Sawmilling and Remanufacturing

It takes nearly three decades for a radiata pine tree to grow to maturity in the forest, so raw logs are processed with great care and accuracy in the sawmill to extract the maximum timber – and value – out of each one.

The first cuts are the vital ones – at primary breakdown the bandsaw operator must choose the right cutting pattern for each log that will deliver the best mix of boards and avoid waste. Many sawmills use sophisticated scanning and optimising software to help the operator make this decision at high speed.

The logs are squared off, then cut into boards by resaws. Rough edges are removed and docking saws are used to cut the boards to length, to remove defects and improve their appearance.

From there the boards are graded to establish what they will be used for. Depending on their strength, stiffness, appearance and other qualities they could be used for structural lumber, framing houses for example, or for remanufactured products such as finger-jointed mouldings.

They are sorted by grade, size and length into packets, tallied and either stored for further processing on site or despatched to the customer. Timber is also dried in large kilns to reduce the risk of fungal decay and to improve its strength. Kiln dried timber is lighter, fastens better and does not warp or split.

Preservation treats the timber chemically to resist insects and decay. Depending on where the timber will be used and the degree of exposure to moisture, it will be treated to different levels of protection. For example fence posts and wharf piles need higher levels of protection than internal house framing.

Sawn timber can be processed even further, using specialised woodworking machinery to manufacture a wide range of solid wood products. These include furniture and components such as solid and laminated squares, edge glued panels, turned, bent wood and DIY products, as well as interior fittings and fixtures ranging from finger-jointed mouldings, flooring and panelling to shelving and window, door and stair components.

Structural remanufactured products include laminated beams and posts, with exterior products ranging from fascia, door jambs, hand rails, balustrades and weatherboards to outdoorfurniture and posts and poles.

Whatever the product, from that first cut in the log to the end result, every step of the process depends on people with knowledge, technical skills and good judgement.