Our Process
A Second Life
From harvest to mill to finish, we take great care to preserve the knots, shape, and imperfections of every log. Doing this honors its natural beauty and gives the tree a second life.
We pair the slabs with handmade bases to create furniture that captures the beautifully unique character of each tree. The entire process, from tree to table, is done in-house, resulting in truly one-of-a-kind pieces of functional art.
Proudly Homegrown
At Elko Hardwoods, we’re passionate about giving trees a second life while putting a piece of nature in your home. Our trees are sustainably sourced from northern Indiana.
The entire process from tree to the final fabrication is done in-house, one table at a time. Often nearly a hundred years old, the trees that we salvage can live for another century as functional pieces of art.
Embracing Imperfections
While most mills saw for grade by avoiding knots and imperfections, we saw for character. We cut large slabs that retain the tree’s size and natural shape. This guarantees that no two Elko Hardwoods tables are alike.
Slabs are paired with mates and stacked to air dry for two years. This slow process helps retain rich color and avoid twisting and cupping, which occurs when drying is rushed. Slabs are brought down to a specified moisture content limit in a carefully controlled kiln.
Taking Shape
Working with a client, we layout slabs to find the perfect orientation and begin chalking out design elements.
Flattening, shaping, and smoothing each rough slab is done with various power and hand tools. Each slab is unique, so we customize our designs to the grain patterns and shapes that are revealed in this process.
We apply top-of-the-line finishes that are imported from Italy. Extremely durable, water-resistant, and matte, these finishes are low maintenance and will help to keep each piece looking beautiful for years.