Appalachian Woods is a family run business
owned by Jonas Hochstetler. Jonas and his family have been doing
business in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia since 1976 and in more
recent years have expanded to reach customers around the country and
some from over seas. The Hochstetler family is dedicated to
the preservation of old lumber and timbers found throughout the
Appalachian Mountains.
Antique wood is unmatched in beauty and in character as well as the
unique historical significance it brings to life today. Recycling old
wood is very popular with many people around the country who are
concerned about the environmental effects that deforesting vast acreage
of land has on our quality of life. Most of our materials
come from buildings built around the turn of the century or before. This
lumber was taken from old growth forests a hundred years ago or more and
does not require the cutting of any more trees.
We utilize a variety of wood species and one of the most unique and
beautiful woods that we reclaim is American Chestnut. This tree was one
of the most widely used woods in the Appalachians. With its light
weight, unique reddish-brown color and resistance to decay, Chestnut was
used for a variety of things from log cabins to split rail fences. In
the early 1900's a blight was accidentally introduced to these trees
from Asia and by the 1920's most Chestnut trees had died. Today the only
way to enjoy this beautiful wood is by reclaiming this treasure from old
barns, log cabins and houses.
We also re-mill large Heart Pine timbers taken from
demolition sites and turn it into beautiful
Antique Heart Pine Flooring.
Heart Pine is virgin cut Southern Longleaf
Pine that was used to build much of the industrial revolution here in
the east. After the old growth forests were cut over the only
place to get this quality wood is from these old buildings. Follow
this link for a more detailed "history
of Heart Pine".
Taking down old buildings is just the first step in a long process
that goes into preparing this wood for a finished product. The first
thing that is done once the wood arrives at our lumberyard is to remove
all hardware from it. A very painstaking and time-consuming process
accomplishes this. We use metal detectors to first locate the old nails
and then use chisels, pliers and hammers to take the nails out while
destroying as little of the wood as possible. From here any rotted or
damaged wood is cut out and the lumber is then dried if necessary. Now
the material is finally ready to be used for a variety of projects.
We supply homeowners, building contractors, cabinet shops and
architectural millwork shops with a variety of different products milled
from this antique lumber. Our Antique Wood is being used today to make
flooring, wainscoting, paneling, moldings, doors, furniture and other
fine products.
This antique wood gives our customers the opportunity to own a piece
of American history. Along with the unique beauty and character of
Antique Wood comes the knowledge that you are helping to conserve
our natural resources by utilizing this recycled wood.
At Appalachian Woods we are dedicated to
quality workmanship and high standards of ethical business practices.
We have many happy customers and will be glad to give you some
references if you need them.
Contact us with details on your building
project and let us help you utilize our fine products.
