Industry Connections

Why Western Timber Frame™ Builds With Humboldt Sawmill Redwood

Western Timber Frame™ sources redwood for outdoor structures from Humboldt Sawmill Company.

Key takeaways

• Redwood heartwood resists decay and termites; sapwood does not have the same resistance.
• Confirm grade and heartwood content for each structural or exposed part.
• Western Timber Frame™ ships redwood stained or in its natural finish to all 50 states at the same price in every state.

Supplier and redwood selection

Western Timber Frame™ builds pergolas, pavilions, gazebos, decks, trellises, arbors, and lattice panels with Humboldt Sawmill Company redwood.

Humboldt Sawmill Company, part of the Mendocino Companies, operates sawmills in Scotia and Ukiah, California, and draws logs from 443,401 acres of company-owned timberlands in Northern California. Redwood is graded under Redwood Inspection Service (RIS) rules.

The USDA Wood Handbook rates redwood heartwood resistant to very resistant to decay. Sapwood lacks the same resistance, according to Humboldt Sawmill. Grades follow RIS rules. Humboldt Sawmill says redwood holds finishes well and is less likely to split or warp than other softwoods.

Condition	Buyer question
On or near soil	Which heartwood grade is specified?
Posts, beams, rafters, or lattice	Which grade and heartwood content apply to each part?
Wildfire area	Is the specific product listed and locally approved?

Western Timber Frame™ ships redwood either stained in its shop or unstained in its natural finish. Standard engineering starts at 115 mph design wind speed. Project-specific loads, members, connections, and footings need local-code review and, where required, a licensed professional engineer. Joinery includes the Dovetail Difference® system.

Humboldt Sawmill documents Class B flame spread. Check the California OSFM Building Materials Listing; local approval depends on the specific product and project.

Responsible sourcing

Humboldt Sawmill states:

Humboldt Sawmill redwood and Douglas-fir products are available certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C013133). The Forest Stewardship Council® is the world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution.

Our redwood timberlands are managed to California Forest Practice Rules, encompassing some of the most stringent forest management requirements in the world. From the beginning, our stated purpose has been to demonstrate it is possible to manage productive redwood and Douglas-fir timberlands with a high standard of environmental stewardship, while also operating a successful business. To this end, we have key policies in place to guide our business, including an old growth policy whereby individual trees are preserved from harvesting if they meet certain criteria, including size, age, and ecological function. In addition, our staff monitor forest health with respect to criteria including aquatic conditions, forest inventory, forest restoration, rare plants, and terrestrial wildlife. In addition to our work in the forest, we monitor our economic and social impact in the communities in which we do business. We have a well-established community giving process to help fund local and nonprofit organizations, often those working in agriculture, education, health and human services, and seniors and youth. We also offer a scholarship program, open to high school seniors in Humboldt and Mendocino counties (California) as well as an employee dependent scholarship open to children or grandchildren of active or retired company employees across our business locations.

Where redwood goes

Western Timber Frame™ reports growing demand in the Desert Southwest, Gulf Coast, and Deep South. It uses Humboldt Sawmill redwood in these 26 states:

Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Projects: a 16 × 22 pergola secured to the home, four grow boxes, an arbor, fence, and gate; Harmony Ridge Clubhouse’s 9-foot freestanding trellises with knee braces and a natural water-based stain; CAD-planned solid-redwood railings on three step-out porches with mortise-and-tenon joinery; and a 16 × 20 Daybreak redwood deck beneath a timber frame pavilion. Humboldt Sawmill’s case study adds context.

Recent redwood news

Sunset’s 2026 Idea House; Humboldt Sawmill’s Idea House case study; and Humboldt Sawmill on BIMobject.

Frequently asked questions