Our Process

Each slab is a labor of love, and Sand Creek Slabs is there every step of the way. From the painstaking process of tree removal, to hauling, milling, years of drying, and finally flattening, this family-owned and operated business proudly handles it all. The story of your slab is here, ready for the telling.

One example: silver maple, start-to-finish

Drying slabs is akin to aging whiskey in an oak barrel: While it takes patience, the wait is worth it.

Getting a tree on the ground is just the beginning. We usually let a log rest for a few months before milling it into slabs. The slabs are then stickered, stacked, and air-dried outside for several years. It typically takes one year of air drying per inch of slab thickness. After wood moisture has reached an acceptable equilibrium outside, we place the slabs in a solar-powered kiln for up to six weeks during the drying season to gently finish them off with heat and air flow. The solar kiln does its work during the day and cools off at night, giving the wood an opportunity to rest. This helps prevent checking and warping while preserving the rich colors of the grain. Most slabs end up in the 8-to-12-percent moisture content range at the end of the process.
The end product is comparable to a whiskey pour you sip rather than one you shoot.