MACDIRECT BLOG

From time to time we get this question, especially when discussing knots in our weatherboards. It can be very confusing and there is still some debate around what is and isn't acceptable, especially when grading timber on site. But thankfully we do have clarity around this thanks to a couple of determinations. I thought I would address the question around the relationship between NZS3631 (Grading) and NZS3602 (Durability). When discussing weatherboard, we need to put these tw

The world outside we live in has not really changed in the last 12 months for MacDirect, But there are still challenges out there as the NZ building scene stutters along. Here at MacDirect though we are feeling very positive. After a year of upgrades and new development in our production line we are seeing the benefits this year in being able to hold cost increases to a minimum, as well as increasing accuracy and recovery. This is bolstered by our team of experience sawmiller

This year marks a significant milestone for MacDirect Sawmill – 30 years of supplying macrocarpa and cypress weatherboard to builders, architects and homeowners across New Zealand. From humble beginnings in the early 1990s, MacDirect set out with a simple goal: to provide a consistent, high-quality supply of macrocarpa timber for building. Three decades later, that commitment remains unchanged. Our team continues to specialise in the milling, grading and supply of premium mac

Over 30 Years of Experience in the Timber Industry MacDirect has been supplying cypress and macrocarpa timber to the New Zealand market for over 30 years. Led by our fearless leader, Murray Grant, we have supplied timber to thousands of projects nationwide. Our reach extends beyond New Zealand; we have even sent timber to the Pacific Islands and Australia. With three decades of experience, we understand the unique qualities of cypress and macrocarpa timber, especially in New

Winter has come again with mud, rain, and economic turmoil. Is it all doom and gloom? We at MacDirect don't think so! We are bucking the trend with spring around the corner. We've seen a lift in sales over the last four to five months, and we are preparing for an amazing summer! We can’t wait! The Reasons Behind Our Growth There’s a reason for this growth and warmer horizons. No, not climate change, but rather some exciting product developments and customer support tools. As

Murray Grant -Founder and Director of MacDirect Another year goes by and MacDirect are loaded with plantation logs that will keep us busy for next 4 months. These logs are stunning! Thumbs up to the farmer. These 31-year-old lusitanica were well grown pruned and thinned. We were pleased to learn this farmer feels very satisfied, after visiting MacDirect sawmills and seeing his high-quality timber, supplying the local market. 31 years ago I started MacDirect and like that ve

Grading timber to New Zealand standards is a fine art, let alone grading macrocarpa cypress timbers. A lot has changed in our business over the years, especially in the supply of logs to our yard. What used to truck in here was very different than what arrives each week at our mill in Patumahoe now. You can read more about this in Murray's blog post on our history of supplying mac , I want to talk a little bit about our timber grades and why we call things, what we do. In par

Murray inspects a plantation of Lusitancia Cypress Many in NZ think Cypress (macrocarpa/lusitanica) has only recently been extensively used in NZ building. Macrocarpa (mac) has actually been used from earliest days in NZ. Records suggest the early 1900s and was often used when renovating Kauri villas in the early 1920s to the 60s. I recall an instance, several years ago, where a kauri home in central Auckland was getting renovated by an acquaintance of mine; the kauri framing

We get asked all the time to share how we grade mac building grade timber. In part because there are some significant differences to other timbers that require more care and thought in the grading process. The industry and grading rules are based around radiata pine, which presents some minor issues when grading, but our experience has provided ways to ensure our timber meets code requirements while still maintaining the end user goals of having macrocarpa cypress timber's ch

An Intro from me: Scott Kelso, GM MacDirect Inspired by Murray's musings, I thought I would share a little bit about me and my time with MacDirect. In 2016 I started working with MacDirect's director Murray Grant, learning all about the qualities of building with Macrocarpa. I had never had experience with Mac before. In fact my entire experience of timber was working with treated pine. My background was in marketing and media, so working with timber was very new and exciting

Just a quick introduction...... Getting into sawmilling in 1993 I saw the market for a well graded consistent supply of macrocarpa building grade timbers. The main source for these timbers had always been small portable sawmills. These operators had limited ability in sourcing quality log supplies, therefore were inconsistent in supply times and grade quality. Setting out right from the start to overcome the negative attitude, particularly from merchants, but also from mainst