Reclaiming Wood From

    Your Neighborhood

Who are these "Greenies"?

Rick Cindy and Jon  Cindy Siewert, her husband Rick, the president of Siewert Cabinet in Minneapolis, and Jonathan Buck, are collecting and milling local trees that would otherwise be turned into mulch or firewood. 

   Cindy, an avid, almost fanatical recycler, could not bear to see the huge Ash tree from her yard go to a landfill when it had to be cut down because of disease. She asked her husband Rick if there wasn't a use for that beautiful wood, that would extend its useful life. As a result of that experience, they have created Wood From The Hood to collect and process trees from the urban landscape, that would otherwise be chipped and buried or burned.

   Twin Cities area craftsmen are "going green" and buying these high-quality hardwoods to transform them into beautiful flooring, millwork, furniture and accessories for the home and business alike.

     
   "This is excellent wood. The grain patterns and colorations hidden for so many years, surprises homeowners and craftsmen alike. Anything you can make from imported wood can be made from this "sustainable resource”, say Cindy and Rick.   

Rick, preparing a log that will become a conference table.

  Wood From The Hood collects trees that have fallen naturally, have been taken down because of disease, or have to be taken out for new construction. “When we recycle these trees into hardwood lumber, they are given a second life and the chance to continue their legacy” says Cindy. “These trees will now “live” for another 50 to 100 years or more. We strive to keep them “alive”,” she said.

Cindy assembling Wood From The Hood picture frames  

 

   Rick Siewert continued, “There is a growing awareness of the materials people use in home and commercial construction. The goal of Wood From The Hood is to provide a source for local, sustainable, lumber, with the least permanent impact on our environment.”

   Environmentally, it makes perfect sense. Harvesting urban trees prevents our forests from being cut down as well as saving on the transportation costs.

    "For every one of these trees that gets used, we're saving a tree from somewhere else, that didn't have to come down for lumber."

Cindy and Rick at the Living Green Expo

In addition to raw and premilled lumber, we are also producing finished products from our locally grown and reclaimed wood. Please check our "Products" page for more details.

 

Wood From the Hood works on a donation basis to reclaim urban trees.  If you would like to donate your tree please consider the minimum size of 16" in diameter and 6' in length.

 

Services Offered

Custom cutting and drying

Custom furniture

Custom cabinetry

Flooring

Millwork

    

What Species of trees are found in Minnesota?

Coniferous trees

Pinaceae (pine family)

Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus

Red Pine Pinus resinosa

Jack Pine Pinus banksiana

Black Spruce Picea mariana

White Spruce Picea glauca

Tamarack Larch Larix laricina

Balsam Fir Abies balsamea

Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis

Cupressaceae (cypress family)

Eastern Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis

Eastern Juniper Juniperus virginiana

Broadleaf trees

Salicaceae (willow family)

Quaking Aspen Populus tremuloides

Big-tooth Aspen Populus grandidentata

Ontario Balsam Poplar Populus balsamifera

Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides

Black Willow Salix nigra

Peachleaf Willow Salix amygdaloides

Juglandaceae (walnut family)

Black Walnut Juglans nigra

Butternut Juglans cinerea

Shagbark Hickory Carya ovata

Bitternut Hickory Carya cordiformis

Betulaceae (birch family)

Paper Birch Betula papyrifera

Yellow Birch Betula alleghaniensis

River Birch Betula nigra

American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana

Eastern Hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana

Fagaceae (beech family)

White oak Quercus alba

Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa

Swamp white oak Quercus bicolor

Chestnut oak Quercus prinus

Chinkapin oak Quercus muhlenbergii

Northern red oak Quercus rubra

Black Oak Quercus velutina

Northern pin oak Quercus ellipsoidalis

Ulmaceae (elm family)

American Elm Ulmus americana

Slippery Elm Ulmus rubra

Rock Elm Ulmus thomasii

Cannabaceae (hemp family)

Hackberry Celtis occidentalis

Moraceae (mulberry family)

Red Mulberry Morus rubra

Rosaceae (rose family)

American mountain ash Sorbus americana

Showy Rowan Sorbus decora

Black Cherry Prunus serotina

Pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica

Fabaceae (pea family)

Honey locust Gleditsia triacanthos

Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus

Sapindaceae (soapberry family)

Sugar Maple Acer saccharum

Black Maple Acer nigrum

Silver Maple Acer saccharinum

Red Maple Acer rubrum

Mountain Maple Acer spicatum

Manitoba Maple Acer negundo

Malvaceae (mallow family)

Basswood Tilia americana

Oleaceae (olive family)

White Ash Fraxinus americana

Black Ash Fraxinus nigra

Red Ash (also "Green Ash") Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Invasive and introduced species

Aceraceae (Maples)

Amur maple Acer ginnala

Norway Maple Acer platanoides  Fabaceae

Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia

Rhamnaceae

 

 (Buckthorns)

Common buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica

Glossy buckthorn Rhamnus frangula and variety Asplenifolia

Hippocastanaceae (Buckeye and Horsechestnut)

European Horsechestnut

Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra