Custom Milling
We transform raw reclaimed lumber into exactly what your project demands - precision-milled to your specifications.
Let's Build Something Sustainable Together
Whether you need reclaimed beams for a renovation or want to sell salvaged lumber, our team is ready to help. Fill out the form and we'll respond within 24 hours.
“Every board we reclaim is a step toward a greener Los Angeles.”
— Rafael Cortez, Founder
Get a Free Quote
All fields marked with * are required.
Professional Milling for Reclaimed & New Lumber
Our 5,000-square-foot milling shop is equipped with industrial-grade machinery purpose-built for processing reclaimed lumber. From rough, nail-studded barn beams to furniture-grade S4S hardwood, we handle every step of the transformation in house. Our experienced mill operators have processed over two million board feet of reclaimed lumber and understand the unique challenges that old wood presents.
Whether you need 50 board feet of custom shiplap for an accent wall or 5,000 board feet of tongue-and-groove flooring for a commercial project, our process is the same: meticulous preparation, precision machining, and rigorous quality control on every piece.
Our 8-Step Milling Process
Initial Consultation
Every custom milling project starts with a detailed conversation. Share your project requirements including wood species preferences, target dimensions, finish quality, desired profiles, and timeline. We discuss your end application so we can recommend the optimal milling approach. Bring samples, photos, or drawings if available - the more detail you provide, the more precisely we can match your vision.
Material Selection & Inspection
We select the best reclaimed lumber from our inventory that matches your project needs and aesthetic vision. Every candidate board is inspected for structural integrity, moisture content, species verification, and hidden defects. For large orders, we pull extra material to account for yield loss from defect removal. If we do not have the right material in stock, we tap our sourcing network to find it.
Metal Detection & Denailing
Before any cutting tool touches reclaimed wood, every board passes through our industrial metal detector. Embedded nails, screws, staples, wire, and even bullet fragments are carefully extracted using specialized denailing tools that minimize wood damage. This step protects both our equipment and your lumber - a single hidden nail can destroy a $300 planer knife set.
Rough Dimensioning
Boards are rough-cut to approximate length and width on our panel saw and straight-line rip saw. This step removes severely damaged ends, splits, and checks while establishing workable blanks for the precision milling that follows. We always leave extra length for final trimming to ensure clean, square ends on the finished product.
Precision Milling
This is where the transformation happens. Depending on your order, boards pass through our thickness planer, jointer, moulder, or shaper to achieve the exact dimensions and profiles you specified. Our equipment is calibrated daily and our operators measure every tenth board to ensure consistency across the entire run. Tolerances of +/- 1/64" are standard for thickness and width.
Sanding & Surface Finishing
After milling, boards pass through our wide-belt drum sander for consistent surface preparation. Standard sanding is to 120 grit, suitable for staining or painting. For furniture-grade work, we offer sanding up to 220 grit. Wire brushing is available for a textured, distressed surface that highlights the natural grain of old-growth reclaimed wood.
Quality Inspection & Grading
Every finished piece is individually inspected for dimensional accuracy, surface quality, profile consistency, and defects. Pieces that do not meet our standards are pulled from the order and replaced. We measure moisture content, check for snipe (planer marks at board ends), verify tongue-and-groove fit, and confirm that all edges and profiles are clean and consistent.
Packaging & Delivery
Finished lumber is carefully stacked with protective slip sheets between layers, banded, and wrapped to prevent damage during transport. Tongue-and-groove and shiplap boards are nested together to protect the profiles. We deliver throughout Greater Los Angeles on our own trucks with lift gate service for heavy orders. We can also arrange palletized freight shipping anywhere in the continental US.
Milling Capabilities
Our shop handles everything from basic planing to complex custom profiles. Here is a detailed look at what our equipment can do.
Resawing
Splitting thick stock into thinner boards on our 36" band saw resaw. We can take a 12/4 timber and produce two 5/4 boards, three 3/4 boards, or any combination you need. Resawing is ideal for maximizing yield from expensive reclaimed timbers and producing bookmatched panels for furniture and wall features.
Thickness Planing
Our 24" helical-head thickness planer produces glass-smooth surfaces with minimal tearout, even on difficult figured and interlocked grain common in old-growth reclaimed wood. Helical cutterheads use small carbide inserts that can be individually rotated or replaced, ensuring consistent cut quality throughout long production runs.
Jointing & Edge Straightening
Our 12" jointer creates perfectly flat faces and straight, square edges. This is the critical first step in producing boards with consistent width and proper glue joints. For boards wider than 12", we use our straight-line rip saw to establish one clean reference edge before jointing the opposite side.
