How Steel Pines Uses Sustainable Sawmill Practices

The logging and sawmill industries have played a crucial role in shaping the landscape, economy, and culture of the Adirondacks. There is rich history here. One trip to the Adirondack Experience Museum in Blue Mountain Lake will give you an immersive education in logging and milling, and you’ll leave wondering how the hell men walked on floating logs down the Hudson River.

Thankfully today there are less death-defying processes in place to get logs onto our sawmill, but we are conscious of the impact on forestry and the footprint we leave too. Nobody is perfect, but we do our part in using sustainable practices and resources as much as we can.

85% of the logs that arrive on our landing come from a 50 mile radius of our home. We buy from local loggers, which boosts the local economy and reduces the carbon footprint of the mill operations. If we are using that milled lumber to build for a customer, it is always local. A great sustainable practice!

Red pines

Sawdust for days!

Stickers stacked between shiplap to help dry the lumber.

Bountiful garden thanks to our carbon filled compost!

As for by-products and waste, we make sure our mill operators are experienced, limiting bad cuts and inaccurate grading. If we do have bad cuts, we saw them to make stickers (1”x1” pieces of wood used to stack for air drying lumber). The pine slash (or wood scraps) is utilized as bio-energy as much as possible at our business and in the community. From fueling our burn pits to providing wood for a neighbor’s outdoor boiler, the slash does not go to waste. The sawdust is even a wonderful carbon meal for our compost pile. And any hardwood slash is cut and split for our own wood stove to heat our home!

We care about our community, we care about the Adirondack Park, and we care about our customers. Give us a call to work with us on your new build! 518-528-2266.

2021 National Construction Appreciation Week

We couldn’t operate our small business without the wit, hard work and great attitude our team puts into every project we do. Surround yourself with greatness and you’ll be great. Frank Agosta and Austin Bigec have been with us from the beginning, ripping shiplap, screwing roofing panels, framing walls, milling custom lumber orders, you name it. The word “skilled” is not lightly used around here, but we have an incredibly skilled and talented team that we APPRECIATE! We are so lucky to have Frank and Austin as part of our business, and our family.

Construction is not an easy trade. There are long days and aching muscles. Imagine using your brain for geometry and physics while also lifting a 10ft beam over your head? That’s why we are beyond grateful for our lead man (and my husband), Mark Burroughs. Mark’s determination, drive and friendly smile make our growing business flourish. He will give the shirt off his back to a stranger, and go the extra mile for our customers. Give these great men a good, strong handshake next time you see them.

#ThanksForBuilding #NationalConstructionAppreciationWeek #ibuildamerica

Adding to a History of Sawmills in Edinburg, NY

Did you know that sawmills are part of Edinburg's (NY) 200+ year history? The original mills operated on steam engines and waterwheels that would power the saws. Imagine?!

We are very proud of our town's history and tickled by the fact that today our Norwood Portable Sawmill sits down the road from where these mills used to run. Thankfully gasoline and hydraulic systems have been invented since, making milling more efficient and productive .

Contact us for your custom lumber orders and live edge wood slabs.