Frequently Asked Questions
Got Questions?
We’re here to help. We’ve put together this list of frequently asked questions for you. If your question isn’t addressed here, please contact us. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Green wood refers to wood that has been recently cut down and has not had an opportunity to season. Seasoning refers to the drying on the internal moisture that is in the wood. Green wood is considered to have a 100% moisture content relative to air-dried or seasoned wood.
Green wood’s 100% moisture content means that it is flexible and soft, making it very fun to work with on the lathe and it’s very kind on the chisel.
Air-dried wood is pretty self-explanatory, it’s wood that has been left to dry in the air, as opposed to applying heat to dry it. It is the more traditional method of drying wood and gives the timber a little more flexibility.
Air-dried wood contains much less moisture than green wood, but a little bit more than the faster and more aggressive method of Kiln drying. It’s this latent moisture content that makes it a little easier to work with than the Kiln dried alternative. Air dried wood is a solid, stable medium for construction projects such as furniture, as it’s easy to work with and does not go through the kiln process, which can cause damage to the wood.
Kiln-dried wood is wood that is sawn, placed in a kiln and dried using warm air currents. Kiln drying is a considerably faster process to traditional air drying. This method produces a much harder product usually reserved for the building trade.
Kiln Dried wood is the industry standard for construction. It is the most consistent and stable product offered after the drying process.
Smaller woodworking projects, such is with chisels or on the lathe may want to consider using air-dried wood as kiln-dried wood can be unforgiving and hard on tools.
For your convenience, you can use this calculator below which uses the first formula to figure out the cost of Live Edge Wood Slabs for your project. We sell most of our unfinished Live Edge Wood Slabs at an average price of $20 per board foot, which is considered to be wholesale price by market standards.
Live edge or natural edge is a style of furniture where the furniture designer or craftsperson incorporates the natural edge of the wood into the design of the piece.
Not all tree species should have their bark left on, and many will lose it naturally as we work the wood. Hickory, for example, sheds its bark no matter what the craftsperson does to it. But if we don’t seal these edges properly, the bark can come off and make a mess in your home. Even worse, it could reveal a layer that isn’t as appealing.
When you have all the bark removed, use a small nylon or wire brush to scrub away loose or stringy cambium-layer fibers. Scraping away that layer creates a slippery-smooth edge with more rounded features. Then remove any small pockets of bark and, if you are interested in details, leave them alone; if they hurt the overall look, you can fill them with epoxy!
As a hardwood mill, we saw and dry species that are native to the area. Readily available furniture-grade woods include red oak, white oak, cedar, poplar, ash, and black walnut. We also have a more limited supply of cherry and cedar. Sometimes we stock hard maples and pine, but not on a regular basis.
Most of our demand is for 4/4″ and 6/4″ lumber, so that is what we cut and kiln-dry. We also usually have kiln-dry 5/4″, 6/4″, 8/4″ Black Walnut, and oak.
Yes, we have many flitch-cut (natural edge, not squared) pieces of various species and shapes. You are free to search and find that perfect shape for your freestyle table or countertop! Some pieces are also book-matched.
No. It fell for a reason – it either suffered damage in the storm, or the root system already was unhealthy. Neither reason usually makes for good lumber – although you’ll have some great firewood for next winter.
We sell firewood. We are in the business of cordwood. Slabs are sold cheaply. At this time we are not selling sawdust but please check back at a later time because we are looking into the process.
Our stakes are made from high-grade poplar. They are 1½” x 1½” square and all sides are rough. The lengths are: 18″, 2′, 4′ and 6′.
Our trailer boards are made from high-grade oak. They are rough cut to order and squared on all sides