Tongue & Groove Milling
We produce precision tongue-and-groove profiles on our 4-head moulder for flooring, wall paneling, ceiling planks, and exterior siding. Standard T&G profiles include centered tongue for reversible boards and offset tongue for directional installations. We can also produce V-groove, beaded, or flat-joint face profiles.
Shiplap Profiling
Shiplap is one of our most requested profiles for reclaimed wood wall cladding and exterior siding. Our shiplap profile produces a clean, overlapping joint with a consistent reveal line. We offer standard 3/8" overlap as well as custom overlap depths. Nickel-gap shiplap (with a small channel at the overlap) is also available.
S4S (Surfaced Four Sides)
Complete four-sided surfacing produces boards with smooth, parallel faces and straight, parallel edges at a precise target dimension. S4S is the standard preparation for most finish carpentry and woodworking applications. We can produce S4S lumber from rough-sawn reclaimed stock in a single pass through our moulder.
Custom Edge Profiles
Our shaper and router table can produce virtually any edge profile including roundover, chamfer, ogee, cove, bullnose, thumbnail, and complex multi-step profiles. We stock over 200 router bits and shaper cutters. For truly unique profiles, we can have custom cutters ground to match an existing molding sample.
Wide-Belt Drum Sanding
Our 36" wide-belt sander produces consistently flat, smooth surfaces ideal for flooring, tabletops, and paneling. Dual-head design allows aggressive stock removal on the first head and fine finishing on the second. This is significantly faster and more consistent than hand sanding or random orbital sanding for production quantities.
Wire Brushing & Distressing
Wire brushing removes soft grain from the wood surface, leaving raised hard grain lines that create a beautiful textured finish. This technique is particularly effective on old-growth reclaimed softwoods like Douglas fir and heart pine where the dense growth rings stand in bold relief. We also offer hand-distressing services for a rustic, time-worn appearance.
Crosscutting & Length Trimming
Our precision crosscut saw and radial arm saw produce clean, square cuts to exact specified lengths. We can cut to length with 1/32" accuracy for fine woodworking applications or production-cut hundreds of boards to a consistent length for flooring and paneling installations. End-trimming after planing ensures clean, square ends on every board.
Ripping to Custom Widths
Our straight-line rip saw produces perfectly straight edges for glue-up or for ripping wide boards to narrower target widths. This is often used to remove damaged edges from reclaimed boards, to produce uniform-width flooring from random-width stock, or to split wide boards for specific dimensional requirements.
Kiln Drying
Our on-site dehumidification kiln holds up to 3,000 board feet and can dry reclaimed lumber to a target moisture content of 6-8% for interior applications. Kiln drying is essential for reclaimed lumber destined for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and any heated interior space. Our slow, controlled drying process minimizes checking, splitting, and warping.
Our Equipment
We have invested heavily in professional-grade milling equipment to deliver consistent, high-quality results on every order.
| Machine | Capability | Max Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Weinig Powermat 700 Moulder | 4-head moulder for T&G, shiplap, S4S, and custom profiles | 12" |
| Timesaver 2300 Wide-Belt Sander | Dual-head drum sander for production surface finishing | 36" |
| Wood-Mizer LT40 Band Saw Resaw | Precision resawing of thick timbers into thinner boards | 24" |
| Powermatic 209 Planer | Helical-head thickness planer for smooth surfacing | 24" |
| Powermatic PJ-882 Jointer | Face and edge jointing for flat, straight references | 12" |
| Diehl SL-52 Straight-Line Rip Saw | Production ripping with laser-guided straight edges | Unlimited |
| Northfield No. 4 Table Saw | Precision ripping and crosscutting for custom dimensions | 24" crosscut |
| Shaper with PowerFeeder | Custom edge profiles with 200+ cutter options | N/A |
| Nyle L200 Dehumidification Kiln | Controlled drying to target moisture content | 3,000 BF capacity |
| CEIA Industrial Metal Detector | Inline metal detection for all incoming reclaimed lumber | 24" x 12" opening |
Species We Mill
We have experience milling virtually every domestic species. Here are the species we work with most frequently and our notes on their milling characteristics.
Douglas Fir (Reclaimed)
Our most commonly milled reclaimed species. Old-growth Doug fir has tight, vertical grain that mills beautifully. Requires sharp cutters due to high resin content.
Heart Pine (Reclaimed)
Dense, resinous longleaf pine from antebellum structures. Extremely hard - requires slow feed rates and carbide tooling. Produces spectacular flooring and paneling.
White Oak (Reclaimed)
Exceptionally stable and durable. Closed-pore structure makes it ideal for flooring and countertops. Mills cleanly with minimal tearout.
Red Oak (New & Reclaimed)
Open-pore structure requires grain filler for smooth finishes. Mills easily and takes stain well. Abundant in reclaimed barn framing.
