What Is A Hardwood Sawmill?

"Hardwood sawmills" are facilities where hardwood logs are processed into lumber. Here's a breakdown of what hardwood sawmills are, how they work, and key considerations:

What Is a Hardwood Sawmill?

A hardwood sawmill is a mill that processes hardwood species—such as oak, maple, walnut, cherry, hickory, and ash—into usable lumber for furniture, flooring, cabinetry, millwork, and other wood products.

How Hardwood Sawmills Operate

Log Yard:

Logs are received, sorted by species, grade, and size.

Debarking:

Bark is removed mechanically to prevent damage to saw blades.

Primary Breakdown:

Logs are cut into slabs or cants using head saws or band saws.

Edging and Trimming:

Boards are edged to remove irregular edges and trimmed to length.

Grading:

Lumber is graded based on standards like NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association) rules.

Drying:

Air drying and/or kiln drying reduces moisture content for stability.

Planing and Final Processing:

Some mills also plane the boards and sort them for shipment.