Our Process
From demolition site to your project, every board passes through six rigorous steps before it reaches you.
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Reclaimed lumber doesn't just appear ready to use. It takes expertise, equipment, and care to transform demolition debris into premium building material. Here's exactly how we do it — step by step, with the equipment specs, throughput numbers, and quality standards that set us apart.
Our Commerce, CA facility processes an average of 350,000–400,000 board feet per month, with peak capacity of 500,000 board feet during high-volume demolition seasons. We maintain a standing inventory of 1.2–1.8 million board feet across all species and grades at any given time.
Sourcing & Acquisition
Typical Turnaround
Initial site visit: 24–48 hrs. Purchase offer: same day. Material removal: 1–5 days depending on volume.
We maintain active relationships with over 140 demolition contractors, renovation firms, and municipal waste programs across Southern California and the broader West Coast. When a building is scheduled for demolition, our acquisition team evaluates the available lumber for species, condition, age, and reclamation potential within 48 hours of notification. We buy standing structures scheduled for demolition and deconstruct them ourselves, or acquire lumber that has already been removed and sorted by a demolition crew.
- ✓Site evaluations within 48 hours of inquiry
- ✓Fair market pricing with written offer same day
- ✓Priority pickup scheduling — we work around demo crews
- ✓Full chain-of-custody documentation provided
- ✓Pre-demolition selective deconstruction service available
- ✓Emergency/rush acquisition for time-sensitive tear-downs
Inspection & Sorting
Typical Turnaround
Inspection and initial sorting: same day for loads under 5,000 BF. 2–3 days for large structural salvages.
Every piece of lumber that enters our Commerce facility is hand-inspected by our team of trained graders before touching any processing equipment. We check for structural integrity, species identification, moisture content, and any contaminants such as lead paint, creosote, or pressure treatment chemicals. Boards are sorted by species, dimension, intended use grade, and contamination status. Material that does not meet our minimum quality standards for resale is diverted to mulch, biomass, or other recycling streams — never landfill if avoidable.
- ✓Pin-type moisture meter reading on every board
- ✓Species identification by AWI-certified graders
- ✓XRF lead paint screening on pre-1978 material
- ✓Visual contamination assessment (creosote, staining)
- ✓Dimensional categorization and stacking by species
- ✓Defect mapping for structural vs. appearance grade decisions
De-Nailing & Cleaning
Typical Turnaround
De-nailing throughput: approximately 800–1,200 BF per person-day. Typical order: 2–4 days.
Reclaimed lumber arrives carrying nails, screws, lag bolts, staples, and other fasteners accumulated over decades of use. Our de-nailing operation is one of the most labor-intensive steps in our process, and one we take seriously: even a single missed embedded nail can destroy a planer blade in milliseconds and create projectile hazards for our millwork team. We use a three-pass system combining industrial magnetic conveyors, handheld wand metal detectors, and experienced hand inspection before any board is cleared for milling.
- ✓Pass 1: Industrial magnetic conveyor belt (removes 90%+ of surface fasteners)
- ✓Pass 2: Handheld wand metal detector scan on all four faces
- ✓Pass 3: Hand inspection by experienced de-nailer
- ✓Surface wire brushing and debris removal
- ✓Pre-mill metal detector arch for final verification
- ✓Any detected metal logged and board returned for re-inspection
Re-Milling & Processing
Typical Turnaround
Standard S4S milling: 3–5 business days. Custom profile: 5–10 business days. Large structural orders: quoted per project.
Cleared lumber moves to our mill floor where it is cut, planed, and profiled to specification using industrial-grade equipment calibrated for the unique challenges of reclaimed wood. Unlike green or kiln-dried new lumber, reclaimed wood has variable density, potential hidden checks, irregular grain patterns, and decades of stress relaxation. Our millers are experienced at reading this material and making moment-to-moment decisions that maximize yield while maintaining safety and quality. We produce S4S, tongue-and-groove, shiplap, live-edge slabs, and fully custom profiles.
- ✓Re-sawing to custom dimensions on 36" bandsaw
- ✓Wide-belt sanding for flat panel applications
- ✓Moulder profiling (T&G, shiplap, bead board, custom)
- ✓Live-edge processing and butterfly key inlay preparation
- ✓Kiln verification and re-drying to spec MC if needed
- ✓Custom dimensional ripping and cross-cutting to order
Grading & Inventory
Typical Turnaround
Grading and inventory entry: 1–2 days after milling is complete.
Processed lumber is graded according to a system we developed in consultation with the NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Association) and structural engineering standards, adapted specifically for reclaimed material. Our grading accounts for both structural performance and aesthetic character, because in reclaimed wood what might be classified as a defect in new lumber — nail holes, checked ends, weathered face, ring grain patterns — is frequently a desired feature. Every graded board is tagged with a unique ID, catalogued with photos, and added to our digital inventory system accessible to customers on request.
