Where the Wood Comes From

Salvaged Redwood Logs

The Pacific Lumber Company has owned and operated lumber mills and timber forests in Humboldt County, California since the time of the Civil War. Over the decades, millions of board feet of old-growth redwood were harvested from the surrounding area and processed through the mills, creating beautiful building materials for much of the Western United States. Some of the trees that were harvested never made it to the mill, either because they were too difficult to retrieve, or because they were used in log form to buttress roads or just set aside in forgotten inventory. Most of the remaining old-growth redwood forests are now protected from logging; these trees that were felled decades ago and never processed may be some of the last material of this kind. YRM has over 300 of these rare antique redwood logs now in our inventory.

These rediscovered salvaged logs are freshly sawn into eco-friendly new ‘green’ lumber of unparalleled quality and beauty. The material is characterized by its deep rich color and tight grain, often free of knots or markings, it is much stronger and more weather and decay resistant than new second or third generation redwood. We are happy to quote unique pieces with live or natural edges for your artistic applications.

Reclaimed Redwood Timbers

Much of our reclaimed redwood comes from several old lumber mill buildings that have closed and are being carefully dismantled and the materials preserved for reuse. This is recycling of the highest order, conserving our environment and resources for future generations. Examples of these include the Pacific Lumber Company mill in Scotia, California originally constructed in the 1920s, it has recently closed and parts of it are now in our inventory. The Georgia Pacific mill in Fort Bragg, California ceased lumber production in 2002; parts of the original building date back to 1885.These structures were built from the old-growth redwood forests in the surrounding areas.

The characteristics of this 100+ year-old lumber include tight grain, clear heart wood, that is air-dried and incredibly stable, some have old bolt or nail holes or weather cracks depending upon where and how they were used in previous construction. These wear and use markings are classic beauty marks that share the stories and character of generations of previous use.

YRM stocks this material in massive sizes, not available from your local new lumber supply. We carefully remove old nails, screws or metal at our mill and then saw the lumber to order.