International Wood International Wood 2008 | Page 22

The Werners purchased the sipo for their home from Jackel
Enterprises, a distributor from Watsonville, California, who then
manufactured the crown mouldings, base and trim, and delivered
them. Werner finishes the pieces to his liking and installs them
himself.
Like many in the lumber industry, Jackel’s operation is multi-
faceted by functioning as a retail lumberyard and mill shop. But there
are more steps along the journey that bring exotic species from the
forests into our homes. In another capacity, Jackel is a distributor for
a larger lumberyard, one that is also the importer.
Gary Swaner represents Swaner Hardwoods, a wholesale lum-
beryard and importer that receives exotic species directly into
Burbank, California. In conjunction, Swaner also owns a hardwood
plywood manufacturing facility called Mount Baker products. The
company has been in business since 1967, and Swaner has personally
been involved since he was old enough to stack boards. “There is
no substitute for quality in wood, and that has a lot to do with how
the product is cut and dried,” says Swaner. Once the rough sawn
boards arrive at Swaner, they are inspected, precisely cut without
“wane,” and carefully dried to the appropriate moisture content for
the species. After initial processing, the wood is remanufactured into
products including surfaces, siding and millwork, and redistributed
to customers.
22 i m p o r t e d
wood
Imported Woods Make a Home
There are many things to consider when specifying imported woods
and bringing them home. Each species offers unique characteristics
that can either add great value to a project, or if misused, result in
frustration and wasted resources. A little education goes a long way
when capitalizing on the best qualities of exotic materials. In fact, an
astute craftsman allows the wood to dictate its use.
A great example of such “wood intuition” is the Cottesmore home,
which features six different species of imported wood, each serving
the design with their best traits. The expert behind the project is
Dean Coley, chief designer and owner of Architectural Millwork
and Design (AMD) of Watsonville, California. Coley specializes
in custom design work that is anything but ordinary. The impetus
for the Cottesmore project was access to a large amount of a unique
wood called rengas (Gluta spp. and Melanorrhoea spp.). In fact, the
3,000 square foot design was created to showcase the species. Over
30 years experience in architectural millwork has taught Coley that
no wood can perform every design function well, but that there is an
ideal species for every application.
The Cottesmore Home