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Overview
From Rough Salvage to Finished Stock
Reclaimed lumber arrives at our yard in every conceivable condition. Some boards are relatively clean — pulled carefully from a barn wall with only a few nail holes. Others are encrusted with decades of paint, studded with hidden metal, warped from years of exposure, or covered in concrete residue. Our processing services exist to bridge the gap between raw salvage material and the finished, dimensioned lumber your project demands.
At our facility at 121 Esplanade Blvd in Houston, TX 77060, we operate a full-service processing line that can handle everything from a small batch of decorative boards to a commercial order of 50,000+ board feet. Every piece passes through a defined workflow: metal detection, de-nailing, grading, and then whatever combination of planing, kiln drying, resawing, ripping, or custom profiling your order requires.
Our processing team understands that reclaimed wood is not a commodity — every board has its own history, grain pattern, and structural characteristics. We balance efficiency with care, ensuring that the character of the wood is preserved while delivering the dimensional accuracy and moisture content your application requires. Below is a detailed breakdown of each processing capability we offer.
Step by Step
Our Processing Workflow
Every piece of reclaimed lumber follows a defined path through our facility. Here is exactly what happens at each stage.
Receiving & Intake Inspection
Material arrives at our yard by truck, trailer, or customer drop-off. Our team unloads, counts, and visually inspects every piece. We document species identification, approximate dimensions, and overall condition. Material is tagged with a lot number that tracks it through every subsequent processing step.
Metal Detection Scan
Every board passes through our industrial walk-through metal detector. This detects ferrous metals (nails, screws, bolts) and non-ferrous metals (brass screws, aluminum flashing, copper wire) embedded in the wood. Boards that trigger the detector are flagged and sent to the de-nailing station. This step protects our planer and saw blades from catastrophic damage and ensures your finished material is completely metal-free.
De-Nailing & Hardware Removal
Our de-nailing crew uses pneumatic nail pullers, pry bars, and end nippers to extract every piece of embedded metal. Nails are counted and recorded as a quality metric. Boards with broken nail tips or deeply embedded hardware are re-scanned after de-nailing to verify complete removal. This step is labor-intensive but critical — a single missed nail can destroy a planer blade worth hundreds of dollars.
Grading & Sorting
De-nailed material is visually graded for structural integrity and aesthetic quality. We sort by species, grade (Select, #1, #2, and Utility), width, and thickness. Material that does not meet grade is culled. Grading follows NHLA and Southern Pine Inspection Bureau standards. For orders requiring grade stamps or certificates of compliance, we provide official documentation.
Kiln Drying (If Required)
Material designated for kiln drying is stickered, stacked, and loaded into our on-site dehumidification kiln. Target moisture content is set based on your application — typically 6-8% MC for interior flooring and furniture, 10-12% MC for interior paneling, and 12-15% MC for exterior applications. Each kiln cycle runs 7-14 days depending on species and starting MC. Digital moisture meters monitor progress throughout the cycle.
Planing & Surfacing
Boards pass through our wide-belt planer set to your specified thickness and surface finish. We offer S1S (surfaced one side), S2S (surfaced two sides), S3S (surfaced three sides), and S4S (surfaced four sides). The planer handles widths up to 24 inches and thicknesses up to 8 inches. Depth of cut is adjusted per pass to avoid tearout on figured or interlocked grain.
Resawing, Ripping & Dimensioning
If your order requires non-standard dimensions, material moves to our resaw bandsaw and rip saw stations. The resaw slices thick timbers into thinner boards — up to 12 inches thick and 30 inches wide. The rip saw cuts boards to narrower widths with a digital fence and laser guide for precision. Final crosscutting to length is performed on our radial arm saw with 24-inch capacity.
Final QC, Packaging & Staging
Every finished board receives a final inspection. We check dimensions, surface quality, moisture content, and overall grade. Approved material is banded, stickered for air circulation, and palletized for safe transport. We photograph every completed order and generate a packing list documenting species, dimensions, board count, and total board footage. Material is staged in our covered storage area until pickup or delivery.
Capabilities
Processing Services in Detail
De-nailing & Metal Detection
Every board runs through industrial metal detectors before any blade touches it. Our team removes nails, screws, staples, and embedded hardware by hand and with pneumatic tools. This protects our equipment and ensures your lumber is completely metal-free — critical for planing, resawing, and end-use safety. We catch ferrous and non-ferrous metals alike, including brass screws and aluminum flashing fragments that other operations miss.
Planing & Surfacing
We surface reclaimed boards on one side (S1S), two sides (S2S), or all four sides (S4S) depending on your needs. Our planers handle widths up to 24 inches and thicknesses up to 8 inches. Surfacing removes weathering, paint residue, and surface imperfections while revealing the beautiful old-growth grain patterns underneath. We can leave one face rough for a rustic look or plane smooth on all sides for cabinetry and millwork applications.
