Lumber Recycling

Step 1

Intake & Sorting

Incoming lumber is unloaded and sorted by species, dimension, condition, and potential end use. We separate structural-grade timber from cosmetic-grade boards, and isolate treated or contaminated wood for proper handling. Each load is weighed and catalogued for traceability.

Step 2

De-Nailing & Hardware Removal

Trained crews manually remove nails, screws, bolts, brackets, and embedded metal from every board. This labour-intensive step is critical: missed hardware damages milling equipment and creates safety hazards. We use metal detectors for final verification.

Step 3

Cleaning & Inspection

Each board is cleaned of dirt, paint residue, and surface contamination. We inspect for structural defects including rot, insect damage, splits, and excessive warping. Boards that fail inspection are diverted to our mulching and biomass stream rather than being landfilled.

Step 4

Re-Milling & Surfacing

Approved lumber is re-milled to standard or custom dimensions on our industrial planers and saws. Surfacing reveals the rich grain and color that decades of aging produce. We can also kiln-dry reclaimed stock to target moisture content for interior applications.

Step 5

Grading & Inventory

Finished lumber is graded for structural integrity and aesthetic quality, then tagged with species, dimensions, and grade. It enters our inventory system and becomes available for purchase through our products catalog or direct sales team.

Step 6

Distribution & Delivery

Graded reclaimed lumber is stored in our covered yard and shipped to buyers across California via our transportation fleet. We offer will-call pickup, local delivery, and statewide freight for larger orders.

Dimensional Lumber

2x4s, 2x6s, 2x8s, 2x10s, 2x12s, and other standard framing lumber from construction and demolition projects. Softwoods and hardwoods accepted.

Beams & Timbers

Heavy timbers, barn beams, structural posts, and glulam members. Old-growth beams from pre-1950s structures are especially valuable for reclamation.

Flooring & Siding

Tongue-and-groove flooring, shiplap, clapboard, and exterior siding. Heart pine, oak, maple, and Douglas fir flooring are in high demand.

Pallets & Crating

Wooden pallets, shipping crates, and industrial packaging material. These are broken down and the usable boards are recycled into new products.

Plywood & Panels

Clean plywood, OSB, and sheet goods in reusable condition. Panels with excessive delamination or water damage go to our biomass processing stream.

Surplus & Overstock

New or lightly used lumber left over from construction projects. This material often needs minimal processing and goes straight to resale inventory.

Premium Reclaimed Lumber

The highest-quality material is re-milled and sold as premium reclaimed lumber for construction, furniture making, and architectural design. This includes old-growth beams, character-grade boards, and rare wood species salvaged from historic California structures.

Standard Building Material

Good-condition dimensional lumber is cleaned, de-nailed, and sold at competitive prices for general construction use. This provides contractors with a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to newly harvested framing lumber.

Mulch & Ground Cover

Wood that is not suitable for structural or aesthetic reuse is chipped into mulch and ground cover for landscaping, erosion control, and playground surfacing. This keeps usable biomass out of landfills and in the circular economy.

Biomass Energy

The lowest-grade wood waste is processed into biomass fuel chips for energy generation facilities. Even end-of-life wood contributes to renewable energy rather than occupying landfill space and generating methane.

Landfill Diversion

Wood waste accounts for roughly 20-30% of construction and demolition debris in California landfills. Recycling this material directly reduces landfill volume and the methane emissions that decomposing wood produces.

Forest Conservation

Every thousand board feet of reclaimed lumber used in place of new wood preserves approximately 20 trees. Over the course of a year, our recycling operation saves the equivalent of hundreds of acres of forest.

Carbon Sequestration

Wood stores carbon for its entire useful life. By extending the lifespan of lumber through recycling, we keep that carbon locked in building materials instead of releasing it through decomposition or incineration.

Reduced Emissions

Manufacturing new lumber from raw logs requires logging, transport, sawmill processing, and kiln drying, all of which generate significant CO2. Recycling existing lumber requires a fraction of that energy.

Water Conservation

Lumber production is water-intensive, from forest irrigation to sawmill cooling systems. Reclaimed lumber bypasses the entire upstream water footprint of virgin timber production.

Regulatory Compliance

California's CALGreen code requires 65% diversion of construction waste from landfills. Using reclaimed lumber and recycling job-site waste helps projects meet these mandates. Learn more about our waste management services.

Industrial Planers

24-inch and 36-inch industrial planers with carbide-tipped knives that survive occasional contact with embedded fasteners. Capable of surfacing boards from 3/4 inch to 14 inches thick to match historic and custom dimensions.

Resaw & Bandmill

Heavy-duty resaw equipment splits oversized timbers into usable boards and slabs. Our bandmill can break down beams up to 30 inches wide, recovering interior wood that hand de-nailing would not reach.

