When you sit at one of our tables, you’re not just sitting at a piece of furniture — you’re connecting with a story that started long before it reached our shop. At M2 Furniture Co., we don’t just build furniture — we transform local trees into lasting heirlooms, using a process that’s as intentional as the furniture itself.
Step 1: Sourcing Locally & Responsibly
Our story begins right here in the Upstate of South Carolina. Many of the trees we work with come from local properties — sometimes even from a customer’s own yard. Instead of letting a fallen or removed tree go to waste, we give it new life.
We’ve helped countless customers turn their own trees into custom furniture, giving them something truly meaningful — a dining table from the oak in their backyard, a mantle from the maple they grew up with, or a coffee table from a tree that had to come down after a storm.
We focus on native hardwoods that thrive in the Blue Ridge region — walnut, cherry, oak, maple, and more. Each one has its own character, grain, and personality — and we treat every log as something worth saving.
Step 2: Initial Design Review
Before we ever start the sawmill, we meet with our customers to talk about the big picture — what the wood will ultimately become.
It doesn’t have to be a finalized design, but this early discussion helps us understand key details like:
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What type of furniture or project the customer has in mind
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The thickness and lengths of boards we’ll need
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How much material volume we should target
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The kind of figure or grain we should preserve
This helps us mill the logs efficiently while making sure we’re cutting for the customer’s end goal — not just cutting boards at random.
Step 3: Milling the Logs
Once the plan is in place, the transformation begins at our sawmill. We carefully mill each log into slabs or boards, taking note of grain , figure, and natural character.
Unlike mass-produced lumber, our approach is deliberate — we cut for beauty, not just yield. This is where the personality of each future table, mantle, or island starts to emerge.
Step 4: Air Drying — Where Patience Pays Off
After milling, the wood isn’t ready to use just yet. It’s still full of moisture, and rushing this stage can cause serious problems later on.
Every slab and board goes through a long, natural air-drying phase — a process that most people don’t realize is essential. Air drying allows the wood to slowly release internal moisture, equalize with the environment, and stabilize before it ever sees a kiln.
This stage can take anywhere from six months to a full year, depending on the species and thickness. It’s not the fastest part of the process, but it’s one of the most important. Patience here ensures the wood will stay stable for generations.
Step 5: Kiln Drying for Stability
Once the lumber has air-dried, we move it into our vacuum kiln drying system — an advanced process that finishes the drying job evenly and efficiently.
The vacuum kiln gently removes the remaining moisture while maintaining the wood’s color and natural integrity. It’s the final step that ensures your furniture won’t warp, twist, or crack once it’s built and brought into your home.
Step 6: Final Design & Project Planning
With the lumber now fully dried and ready, this is when we reconnect with our customers to finalize designs.
We’ll talk through:
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The specific piece or set they want built
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Design style and proportions
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Finish type and tone
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Any unique features or custom details they’ve envisioned
At this stage, we match boards for color and grain, plan layouts, and prepare for the build. Typically we also provide a full 3D rendering of the build project so that customers understand exactly what they're getting and we have a clear plan to move forward.
Step 7: Building the Furniture
Using a combination of modern CNC precision and old-school craftsmanship, we bring each design to life. Joinery, shaping, and sanding are all done with care — not just to look good, but to perform beautifully for decades.
Whether it’s a dining table, mantle, or kitchen island, every joint, curve, and corner is intentional.
Step 8: Finishing & Final Touches
Our finishing process is what sets M2 apart. We use professional-grade spray finishes for durability, clarity, and smoothness — the kind you’ll never get from a brush or rag.
Each finish is chosen for its purpose — matte, satin, or gloss — and designed to protect the wood while showing off its natural depth and color.
Step 9: Delivered to Your Home — a Story Complete
When your furniture arrives, it’s more than just new decor — it’s a full-circle moment. A tree that once stood in your community, or maybe even in your own yard, now lives on as a piece of handcrafted furniture.
That’s what “Tree-to-Table” means to us — preserving history, celebrating craftsmanship, and creating something that will outlive us all.
Real Projects, Real Stories
We’ve had the honor of creating beautiful pieces for customers who brought us trees from their property — family heirlooms with real roots. Below are just a few examples of what we’ve built through this process:
Here is a great overview video of the entire process over the period of 12 months...a project that we completed for a client from a tree they had removed from their home in Greenville:
Do you have a tree with a story behind it?
Let’s turn it into something you’ll cherish for generations.
Contact us to start your Tree-to-Table project today.
📞 (864) 468-9663 | 🌐 m2furnitureco.com
