Urban Wood Projects and Partnerships
Over the last eleven years, Fireside Lumber & Sawmill has partnered with individuals, businesses, municipalities, and organizations in the Durham-Chapel Hill area to put urban lumber to good use. Here are some of the highlights of our work.
Project #1: Chapel Hill Home From Trees Cleared On-Site
When realtor and Curate Construction builder Kara Pittman wanted to build her own home, she chose to use wood from her own land. The choice was informed by her understanding that N.C. state law R602.1.1 allows for such projects and, also, that the lumber she would get from her pines would be far superior to any kind she could get from a box store. Over two weeks, Fireside Lumber & Sawmill milled every item in her home’s framing cutlist. She then had friends and family stack the wood to dry over the summer. By the fall, the moisture content had fallen to acceptable ranges and her framing crew came in and finished the house. Durham County inspectors approved the building and remarked on how sturdy and well-built the home was compared to the houses they typically inspect.
Project #2: Habitat for Humanity of Orange County
Before Habitat for Humanity of Orange County started clearing land for their $30 million mixed-income Weavers Grove development, they contacted Fireside Lumber & Sawmill to consult on ways to incorporate the cleared trees into the project. We walked the property and concluded the best step would be to convert the site’s highly valuable white oak trees into a community feature in the project— such as posts and timbers for the development’s central pavilion. From there, we looked for ways to offset ungraded lumber costs such as porch railings, countertops, and built-in features like floating shelves. The wood was milled in winter of 2023 and is set to be integrated into the project when construction begins this summer.
Project #3: UNC’s Carolina Tree Heritage Program
In partnership with UNC’s Institute for the Environment and UNC Facilities Department, Fireside Lumber & Sawmill was able to mill urban trees from the University of North Carolina’s campus. Before we began, we strategized ways to show proof of concept for this initiative. We focused on milling every variety of wood present at the university’s logyard in common dimensions (8/4 and 5/4) in order to be incorporated into the school’s trade and shop classes. As a cherry on top, we found a beautiful walnut log and saved it from becoming mulch in the tubgrinder. Now wood from that tree is being processed as gifts (cutting boards, pens, and bookends) to be given to donors who give the school $1-3 million.
Project #4: Hillsborough Treasure Tree
The town of Hillsborough is known for it’s towering oak trees along its downtown streets. In fact, city officials once created a “Treasure Tree” walking map that provided visitors with a guided stroll of the city’s oldest and most magnificent trees. When Hurricane Florence came through, it knocked down a 250-year-old oak on Calvin Street, one of the city’s treasures. Fireside Lumber Company was asked to mill the tree —with a base diameter of 8’!— so that it could be later used as an art installation in town. Fast forward to 2022, and the tree has been turned into a beautiful archway celebrating the town’s tree and Occaneechi craft history.
Project #5: Forest Hills Neighborhood Home
Can you build a house with trees donated by your neighbors? This was an experiment that a Duke Neuroscientist asked Fireside Lumber Company to help with in Durham’s Forest Hills neighborhood. The scientist bought a small lot and posted a conference-style poster by the road. The poster stated his objectives, hypothesis, and sought outcomes: to build a house using trees from the neighborhood. Thereafter, friends and neighbors, whenever they needed tree work, instructed their arborists to leave logs by the road. Other neighbors let him thin aging pines in their backyards. Eventually, he amassed a log pile big enough to supply the framing material for his experimental home.
Project #6: Cedar Grove Home
After serving for many years as the land stewards of an immaculate Triangle Land Conservancy tract outside of Hillsborough, Jacob and Rachel bought their dream parcel near Cedar Grove. The lot was covered with pines and they decided to cut some of them to build their home. Over three milling sessions, we milled up all the framing lumber and siding for their house. Construction on their home, with Cackalacky Carpentry, is set to begin in the Summer of 2023.
Project #7: Emerald Ash Borer Clean-Up
The Emerald Ash Borer has devastated local stands of Ash trees. Fortunately, the borer beetle only damages the outside layer of the tree so the lumber is at least salvageable. In the last four years, the number of ash projects has been too numerous to count. In this photo, a local Hillsborough homeowner stands beside an ash slab that we milled together on the Lucas Slab Mill. At 50” wide, it will become a table top for the client’s wife’s art studio.
Project #8: Carrboro Downtown/Carr Mill Mall Oak
When it was time for the anchor tree of Carr Mill Mall/Weaver Street to be cut down, people on social media wrote Fireside Lumber Company frantically to ensure that the tree wouldn’t go to waste. We tried to get the logs, but they were scurried away never to be seen again. Until the Spring of 2023. When we were milling at a different location, outside of town, we spotted the treasured tree’s logs. Now, thanks to the owner of the lot, those logs will yield table slabs to commemorate the tree.
Project #9: Fiora Hills “Pocket Neighborhood”
Based on a Co-Housing model, Fiora Hills is a neighborhood outside of Hillsborough, NC. Shortly after a new section was being cleared, builder/owner Jeff Peloquin contacted Fireside to turn a cherished white oak into materials for outdoor seating and playsets.
Project #10: Efland’s Common Ground Eco-Village
Nestled on over 100 acres outside of Efland, NC, Common Ground EcoVillage is an intentional community committed to multi-generational living. Member/residents are in the process of building 30-45 houses. Fireside Lumber Company has been in conversation with the community about prototypes for housing. Beyond that, however, we’ve milled plenty of lumber already for their festive community barn.