Industrial De-Nailers

Pneumatic and hydraulic de-nailing stations let our crews work through hundreds of board feet per hour. Backed up by handheld magnets, walk-over metal detectors, and X-ray screening for high-value material.

Kiln-Drying Chambers

Dual heated kilns reduce reclaimed lumber moisture to 6–9% for interior use. Kilning also kills any wood-boring insects, mold spores, and microbes, making the lumber safe for residential and commercial installation.

Industrial Wood Chippers

High-capacity chippers process unsalvageable scrap into mulch and biomass fuel. We screen the output through three grades for landscape, playground, and energy applications.

Forklifts & Material Handlers

A fleet of forklifts, telehandlers, and a dedicated lumber crane keeps material moving through every step of the process. Long-fork forklifts handle full 40-foot beams without damage.

Custom Milling Cells

Dedicated stations for tongue-and-groove flooring, shiplap, beveled siding, and custom moulding profiles. We can replicate historic profiles for preservation and restoration projects.

Quality Control Lab

Moisture meters, hardness testers, and a small materials lab let us verify species, density, and moisture content. Every premium grade piece is checked before it goes to inventory.

Covered Storage

40,000 square feet of covered, ventilated storage protects finished inventory from California sun and seasonal rain. Material is stickered for proper air flow and stable moisture content.

Premium Grade

The cream of our inventory. Clear or near-clear face, intact edges, full dimensions, and no structural defects. Suitable for furniture, exposed beams, feature walls, and high-end architectural applications. Each piece is photographed for the inventory system.

Character Grade

Boards with knots, weathering, nail holes, saw marks, color variation, or other visual character that designers actively seek. Structurally sound and fully de-nailed. Ideal for accent walls, rustic flooring, and projects where history is the point.

Construction Grade

Reclaimed framing lumber suitable for general construction. Meets or exceeds the strength requirements of equivalent new framing material in most applications. Cost-effective alternative for studs, joists, and rafters.

Utility Grade

Sound wood with minor defects (small knots, surface checks, mild staining). Perfect for fencing, blocking, temporary structures, packaging, and DIY projects. The most affordable tier of recycled lumber we offer.

1940s Cannery, Central Coast

A century-old cannery scheduled for demolition contained 380,000 board feet of Douglas fir framing and old-growth heart pine flooring. Over six weeks we processed every recoverable piece, shipped it to our yard, re-milled it, and returned 92% to the reclaimed market. Diversion rate: 96%.

Sonoma County Barn Complex

Three weathered barns dating to the 1890s yielded 65,000 board feet of redwood and Douglas fir, including 24-foot ridge beams in pristine condition. The owner received salvage credits that exceeded the deconstruction cost, ending the project ahead financially.

Bay Area Office Renovation

A LEED Gold tenant-improvement project required maximum waste diversion. We coordinated weekly recycling pickups for the duration of the renovation and supplied chain-of-custody documentation. The project achieved 88% diversion and earned multiple MR credits.

Municipal School Demolition

A retired school building came down to make way for a modern campus. We recovered 110,000 board feet of mid-century framing and 18,000 board feet of tongue-and-groove flooring, much of which was donated to a nearby community workshop and habitat-for-humanity affiliate.

How long does the recycling process take?

Standard loads are usually processed in 3 to 10 days. Material requiring kiln drying or special milling can take longer.

Can you recycle wood with paint on it?

Yes, depending on coating type and contamination risk. Some painted material can be processed, while hazardous coatings require controlled routing.

Do you accept particle board or MDF?

No. Particle board and MDF generally cannot be recycled through our lumber recovery stream due to adhesives and fiber composition.

Is recycled lumber as strong as new lumber?

Often yes, and in many cases stronger, especially when old-growth material is recovered, de-nailed, and graded for structural use.

Can you mill to custom dimensions?

Yes. We can plane, rip, and re-profile recovered stock into specific dimensions for framing, finish work, and custom applications.

What happens if you find hidden hazards?

Contaminated material is isolated, documented, and routed to approved facilities. We notify clients so upstream screening can be improved.

Do you provide moisture targets for interior projects?

Yes. Interior-ready material can be kiln dried to target moisture ranges suitable for flooring, cabinetry, and finish carpentry.

Can you handle large recurring commercial loads?

Yes. We support recurring pickup and processing programs for contractors, facilities, and manufacturers generating ongoing wood waste.

Will I receive documentation for diverted tonnage?

Yes. We provide load records, tonnage data, and diversion documentation for project compliance and sustainability reporting.

What wood materials are best for high-value recovery?

Solid lumber, timbers, and clean framing stock typically recover best. Source separation significantly improves recovery value and efficiency.