From Rimu timber to final product

Reclaiming Rimu timber and giving it a new lease of life is a laborious process - but it's certainly worthwhile all the effort.

Many of New Zealand's old Villa-style houses are no longer deemed fit for purpose. They are being demolished and replaced by modern housing.

But instead of that timber going to landfill, or simply being burned, we try to honor the decades it took those native New Zealand Rimu trees to grow.

We give Rimu a new purpose because we know, that just like us, there are more people out there who absolutely love its warmth, smooth golden-brown grain, and silky texture.

This is how it works

Rimu timber coming into the workshop is often still full of nails. All of these have to be pulled out.

The timber battens are then run through planers to get rid of rough and uneven surfaces.
Larger pieces can further be processed directly. Smaller battens gain an even surface, allowing to be glued together.

For our Salt & Pepper Shakers, the trimmed Rimu is cut into relevant blocks and the inner hole is drilled.

Then Alan, the wood turner, does his magic.
(Watch a video of him turning the shakers in our other post here)

The bare Salt & Pepper Shakers get their product logo burned in.

A number of layers of food-safe varnish is applied to the outside of the shakers. This protects the Rimu against moisture and daily wear and tear.
It also brings out the wood's beautiful color and variety in grain.