still have a pretty distinctive smell. I would also slice the end grain to see if there are resin canals to rule out bald cypress.
To find western red cedar in Mississippi as joists and floor framing would be highly unusual indeed.
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