Renaissance Design Group

12/11/2024

Here is a guideline for folks that may be considering New Home Construction and Tree Uses from Lot Clearing

Building a new home? Have you gotten sticker shock on the prices to build ? Are you Clearing a lot?
Might you be able to produce some of the lumber to construct your own home? Most of the studs and rafters to build your home are built out of pine and must be graded by a lumber inspector. All of the interior finishings do not need to be inspected and you can save a great deal of money by using them.

I own a sawmill and a furniture building business. I also build some small sheds so I have a pretty good handle on what woods are used for those things and where you can save the most if you choose to mill up the trees on your property.

The trees should be relatively straight and when felled should be cut to approximately 100” lengths. The logs should be at least 12” wide at the narrow end of that 100” long log.

Here are common uses for a variety of species of timber.

Exterior Uses:
Exposed timbers make for a great entryway on the front, or off the patio, ore even a pergola. If the timbers are under a roof you can use a variety of wood such as pine, spruce, fir, and oak or ash. If the beams will be exposed to the elements and not covered (such as a picnic table, or a deck) there's nothing better than white oak. It's not well known, but white oak makes a far better deck material than the plastic Trex. It can be refinished, color can be changed, and it doesn't get hot like plastic!!

Other Exterior uses: Picnic table Firewood Storage Fencing
Outdoor kitchen Coffee Table Firepit bench
Axe throwing target Swing set She Shed
He Shed Mailbox post Raised Bed Gardens
Flower Boxes Firewood

Interior Uses: Fireplace Mantles Window Casing Window trim
Curtain Valances Wains coating Baseboard
Cabinets Furniture Cutting Boards
Interior walls Fireplace accent wall Ceiling Beams
Flooring Entertainment Center Desks
Kitchen Table Center Island Live Edge Shelves

Minnesota Hardwoods (Deciduous trees) : Oaks-White,Red,Bur,Swamp Ash-Black,White,Green
Maple-Hard or Soft, Poplar, Cottonwood, Cherry, Birch, Basswood, Elm,

Minnesota Softwood Species (Conifers): White,Red, or Jack Pine. Tamarack. Spruce. Fir

Logs should be felled in the winter (given a choice) then milled and allowed to air dry for 1 yr for softwoods and 1.5-2yrs for hardwoods. Then, they should be kiln dried to stabilize them, and kill
any potential bugs that are in the wood. Further processing(planing smooth all 4 sides to a uniform
thickness is then necessary to build with them. Call or email me to discuss further. Mike Fanslau
320-492-1637 [email protected]

Looking for a Local Saw Mill Near You? Mike is ready to help you at Renaissance Design Group, your local wood recycler.

08/15/2024

Thank you to the customers that voted us to the Gold Award again!

08/15/2024

08/13/2024

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2686015774824948/posts/7947513932008413/?comment_id=7950230968403376

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01/24/2024

Yesterday the Veterinarian took our third X-ray of Lollypops chest to see if the pneumonia had cleared up. Bad news was upon clearing up of the pneumonia, we are left with a round mass in her right lung that is larger than her heart, and is pressing up against her heart, and likely reducing her lung capacity. Choice(s) were to send this image to a radiology specialist.........If he says your vet is right..........the location of the mass & it's size wouldn't be operable anyway. We don't know if it will grow or not. All we know is this is probably what made her prone to quickly getting pneumonia. We can now quit taking the antibiotics. The doc said that often steroids can help to reduce inflammation. Now I just will pet her, watch her more closely and hope that she has time.........No way of knowing if this is cancer or not. As noted, if it's cancer......nothing to do anyway. Thus.......just make her comfortable, and loved. I thank each of you for the love, and support for Lolly and myself. She will be turning 8 on Valentines Week. I've got her scheduled for a Glamour day at a groomer next Monday. She feels good....and has no clue that she has this problem in her chest.

01/17/2024

This short 4 1/2 minute video explains the artwork side of my business.

12/14/2023

I'm often asked about the hardness of different types of woods. Usually i get asked.........is ### a hardwood, or a softwood. Trees with leaves are hardwoods. Take note of the first species on this list below, it's cottonwood which is a hardwood......yet it's the softest wood on this list!!!!! Heart Pine is almost twice as hard, yet it's a softwood.

12/08/2023

Loading up to go show and sell at the Makers Market in downtown St. Cloud. There about local makers there. Great place to get unique, one of a kind gifts. Hope to see you there tomorrow from 9am to 2pm. I will have lathe turnings, charcuterie boards, whiskey smokers, and a lot more + cribbage boards, (none as big as the photo below....but i can make one like that for you). All of my items are created on my sawmill by recycled logs from the region
https://www.facebook.com/events/6719262448112998

07/28/2023

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