- ✓Structural grade: meets or exceeds No. 2 SYP equivalence
- ✓Select appearance grade: minimal character marks, clear faces
- ✓Character grade: visible history, nail holes, patina accepted
- ✓Rustic/cabin grade: significant character, full structural integrity
- ✓Board-by-board photography for remote customer selection
- ✓Digital inventory with species, dimension, grade, and origin data
Delivery & Support
Typical Turnaround
LA metro: 1–3 business days. California statewide: 3–7 business days. Southwest US: 5–10 business days.
We operate our own fleet of trucks for delivery across the Los Angeles metro area and throughout California and the Southwest. Orders are staged and carefully loaded by our yard crew using species-segregated stickering to prevent staining and maintain air circulation. Our logistics coordinator works with your project manager or GC to hit delivery windows that align with your site schedule. We offer flatbed delivery with our own forklift service for large structural orders, and enclosed box trucks for appearance-grade and interior finish material.
- ✓Next-day delivery available for in-stock orders (LA metro)
- ✓Flatbed with forklift for jobsite placement of heavy timber
- ✓Box truck delivery for finish-grade and interior material
- ✓Delivery confirmation photos provided for every order
- ✓Post-delivery technical support for installation questions
- ✓Return/exchange policy on unused material within 30 days
Facility Equipment & Specifications
Our Commerce facility runs on industrial-grade equipment chosen specifically for the demands of reclaimed lumber processing. Processing reclaimed wood requires more robust machinery than new lumber milling — embedded metal, variable density, and irregular dimensions put extreme stress on cutting tools and require faster blade changes and more precise calibration.
De-Nailing & Cleaning
Magnetic Conveyor System
48" belt, 3,500 lbs pull force, 60 BF/min throughput
Handheld Metal Detector Wands
4 units, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT, detects metal to 1" depth in dense wood
Walk-Through Metal Detector Arch
Pre-mill final check, triggers alarm at 3mm ferrous objects
Wire Brush Cleaning Station
Powered rotary brushes, removes surface dirt/grime/loose bark
Sawing & Re-Sawing
Wood-Mizer WM1000 Industrial Bandsaw
36" capacity, hydraulic log handling, 0.090" kerf, max 24" width
Raimann KM310 Gang Rip Saw
12" arbor, up to 8 blades, rips boards to custom widths simultaneously
Morbark 2400 Drum Chipper
Processes unusable material into biomass chips, 20-ton/hr capacity
Beam Saw (Notching & Tenon)
Custom-built, handles up to 12×12 timber, tenon cutting for timber frame
Planing & Surfacing
Diehl SL26 Straight-Line Rip Saw
Creates straight reference edge on bowed/warped reclaimed boards
Weinig Hydromat 23E Moulder
6-spindle, produces T&G, shiplap, bead board, and custom profiles at 60 FPM
Timesavers 2200 Wide-Belt Sander
52" width, 3-head, calibration sanding for panel applications
Oliver 4-sided Planer
20" width capacity, removes up to 1/4" per pass on reclaimed surfaces
Moisture & Quality Testing
Wagner MMC220 Moisture Meter
In-line moisture measurement, ±0.5% accuracy, 0–80% MC range
Olympus Vanta XRF Analyzer
Lead paint screening, results in 2 minutes per sample, OSHA compliant
Brookhaven Instruments Moisture Oven
Oven-dry verification testing, 10-sample capacity, confirms pin meter readings
Scanteak Density Tester
Identifies species by density profile when visual ID is uncertain
Material Handling
Toyota 8FGU30 Forklift
6,000 lb capacity, propane, 185" max lift, fits through standard dock doors
Combilift C4000 Multi-Directional Forklift
4,400 lb capacity, handles long timber up to 30 ft in tight aisles
Pallet Jack Fleet (6 units)
5,500 lb capacity each, for finished inventory movement within warehouse
Board Conveyor System
120 ft integrated roller conveyor connecting de-nail, mill, and grading stations
Fleet & Delivery
Kenworth T370 Flatbed (×2)
26 ft deck, 33,000 GVWR, equipped with tie-down rated at 27,000 lbs
Isuzu NPR Box Truck (×2)
16 ft box, liftgate, for finish-grade interior lumber delivery
Ford F-350 Pickup with Flatbed (×1)
Small loads, site evaluations, emergency pick-ups
Portable Forklift (truck-mounted)
Moffett M5 NX, attaches to flatbed, enables delivery without crane at any site
Quality Control Checkpoints
Every board that passes through our facility crosses seven documented quality control checkpoints before it is eligible for sale. Boards that fail any checkpoint are redirected to the appropriate downstream stream — they never pass forward to a later stage. Our QC system is documented on paper travelers that accompany each batch and are archived for chain-of-custody traceability.