Redwood (Reclaimed)
Soft and lightweight with natural decay resistance. Requires very sharp cutters to avoid fuzzy grain. Best results with helical cutterheads.
Cedar (New & Reclaimed)
Very soft - requires light passes and sharp blades. Natural oils provide excellent decay resistance. Pleasant aroma during milling.
Hard Maple
Extremely hard and dense. Requires slow feed rates but produces glass-smooth surfaces. Prone to burning if feed rate is too slow on the shaper.
Black Walnut
Medium density with excellent machining properties. Mills cleanly in all operations. The gold standard for furniture-grade milling.
Cherry
Machines beautifully but can be prone to burning. Gum pockets may cause issues with planer knives. Best results with freshly sharpened cutters.
Ash
Ring-porous with open grain. Mills well but may produce fuzzy end grain. Excellent for steam bending after milling.
Poplar
Soft and easy to mill. Excellent paint-grade substrate. Occasionally produces fuzzy grain that requires an extra sanding pass.
Hickory / Pecan
Extremely hard and tough. Our most challenging species to mill. Requires carbide tooling and slow feed rates. Dulls cutters quickly.
Turnaround Times
We understand construction schedules are tight. Here are our standard turnaround times for common milling operations.
What Affects Milling Price?
Custom milling pricing depends on several factors. Understanding these helps you plan your budget and optimize costs.
Species Difficulty
Harder, denser species like hickory, heart pine, and hard maple require slower feed rates, more frequent cutter changes, and greater machine wear. Milling costs for these species are typically 20-40% higher than softwoods like cedar and redwood.
Profile Complexity
Simple operations like S4S planing are the least expensive. Tongue-and-groove and shiplap profiles require moulder setup time and specialized cutters. Complex custom profiles that require multiple passes or custom-ground cutters carry the highest per-foot cost.
Board Condition
Clean, denailed, reasonably straight reclaimed lumber costs less to mill than rough, nail-heavy, twisted stock. If we need to perform extensive denailing, straightening, or defect removal before milling, these preparation costs are added to the base milling rate.
Quantity
Milling is a setup-intensive process. The same moulder setup for tongue-and-groove flooring takes the same time whether we are running 100 board feet or 2,000 board feet. Larger orders spread setup costs over more material, resulting in a lower per-board-foot price.
Tolerance Requirements
Standard tolerances of +/- 1/64" thickness and +/- 1/32" width are included in base pricing. If your project requires tighter tolerances (common for precision furniture joinery), additional measuring and adjustment time increases costs modestly.
Sanding Grade
Standard milling includes planing to a smooth surface. If you require drum sanding, costs increase based on the grit progression. A single pass at 120 grit is the most economical option. Progression from 80 to 150 or 80 to 220 grit adds additional passes and cost.
Before & After: Real Projects
See the transformation that professional milling makes possible. These are real projects completed in our shop.
Barn Beam to Mantel Slab
Before
Rough-sawn 8x10 Douglas fir barn beam, circa 1920. Surface covered in decades of grime, dirt, and old paint. Multiple large nail holes and embedded lag bolts. Checks and splits on two faces.
After
Live-edge mantel slab planed smooth on top and front faces, wire-brushed on the bottom for texture contrast. Nail holes filled with matching epoxy. All metal removed. Sealed with penetrating tung oil. Final dimensions: 7.5" x 9.25" x 72".
Pallet Wood to Shiplap Wall Cladding
Before
Mixed hardwood and softwood pallet boards, 3/4" thick, varying widths from 3.5" to 5.5". Rough surfaces, staple holes, forklift damage, and inconsistent thickness.
After
Uniform 1/2" thick shiplap boards milled to 5.25" face width with 3/8" overlap. Nickel-gap profile for clean shadow lines. Sanded to 120 grit. 350 square feet of wall-ready material from approximately 500 board feet of pallet stock.
Warehouse Joists to Tongue-and-Groove Flooring
Before
Reclaimed 2x10 heart pine floor joists from a 1940s warehouse demolition. Extremely dense old-growth longleaf pine with tight grain. Heavy nail damage on one face. Moisture content approximately 14%.
After
3/4" x 3.25" tongue-and-groove flooring with micro-bevel edges. Kiln dried to 7% moisture content. Face-nailed side placed down, clean side up. Sanded to 150 grit. Yield: approximately 1,200 square feet of premium heart pine flooring from 1,800 board feet of raw stock.
Old-Growth Redwood to Custom Siding
Before
Salvaged 2x12 old-growth redwood boards from a water tank demolition. Deep weathering on exterior face, but interior face shows rich, tight-grained heartwood. Lengths from 8 to 16 feet.
