Rough Cut Lumber from Our Smithers Sawmill

What rough cut lumber is

Rough cut lumber is exactly what it sounds like: boards sawn straight off the log and left as they come off the saw, not run through a planer. Ours are two inches thick, cut from dry balsam, and sold in random widths and lengths. The surface is rough and the edges show the saw, which is the point. You are paying for solid wood, not a smooth finish.

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. The rough-cut boards come off that same stock, sawn to a full two inches and stacked for pickup at our yard on Highway 16.

How rough cut differs from planed and dimensional lumber

Planed, dimensional lumber is dressed on all four sides and sold at a fixed nominal size, so a "2x4" actually measures about 1.5 by 3.5 inches once it is surfaced. Rough cut lumber skips that step. A two-inch rough board is a full two inches, with a sawn face instead of a smooth one. That makes it heavier, more solid, and better value where a clean surface does not matter.

We are a cant mill, not a planing mill, so we do not produce planed or graded dimensional stock. If you need finished framing lumber, a building-supply store is the right stop. If you want honest rough material straight from the mill, that is what we cut. The squared timbers we also produce are explained on our what is a cant page, and you can see the full size list on the dry balsam cants page.

Who buys rough cut lumber, and what for

Most of the people who call us for rough boards are building something practical where finish is not the point:

• Ranchers and farmers for fencing, corrals, loafing sheds, and barn repairs.
• Builders and contractors for blocking, bracing, concrete forms, and outbuildings.
• Property owners for sheds, lean-tos, raised beds, and general repair lumber.

If you are searching for rough cut lumber near me in the Bulkley Valley, our yard on Highway 16 west of Smithers is likely the closest mill cutting it direct.

Fence boards and corral boards

A full two-inch rough board takes a leaning animal and a hard winter better than thin dressed lumber. That is why so much of the fence and corral work around the valley is built from rough-cut. Tell us your post spacing and run length and we will help you land on a board count before you order.

Barns and outbuildings

For barn siding, loafing sheds, hay shelters, and machine sheds, rough-cut gives you solid, full-dimension wood at a working price. The sawn face sheds weather fine and looks like it belongs on a farm building, because it does.

Garden and landscape projects

Raised beds, compost bins, retaining edges, and walkway forms are honest weekend work for a lift of rough boards. Our lumber is untreated, so plan for ground contact accordingly, or ask us which boards to set aside for the wet spots.

How to order

Tell us your sizes and quantities and we will tell you what is on the ground. We sell in lifts, but we are a small mill, so call us and we will work out something that fits the job. Pickup is at the yard near Smithers, between Witset and Hazelton. To get started, request a quote or call the office.

Rough-cut is priced by what is on the ground and moves with the market, so call for today's rate. A quick quote by phone usually happens while you are on the line: (250) 847-1430.