We'll be the first to admit that using overlooked species isn't the easy way to build a butcher block countertop.
Oregon White Oak and Alder, two underutilized species in the Pacific Northwest, tend to have more knots and character running through them than traditionally sourced forest products. It’s harder to isolate clear, ten-foot sections, and it takes more time and expertise to find the boards that will work.
But in a world where an estimated 90% of fallen trees in the U.S. are burned, chipped, or sent to a landfill today, we think there’s a place for every tree at the proverbial table.
The Pacific Northwest grows some of the best hardwood in the country. Its forests have shaped how wood is worked here for generations. So when a tree comes down, that wood has the same qualities that make the region's lumber prized in the first place.
The wood in these countertops stays close to home from source to manufacture. It’s grown in the Pacific Northwest, recovered by our milling partners at Epilogue Urban Lumber in Portland and Patrick Lumber in Corvallis, then manufactured just southeast of Portland at Trillium Pacific Millwork.
We're working with the team at Trillium to put these trees to their highest and best use.
"We love the idea of utilizing underutilized wood. Wood that is not often thought of for a lot of different projects. We love figuring out ways to make it work," says Mike Lipke, Trillium's owner and President.
"If you don't pay attention to the little details, you can still make a butcher block that might be okay. But if you look closely, you always find some things that are not quite right with it. And so we work very hard to always do it the right way, so that the customer has a nice looking product that's going to perform and last for years, for decades."
This is the standard behind every Carbon Smart Wood™ product, Cambium's line of American wood from salvaged and under-utilized sources. Cambium works with regional mills to turn trees that were headed for the landfill or the chipper into building material. To date, Cambium has diverted more than 16,200 metric tons of wood waste from the landfill into Carbon Smart Wood™. We've turned it into decking, fencing, cladding, lumber, and mass timber for projects around the country.
And starting today, Carbon Smart Wood™ is available in butcher block countertop form at Lowe's. The salvaged Oregon White Oak or Alder countertops measure 1.5" thick and are made from full-length boards, set on-edge for ultimate durability. They're available in 6, 8, and 10-foot sections, are easy to cut to final length, and they ship directly to your door.
Every countertop is unique. Its origin, grain, color, and character tell the story of how it grew. And now it's ready for its second story, wherever you can dream it.
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