Twister Hill Hardwoods
Call us: 515-509-9058
Twister Hill Hardwoods
Call us: 515-509-9058
Welcome to Twister Hill Hardwoods, a family-owned business dedicated to bringing you high-quality, locally sourced hardwood lumber, live edge slabs, and custom-built live edge furniture. We believe in responsible forestry practices and repurposing trees that have reached the end of their natural life cycle.
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond sourcing to our production methods, ensuring that we do our part to preserve our hardwood resources for generations to come.
All our kiln-dried wood is carefully heat sterilized, ensuring the highest quality product for your next project.
At Twister Hill Hardwoods, we embrace a hands-on approach. Our commitment to sustainability extends to every aspect of our operations. Much of our equipment, including our historic circa-1920s circular mill, has been meticulously refurbished in our own workshop.
This DIY spirit is evident in our latest addition: a powerful electric bandsaw mill, boasting a cutting capacity of 60" wide by 20' long, which was completely designed and fabricated in-house. Our dedication to craftsmanship ensures we can supply small or large hardwood slabs for any project, from small-scale woodworking to commercial live edge slab furniture producers.
With our custom-designed and built sawmilling equipment, we offer some of the largest live edge slabs in the Midwest. These stunning hardwood slabs can measure up to 3" thick, 60" wide, and an impressive 20' long, offering unique design possibilities.
Despite being a small, family-owned business in Iowa, we've supplied semi-loads of slabs, kiln-dried lumber, and logs to customers across the country, including as far west as Montana and Colorado. We stock a sizable inventory to provide the highest quality slabs to commercial and individual buyers alike.
Need help to transform your dream slab into a reality? Our skilled craftsmen can provide a range of finishing services, including:
● Custom Live Edge Tables:Create a breathtaking centerpiece for your dining room or living space.
● Elegant Desks:Design a unique and functional workspace that reflects your personal style.
● One-of-a-Kind Furniture:Bring your vision to life with our custom slab finishing services, tailored to your specific needs and preferences.
Contact us today to discuss your project and explore the possibilities of our exceptional live edge slabs.
We understand that every project has unique requirements. That's why we offer a wide range of options to meet your specific needs:
● Slabbed/Milled:Choose from a selection of rough-cut or milled lumber.
● Green or Kiln-Dried:Select lumber based on your drying preferences and project timeline.
● Flattened Slabs:Ready-to-finish slabs for your convenience.
● Finished Slabs: Hand-finished slabs for mantels, desks, tables, and more.
We take meticulous care of our lumber, sealing all logs immediately after cutting to prevent end cracking.
A Diverse Selection of High-Quality Hardwoods
Twister Hill Hardwoods offers a variety of premium hardwood species, including:
● Black Walnut Lumber:Renowned for its rich color and stunning grain patterns.
● White Oak Lumber (Quarter and Plain Sawn): Durable and versatile with distinct grain characteristics.
● Red Oak Lumber:A popular choice for its affordability and attractive grain.
● Maple Lumber:Known for its hardness and light color.
● Ash Lumber:A strong and resilient wood with a beautiful grain structure.
● Hickory Lumber:A strong and beautiful hardwood known for its ability to shrug off abuse.
Our live edge lumber is typically skip-planed to 4/4 thickness, but we can custom-mill or finish-plane to your exact specifications.
Explore our inventory of kiln-dried dimensional hardwood and live edge slabs today!
Our unique name, "Twister Hill Hardwoods," pays homage to the region's cinematic history. Several iconic scenes from the 1996 blockbuster film "Twister," starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, were filmed just a short distance from our sawmill.
One of the most memorable scenes, where the storm chasers attempt to launch their instrument package "Dorothy" during a hailstorm, was captured on a nearby hill and bridge where County Road E-18 crosses the Des Moines River. This picturesque location has since become unofficially known as "Twister Hill," inspiring the name of our business.
At Twister Hill Hardwoods, we believe in the power of innovation and craftsmanship. The unique milling equipment we use in our operation is a testament to this philosophy:
● "Dusty," Our Restored Legacy: One of our main sawmills, affectionately named "Dusty," is a vintage circular blade mill dating back to the early 1900s. Abandoned for years in nearby timber, we rescued "Dusty" and meticulously refurbished it to serve our modern milling needs.
● "Toto," The Slab Flattener: Our custom-built slab flattening mill, "Toto," is engineered to handle even the largest slabs. "Toto" can level slabs up to 60 inches wide and 20 feet long, ensuring both sides are perfectly flat and uniformly thick – ready for your finishing touches.
● "Dorothy," The Mighty Bandsaw: Our impressive bandsaw, aptly named "Dorothy," boasts a cutting capacity of up to 60 inches in diameter and 20 feet in length, allowing us to handle even the most challenging projects.
This unique combination of reclaimed and custom-built equipment allows us to provide exceptional milling services and produce unique, high-quality lumber and live edge slabs.
Twister Hill Hardwoods has a unique origin story. In the wake of the devastating 2020 derecho that swept through central Iowa, our partner Gary Zunkel, a seasoned woodworker, faced the loss of several long-lived and majestic oak trees on his property.
Determined to honor these magnificent trees, Gary refused to let them become mere firewood. Instead, he had them milled and began the process of air drying the lumber. This personal experience sparked a passion for sustainable wood utilization and led him to partner with Mike Diggs, a fellow enthusiast with a shared interest in reclaiming and preserving Iowa's natural resources.
From these humble beginnings, Twister Hill Hardwoods has blossomed into a thriving business. We've invested in a refurbished circular sawmill, a state-of-the-art 5000-board-foot capacity kiln, and advanced equipment to cut, smooth, and flatten large slabs and lumber, all while staying true to our commitment to sustainable forestry practices.