Just hit 10,000 board feet of walnut used in my career

I was cleaning out my old job book and added up all my project notes. The total came to 10,000 board feet of walnut I've worked with over 22 years. I never kept track before, and seeing that number made me stop. On one hand, it feels good to have used such a beautiful, lasting material for so many heirloom pieces. On the other, it made me think hard about using a slow-growing resource. Do you guys ever think about the total amount of a specific material you've used, and does it change how you pick wood for a job?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendysanchez1mo ago

Honestly, I look at that number and see a life's work of quality. Ten thousand board feet over two decades isn't waste, it's a legacy. Every piece of that walnut is in someone's home as a table, a cabinet, a bed frame meant to last a hundred years. If we all used cheap pine or particle board that gets thrown out in ten years, we'd fill landfills and cut down more trees for replacements. Using a good, solid wood is the responsible choice because it makes things that stay out of the dump. We should be proud to use materials that match the care we put into the work.

jennifer_jenkins1mo ago

Ever think about how many trees that actually is?

the_spencer1mo ago

That number also shows how much skill you've built. Working with that much walnut means you've learned to handle its quirks perfectly, which is a real craft. It's not just about the wood, it's about the knowledge you put into it.