Virgin growth lumber is the best building material you can find in the natural world, and researchers have yet to come up with anything comparable. Much of the timber used prior to the 20th century was from virgin, or first-growth forests which once covered the United States. For hundreds of years, these trees grew packed together, free from human impact, resulting in tighter ring patterns that make for a wood with distinct character- strong, durable, and rot-proof. According to Doug Hanna, at S+H Construction in Cambridge, MA, old virgin-growth white pine in particular is the crème de la crème for its rot resistant properties. Click here to read his post on the topic and learn where to source your own.