After
Custom channel-rustic siding profile milled to 3/4" x 9.25" with a 1/2" channel for a deep shadow line. Weathered face removed by planing, revealing stunning clear heartwood. Resawn from 2x12 stock to produce two siding boards per plank, maximizing material yield.
What Our Customers Say
“We brought in a truckload of rough barn wood and LA Lumber turned it into the most beautiful tongue-and-groove ceiling planks I have ever seen. The grain patterns from that old-growth fir are something you simply cannot get from new lumber. Their milling precision was flawless - every board locked together perfectly.”
“As a furniture maker, I need milling that is dead-on accurate. LA Lumber consistently delivers S4S stock within 1/64 of an inch of my target thickness. Their helical-head planer produces surfaces that are ready for finish right off the machine. I have sent them everything from gnarly reclaimed oak to pristine walnut and the results are always excellent.”
“We specified reclaimed heart pine flooring for a 4,000-square-foot restaurant buildout. LA Lumber sourced the material, kiln-dried it, milled the tongue-and-groove profile, and delivered it all within our tight construction schedule. The floor is the centerpiece of the entire space and our client is thrilled.”
“I needed a very specific shiplap profile to match the original 1920s siding on my Craftsman bungalow. LA Lumber took a sample of the existing siding, had a custom cutter ground, and reproduced the exact profile in reclaimed old-growth redwood. The new sections are indistinguishable from the original. Incredible attention to detail.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum order for custom milling?
We have no formal minimum, but our milling charges include a setup fee that makes very small orders relatively expensive on a per-board-foot basis. For most milling operations, we recommend a minimum of 50 board feet to achieve reasonable per-unit pricing. The setup fee for standard operations (planing, ripping, sanding) is $50. For moulder operations (T&G, shiplap, custom profiles), the setup fee is $75-$150 depending on complexity.
Can I bring my own lumber for milling?
Absolutely. We welcome customer-supplied lumber for milling. We charge the same per-board-foot milling rates whether the material comes from our inventory or yours. The only additional charge for customer-supplied reclaimed lumber is a denailing and metal detection fee if the material has not already been cleaned. We require that all reclaimed lumber pass through our metal detector before milling to protect our equipment.
What tolerances can you hold?
Our standard tolerances are +/- 1/64" for thickness and +/- 1/32" for width on planed lumber. Tongue-and-groove and shiplap profiles are held to +/- 1/64" on the tongue and groove dimensions to ensure proper fit. For precision furniture work, we can hold tighter tolerances by request. Length tolerances are +/- 1/32" for crosscut operations.
How do you price custom milling?
Milling is priced per board foot or per lineal foot, depending on the operation. Simple planing (S2S or S4S) starts at $0.75 per board foot. Tongue-and-groove and shiplap profiling starts at $1.25 per board foot. Resawing is $0.50-$1.00 per board foot depending on the number of cuts. Custom profiles are quoted individually based on complexity. Volume discounts apply to orders over 500 board feet. We provide written quotes for all custom milling projects before beginning work.
How long does custom milling take?
Turnaround depends on the complexity of the work, the quantity of material, and our current shop schedule. Simple planing jobs under 500 board feet are typically completed in 2-3 business days. Tongue-and-groove and shiplap runs take 3-7 business days depending on volume. Projects requiring kiln drying add 2-6 weeks. Rush service is available for a 50% surcharge and can turn most jobs around in 1-2 business days.
Can you match an existing profile from a sample?
Yes. Bring us a sample of the profile you need to match and we will measure it, create a drawing, and either select an existing cutter that matches or have a custom cutter ground. Custom cutter grinding typically takes 5-7 business days and costs $150-$400 depending on profile complexity. The custom cutter becomes your property and we store it for future orders at no charge.
What happens to the waste material from milling?
We are committed to zero-waste operations. Sawdust and shavings are collected and provided to local farms for animal bedding and composting. Cutoffs and scrap pieces are sorted by species and size - usable pieces are added to our shorts and offcuts bin (available to customers at a steep discount), and the remainder goes to our biomass partners for energy generation. Nothing goes to a landfill.
Do you offer finishing services along with milling?
Yes. We can apply stains, penetrating oils, sealers, and topcoats to your milled lumber before delivery. This is especially popular for flooring, paneling, and siding projects where pre-finishing saves significant on-site labor. We stock a range of zero-VOC and natural finish products. Finishing adds 2-3 business days to the turnaround time. Contact us for finish pricing based on your product selection and application.
Ready to Start Your Custom Milling Project?
Tell us about your project and we will provide a detailed quote with pricing, turnaround time, and material recommendations. Bring samples, drawings, or just an idea - we will help you figure out the rest.