The final total of damage to wood products caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita has still to be finalised.
According to industry newsletter Random Lengths, companies that specialise in selling damaged wood products say it is still too early to specify what kind of volume might be salvaged.
And, it said, insurance companies which have been inundated with claims have asked owners of damaged wood to go through their inventories and keep what they can.
Random Lengths reports that untreated lumber left in floodwater for more than a week is likely to develop mould and would have to be thrown away.
However, less damaged material can be regraded and sold for dunnage, packaging or industrial applications.