Kiln Drying
Our on-site dehumidification kiln brings reclaimed lumber to the target moisture content your project requires — typically 6 to 8 percent for interior applications and 12 to 15 percent for exterior use. Kiln drying also eliminates insects, mold spores, and fungi, meeting building code requirements for structural and interior wood. Each kiln cycle is monitored with digital moisture meters to ensure consistent results across the full load.
Resawing & Ripping
Our wide-belt resaw and industrial rip saws allow us to slice thick timbers into thinner boards or rip wide stock to narrower widths. This is essential for creating usable dimensional lumber from oversized beams and timbers recovered during demolition. We can resaw material up to 12 inches thick and 30 inches wide — turning a single massive beam into dozens of usable boards with consistent thickness.
Custom Dimensioning
Need a non-standard size? We cut reclaimed lumber to your exact specifications — any length, width, or thickness within the limits of the source material. Custom dimensioning is ideal for renovation projects where you need to match existing framing dimensions, create specialty pieces for furniture and millwork, or produce material in metric sizes for international design standards.
Grading & Quality Control
Every piece of processed lumber is visually graded for structural integrity and aesthetic quality. We sort by species, grade, and condition so you know exactly what you are receiving. Our grading follows NHLA and Southern Pine Inspection Bureau standards, and we provide grade stamps and certificates of compliance when required for commercial and institutional projects.
Equipment
Our Equipment List
We have invested heavily in industrial-grade equipment designed specifically for the demands of reclaimed lumber processing. Unlike new lumber, reclaimed stock is unpredictable — hidden metal, irregular dimensions, and variable moisture content all require equipment that can adapt without sacrificing precision.
- ✓Industrial metal detectors (walk-through and handheld)
- ✓Pneumatic de-nailing stations with nail counters
- ✓Wide-belt planer — up to 24" width, 8" thickness
- ✓Resaw bandsaw — up to 12" thick, 30" wide
- ✓Table rip saw with digital fence and laser guide
- ✓Radial arm crosscut saw — 24" crosscut capacity
- ✓On-site dehumidification kiln — 5,000 BF capacity per load
- ✓CNC molder/profiler for tongue-and-groove, shiplap, and V-groove
- ✓Pin and pinless moisture meters for QC at every stage
- ✓Dust collection system with HEPA filtration
- ✓Forklift fleet for material handling (5,000 to 10,000 lb capacity)
- ✓Covered staging and storage area for finished material
Specifications
Equipment Specifications
Technical details for architects and engineers who need to know what our equipment can handle.
| Equipment | Max Capacity |
|---|---|
| Wide-Belt Planer | 24" W x 8" H |
| Resaw Bandsaw | 30" W x 12" H |
| Rip Saw | 24" W, digital fence |
| Crosscut Saw | 24" crosscut |
| Kiln (per load) | 5,000 BF |
| Metal Detector | 36" W walk-through |
| Molder/Profiler | 12" W profiles |
Pricing
How Processing Pricing Works
Processing is priced per board foot based on the level of work required. Here is a breakdown of how costs are structured.
De-Nailing Only
Per Board Foot
The most affordable processing tier. Includes metal detection scan, full de-nailing, and a final re-scan to verify the board is metal-free. Ideal for customers who plan to do their own planing or want rough-sawn reclaimed stock.
De-Nail + Plane
Per Board Foot
Includes everything in de-nailing plus surfacing on one, two, or four sides. S4S (surfaced four sides) costs slightly more than S1S due to the additional passes. This is the most popular option for customers who want ready-to-install material.
Full Processing
Per Board Foot
The complete package: de-nailing, kiln drying, planing, and dimensioning. This produces material that is metal-free, dried to target moisture content, surfaced, and cut to your specified dimensions. Best value for large orders.
Custom Profiling Add-On
Per Linear Foot
Add tongue-and-groove, shiplap, V-groove, or custom profiles to any processing order. Profiling is priced per linear foot and added to the per-board-foot processing cost. Setup fees may apply for non-standard profiles.
Volume Discounts
Orders over 5,000 BF receive a 5% discount on processing. Orders over 15,000 BF receive 10%. Orders over 30,000 BF receive custom enterprise pricing. These discounts apply to all processing tiers. Contact us for a detailed quote based on your specific requirements.
Timelines
Turnaround Times
Turnaround depends on the scope of processing, order volume, and current queue depth. Rush service is available for time-sensitive projects.
| Processing Level | Under 1,000 BF | 1,000 - 5,000 BF | 5,000 - 15,000 BF | 15,000+ BF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| De-Nailing Only | 1-2 days | 2-4 days | 4-7 days | 7-14 days |
| De-Nail + Plane (S1S/S2S) | 2-3 days | 3-6 days | 6-10 days | 10-18 days |
| De-Nail + Plane (S4S) | 3-4 days | 4-7 days | 7-12 days | 12-21 days |
| Kiln Drying (per cycle) | 7-10 days | 7-10 days | 10-14 days | 14-21 days |
| Full Processing (all steps) | 10-14 days | 14-21 days | 21-28 days | 28-42 days |
| Rush Processing | 1-3 days | 3-7 days | 7-14 days | Contact us |
Kiln drying times depend on species, starting MC, and target MC. Actual cycle length may vary. Rush service incurs a 25-50% surcharge.
