Questions we get
every day.
These 48 answers come from real texts and phone calls. If your question isn't here, call or text us.
Buying lumber
Do you have it in stock?
Our 1x bundles (T&G, S4S, rough sawn) usually are. Timbers and dimensional lumber are mostly cut to order, but there's often surplus in the yard. Call and we'll check. If it's not here, we can usually cut it.
How long does an order take?
Usually 10 to 14 days to mill green lumber. Kiln-dried adds kiln time. It depends on the backlog, so we'll give you a real date when we quote.
Is 2" actually 2"?
Yes. We cut true dimension every time, unless you ask for something different.
What's the minimum order?
$250 on custom orders. Need less than that? Check out the surplus piles. It's cheaper and you might find exactly what you need.
Do you need a deposit?
Orders over $1,000 need 50% down to get on the schedule. Under $1,000, a solid yes is enough.
Are deposits refundable?
Partly. If you cancel fast, before we've started, you get it back. Once logs are cut to length, the refund gets smaller. It comes down to how far along your order is.
What species do you carry?
Doug fir, ponderosa pine, spruce and elm, plus ash, walnut, cottonwood, silver maple and subalpine fir depending on what logs come in. All local to the Western Slope.
What don't you carry?
No cedar, oak, redwood or aspen. Cherry shows up now and then in short pieces.
Can I buy it green?
Yes. We sell green and dry. Dry takes longer unless it's already in inventory.
Is it grade-stamped? Will it pass inspection?
Not unless you ask. Grading through Timber Products Inspection starts around $800 per project, and local engineers have cleared our material on past jobs. If your build needs stamped lumber, tell us up front.
What holds up best outside?
Doug fir is our go-to for outdoor work. For siding, wide fir gets pricey, so we often suggest pine. Either way, it was a living thing and it'll decay someday. Maintenance makes the difference. (And you can come buy more from us in 15 years.)
How do I store green lumber at home?
It leaves here stacked and stickered. Keep it that way and put as much weight on top as you can. More weight, the better.
Will my wood crack, twist or move?
Wood is gonna wood. It moves, takes on water and dries out again, kiln-dried or not. We don't warranty against movement. Keep kiln-dried material covered and out of the weather.
Why does it cost more than Home Depot?
You're getting true dimension local wood, cut to what you actually need, from a mill down the road instead of three states away.
What's a board foot?
Thickness (in) x width (in) x length (ft), divided by 12. A 2x12 that's 12 feet long is 24 board feet.
Do you have sale or cull lumber?
Yes. The surplus piles are on sale. It's more like #2 grade, so expect checks and flaws. Cull bundles run from free up to $200 depending on grade. Buy in bulk or take a whole row and we'll make you a deal.
Do you sell blue stain or beetle kill?
Yes, and we've got a lot of it right now.
Board-and-batten, barn siding, fencing?
Yes, all three.
Flooring or tight-seam T&G?
Yes. Our moulding partner has a ton of profiles, and if we can't find the one you want, we can buy the knives to make it. See T&G.
Do you sell treated lumber?
No treated lumber and no creosote.
Milling your logs
Will you mill my logs?
Yes. Custom milling is $300 an hour, $300 minimum. Drop them off or line up a haul. More on Custom Milling.
How much lumber will my log make?
It depends on the diameter, the length and what you want cut. Send us the small-end diameter, the length and the species, and we'll estimate it.
What if there's metal in my logs?
We charge $50 for each blade it damages. Nails, fence wire and old hardware are common in yard trees. And no, you can't always pull it all out. We've hit plenty of steel in logs that were "clean."
Can you cut pieces under 8 feet?
Not on the mill. 8 feet is the shortest we can clamp. Check the free cutoff piles for shorter stuff.
Do you quarter saw?
Yes, for certain species. Ask and we'll tell you if your logs are a fit.
Can you resaw my beam?
We can, but we're not really set up for it. The thinnest we'll cut is 1-3/8". Schedule a time.
Will you kiln dry my lumber?
Yes. We fit it into the kiln schedule, take a real moisture reading, and give you a timeline based on species and thickness. See Kiln Drying.
Should I kiln dry my timbers?
Usually not. It costs strength, and our climate air dries timbers well. Sometimes it makes sense for interior work. Call and we'll talk it through.
Do you plane lumber?
Not yet. We're hoping to add it within the next year or so.
Selling trees & logs
Do you buy logs?
Yes, softwood and hardwood. Minimum 8 feet long and 10" diameter. We don't take limbs, because limb wood always moves. Send us the species, size, count and location.
What's my yard tree worth?
We pay up to $1.50 per board foot, Doyle scale. A 16" x 16' log scales to 144 board feet, so about $216 max. Final price depends on species, straightness, defects and metal.
Will you cut my tree down?
No, but we know who will. For yard trees: Stronghold Tree Care, (970) 765-8806, or SouthWest Tree Service in Olathe. For forestry and land clearing: Liberty Land Clearing, (970) 874-8043. Ask them to leave the trunk long. Here's where to cut.
Will you take firewood-grade logs?
We don't buy them, but we'll take them. No dump fee.
Slabs & mantels
Do you sell mantels and live edge slabs?
Yes, in about any size: from a 1.5" x 8" shelf up to an 18" x 20" beam 10 to 20 feet long. We try to keep heavy square-edge stock, live edge pieces 4" to 10" thick, and plenty of 6x6s and 8x8s that make great mantels. See Hardwoods.
Can you hold a slab for me?
Not without payment. Once you pay for it, it's yours and it gets your name on it.
Can I get samples or photos?
Samples, absolutely. Swing by or book a time and we'll round some up. We can send photos sometimes, depending on how busy the mill is.
Firewood, slab wood & sawdust
Do you sell firewood?
Yes. Doug fir $225 a cord, mixed species $200. You load it, and we pretty much always have it. See Firewood.
Do you sell slab wood?
Yes. Bundles are $40 each, about 1,200 lbs, some up to 2,500. We'll set them on a trailer, but pickups hand load.
Do you sell sawdust?
Yes, $50 a yard (about 3 Bobcat scoops), and we load it. It's not screened, so expect bark and small chunks, mixed species.
Woodchips?
No chips. Our sawdust is fine, about like sand.
Peeled logs?
Sometimes, depending on workload, since peeling pulls the guys off the mill.
Do you have free scrap?
Better than scrap. We have free piles with long lengths, thick and thin. Swing by and the guys will point you to them.
Pickup, hauling & paying
Can I just show up?
Yes. Mon to Thu 8 to 4:30, Fri 8 to noon. Without an appointment, you may wait while the guys find a stopping point, since the mill has to keep running for everyone's orders. Bigger loads need an appointment.
Do you help load?
Lumber, sawdust and slab bundles, yes, with the Pettibone or the Bobcat. Firewood you load yourself. Want to hand load lumber? Go for it, we'll show you where it is.
Do you deliver or ship?
No, but these guys haul for our customers: Nate Watkins, (970) 596-3416, and Fast Track Transport, (970) 589-3937.
Can I drop my trailer and load later?
Yes, no problem. Plenty of room to park.
How do I pay?
We prefer paying online through a QuickBooks invoice. Cash, check and card work too.
What do you need to quote me?
Name, phone, email and a cut list. Drawings help a lot, and so does knowing what you're building. A barn ceiling and a ceiling in a high-end custom home are very different orders. Send it here.
Still got a question? Call or text.
Rather talk it through?
Grab 15 minutes on the phone, or come walk the yard and see the wood in person.