| Checkpoint | What We Test | Pass Standard | Fail Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| QC-1: Intake Visual | Gross structural integrity, obvious contamination, species ID | No full-length splits, no visible oil/chemical staining | Reject to mulch or biomass |
| QC-2: Contamination Screening | XRF lead test on pre-1978 material; visual creosote/pressure-treat check | Lead < 90 µg/cm², no creosote odor, no CCA green tinting | Segregated for specialty disposal or biomass |
| QC-3: Moisture Check | Pin meter reading on face and edge of every board | 6–19% MC for structural, 6–12% MC for interior finish | Hold for air dry or kiln re-drying |
| QC-4: Pre-Mill Metal Detect | Full pass through detector arch before entering mill area | Zero metal detections | Return to de-nailing station for additional hand inspection |
| QC-5: Milling Output Dimension | Caliper check on width, thickness, and profile accuracy | Within ±1/32" of target dimension | Re-mill or downgrade to next lower tolerance application |
| QC-6: Surface & Grade Assessment | Face and edge inspection under 100 fc minimum lighting | Grade-appropriate surface quality per our grading matrix | Downgrade to next grade tier; reject to mulch if below rustic |
| QC-7: Pre-Ship Verification | Order accuracy check, re-measure random sample (10% of boards) | Species, dimension, grade match order; no damage from handling | Order held, replacement boards pulled, customer notified |
Moisture Content Standards by Application
Moisture content (MC) is one of the most important variables in reclaimed lumber quality. Wood that is too wet will shrink, warp, and check as it dries in service; wood that is too dry can crack under milling stress. We test MC at intake, after any re-drying, and again at the pre-ship verification stage. Our standards by application type:
| Application | Target MC Range | Maximum Acceptable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior flooring (hardwood) | 6–8% | 9% | Matches typical conditioned LA interior EMC |
| Interior finish millwork (trim, casing) | 6–9% | 10% | Must be acclimated on-site before installation |
| Furniture & cabinetry panels | 6–8% | 8% | Kiln re-drying typically required; 2–4 week lead time |
| Exterior siding & decking | 12–18% | 19% | Higher MC acceptable; will equilibrate to outdoor conditions |
| Structural framing (interior) | 12–15% | 19% | Meets IRC/IBC moisture requirements for framing lumber |
| Structural timber (heavy post & beam) | 15–19% | 25%* | *Checked ends and green shrinkage must be engineered for |
| Decorative / accent (non-structural) | 8–15% | No max | Character checking is acceptable for wall feature applications |
Kiln Re-Drying Service
For customers requiring specific MC targets — particularly furniture makers, flooring installers, and millwork shops — we offer kiln re-drying through our partner facility in Pomona. Standard kiln schedule: 7–14 days depending on species density and starting MC. Kiln re-drying adds $0.18–$0.32 per board foot to material cost. We provide moisture verification certificates upon request for LEED documentation.
Safety Certifications & Employee Training
Processing reclaimed lumber is inherently more hazardous than handling new lumber. Embedded metal, unknown chemical treatments, structural instability in heavily weathered boards, and high-throughput saw environments all demand rigorous safety standards. We hold the following certifications and require the following training for all processing-floor employees.
Facility Certifications
Cal/OSHA Compliance
Annual third-party safety audit; 0 recordable incidents in 2023 and 2024
ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management
Certified since 2019; renewal audit completed March 2025
NFPA 664 Wood Processing Fire Safety
Compliance with dust collection, fire suppression, and housekeeping standards
EPA RRP Lead Paint Certification
Facility and key personnel certified under EPA 40 CFR Part 745
California ATCM (Air Toxic Control Measure)
Compliant with CARB composite wood regulations for processing and sale
OSHA 1910 General Industry Standards
Lockout/tagout, PPE, machine guarding, and HazCom in full compliance
Employee Training Requirements
New Employee Safety Orientation
Required before first day on production floor; includes facility tour, PPE fitting, emergency procedures
Sawmill Machinery Operation
Certified on each specific machine; includes mentored operation period before solo certification
Lead Paint & Hazardous Material Handling
Annual refresher; covers XRF use, PPE requirements, disposal procedures
Forklift Operation Certification
OSHA-compliant; recertification every 3 years or after any incident
Lumber Grading Fundamentals
AWI-curriculum based; covers species ID, defect assessment, grading matrix application
First Aid & CPR
Required for all production staff; minimum 25% of floor staff certified at all times
Annual Safety Refresher
Mandatory for all employees; covers incident review, updated procedures, near-miss reporting
Turnaround Time Estimates by Service
All turnaround times represent typical performance for standard orders. Rush processing is available for an additional fee; contact us to discuss your timeline requirements. Times below reflect business days from order confirmation.
| Service | Standard | Rush (add'l fee) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-stock lumber — LA metro delivery | 1–3 days | Same/next day | Subject to truck availability |
| In-stock lumber — California statewide | 3–7 days | 2–3 days | Freight carrier for remote areas |
| Custom S4S milling (standard dimensions) | 3–5 days | 1–2 days | After material is confirmed clear/dry |
| Custom profile milling (T&G, shiplap, etc.) | 5–10 days | 3–5 days | Profile setup time included |
| Large timber / beam order (>1,000 BF) | 7–14 days | 5–7 days | Depends on inventory availability by species |
| Kiln re-drying to target MC | 7–14 days | N/A | Kiln schedule cannot be shortened |
| Site acquisition evaluation | 24–48 hrs | Same day | GreenBoard team visits site, provides written offer |
| Full deconstruction project (selective) | Quote per project | Quote per project | Typically 2–10 days on-site depending on structure |
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