How We Mill from Our Smithers Sawmill

Step one: the log yard

We mill dry balsam: the logs left burnt or behind in the bush that larger mills will not take. Every log leaves the yard as squared cants for finished lumber or as chips bound for a local pellet plant, so nothing is wasted.

Logs arrive at the yard at 7865 BC-16 W and are sorted by size and condition. Because our raw material is dry balsam that larger mills pass on, sorting matters: we are looking for the solid wood inside a log that has already spent time burnt or down in the bush.

Step two: breaking down and squaring

Each log is broken down and squared on four sides into a cant: a solid, square-edged timber. We cut seven cross-sections, from 4x4 up to 12x12, in lengths from 8 to 20 feet. What does not square into a cant is cut into two-inch rough boards or sent to the chipper.

Step three: grading

Every cant is graded before it leaves. Salvaged balsam is honest material: dry, stable timber that makes solid cants and boards once it is squared. We will tell you straight what grade a lift is so there are no surprises at delivery.

Step four: banding and shipping

Cants are stacked into lifts and banded for transport. Most lifts head south to a remanufacturing partner in Langley to become finished lumber; a portion stays here for local customers, and chips truck to a local pellet plant. Banding keeps loads tidy and predictable whether they are bound for the coast or a job site down the highway.

Want to see the sizes we run? View the cant size table or request a quote.