Coverage
Service Area for Processing
Processing is performed at our facility at 121 Esplanade Blvd, Houston, TX 77060. Clients anywhere in the country can use our processing services — you deliver or ship raw material to us, and we process it to your specifications and ship it back or deliver it to your job site.
For Gulf South clients in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, we offer pickup services. Our trucks can collect raw material from your job site, barn, warehouse, or salvage location and bring it directly to our processing facility. This door-to-door service is especially popular with contractors who acquire reclaimed lumber on-site but lack the equipment to process it themselves.
For clients outside the Gulf South, we coordinate inbound and outbound freight through our network of trusted carriers. We handle all logistics — you just tell us where the material is and where it needs to go when processing is complete.
Local Markets
Cities We Serve Directly
Texas
Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Beaumont, Lufkin
Louisiana
New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Slidell
Mississippi
Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Vicksburg, Natchez
Alabama
Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa
Florida
Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee, Destin, Fort Walton Beach
Nationwide
Freight carrier coordination for inbound and outbound shipping to any US location
Our Clients
Who Uses Our Processing Services
General Contractors
GCs who source reclaimed lumber on demolition sites and need it processed into usable dimensional stock for their projects — de-nailed, kiln dried, planed, and cut to spec.
Lumber Resellers
Reclaimed lumber dealers who buy raw salvage in bulk and use our facility to process, grade, and package it for retail sale to their own customers.
Furniture Builders
Woodworkers and furniture makers who need reclaimed stock cleaned up, de-nailed, and surfaced before they can work it on their own equipment.
Homeowners & DIYers
Property owners who have acquired reclaimed lumber from barns, family properties, or estate sales and need it professionally processed for their renovation projects.
Architects & Designers
Design professionals who need specific reclaimed species processed to exact specifications for commercial interiors, hospitality projects, and high-end residential installations.
Historic Restoration
Restoration contractors who need salvaged material processed to match original dimensions and profiles in heritage buildings — with documentation for compliance.
Property Developers
Developers building projects with reclaimed wood features who need reliable, high-volume processing with consistent quality across tens of thousands of board feet.
Film & Event Production
Production companies that source raw reclaimed material and need it processed quickly for set construction, trade shows, and temporary installations.
Our Promise
Quality Guarantees
When you trust Houston Lumber with your processing, you get a commitment to quality that is backed by specific, measurable guarantees.
- ✓
100% Metal-Free Guarantee
Every board is scanned before and after de-nailing. If any metal is found in finished material, we replace the affected boards at no charge and re-process your order at our expense.
- ✓
Dimensional Accuracy
Planed and dimensioned material meets tolerances of +/- 1/32 inch on thickness and width. If any board falls outside this tolerance, we re-mill it or replace it at no cost.
- ✓
Moisture Content Certification
Kiln-dried material ships with documented MC readings. We guarantee your material reaches the agreed target MC. If it does not, we re-dry at no additional charge.
- ✓
Species Verification
We identify and verify species on every order. If you order heart pine, you receive heart pine — not southern yellow pine or a mixed species lot.
- ✓
Accurate Board Count
Every order is counted and documented before it leaves our facility. Shortages are made up at no additional freight cost.
Transformations
Before & After Scenarios
Here are typical transformations our processing services deliver.
Before
Nail-studded barn siding covered in 80 years of paint, bird droppings, and surface grime
After
Clean, de-nailed, planed heart pine boards with rich amber patina — ready for T&G profiling and flooring installation
Before
10x12 cypress timbers from a demolished sugar mill — far too large for any standard application
After
Resawn into 1x6 and 1x8 boards, kiln dried to 8% MC, planed S2S, and delivered as premium ceiling material
Before
2,000 BF of mixed salvage from a school demolition — warped, dirty, full of hidden metal and old screws
After
Sorted by species, metal-detected, de-nailed, straightened on the jointer, planed S4S, and cut to standard dimensions for residential framing reuse
Before
Homeowner-supplied barn boards with sentimental value but too rough to use as-is for a kitchen island top
After
Carefully de-nailed, thickness-planed to 1-1/2 inches, edges jointed straight, and glued into a solid panel ready for finish sanding
FAQ
Processing — Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bring my own lumber to your facility for processing?
What is the minimum order size for processing?
How do you handle lumber with lead paint?
Do you guarantee that all metal is removed?
What moisture content should I target for my project?
Can you process material that is not reclaimed — like green or air-dried lumber?
Related Services & Products
Processing is just one step. Explore our reclaimed lumber inventory or pair processing with custom cutting for a complete solution.