We spoke with Nathan and Sarah from The Wood Project, a business on the Mornington Peninsula that turns salvaged logs into beautiful products. Read the interview here!
What prompted you to work with wood, what’s the background of the Wood Project?
Nath & I started TWP looking predominately at firewood. We’ve seen a resource being wasted in trees cut down and chipped away. So we started building relationships with arborists locally and offered a service of taking logs to process into firewood, we quickly saw that this too was a waste of a beautiful resource as the log quality we were salvaging was too good to process into firewood! So we started looking into what was involved in milling logs. The process was arduous and time-consuming, slabs need to dry for a minimum of 2 years… so we started to look into fast-tracking this process and we built a kiln. We now mill logs into timber slabs, kiln dry the slabs for furniture making and we also mill cypress to order and predominately for post & rail fencing kits – which are popping up all over the Peninsula and Victoria wide!
Where does the wood you use come from?
Our logs are salvaged from the Mornington Peninsula and beyond – anywhere in Victoria. We only mill our own salvaged timber. We get anything from cypress to elm and all the species in between. We have a huge unchallenged variety of timber species.
What’s your favourite wood to work with?
That’s like choosing a favourite child or dog!!
Which pieces that you created are your favourites?
While our bespoke benchtops, lux bathroom vanities, and beautiful mantelpieces are equally striking, The Wood Project’s recycled timber dining tables are the crown jewel of the operation. It’s a truly tailored experience for the client, who can opt for a single slab or different cuts from the same log, which are then book-matched and joined with precision. Live edges showcase the natural lines of the tree, whilst a straight cut edge will create a sleek and polished finish. Our team also design and fabricate the matte-black steel bases that support the tops, ensuring structural integrity without detracting from the natural beauty of the timber. The result is a timeless, original piece that is full of character and steeped in local history.
What’s your vision for the next years, where would you like to take the Wood Project?
We are looking to continue to grow and be recognised for the hard work that happens behind the scenes from salvaging a log to hosting a dinner party around one of our incredible tables. It’s not easy work but it sure is satisfying – and sustainable.
