What is mill sawn pine?
At Ashton and Coleman, simplicity and honesty guide our craft. This range is named after the very thing that makes each piece we make so special: each piece showcases the natural beauty of the sawn pine planks that come direct from the sawmills.
We carefully machine each plank, preserving the original saw and milling marks on one side so that its story stays visible in your home. Once the furniture is built, we gently sand and prepare the surface by hand and finish it with one of our natural wax colours, chosen by you, to highlight the raw character of the wood.
The 4 Poster Bed : Mill Sawn Pine
A firm favourite with Ashton & Coleman customers. You just can’t beat waking up in a solid wood 4 poster bed. The 4 Poster Bed in Mill Sawn Pine is packed with natural character and built with traditional mortice and tenons. Our natural wooden beds whether made in Mill Sawn Pine or Re Sawn Oak are literally built to last forever. Combining handcrafted quality with timeless designs creates true sustainability.
Sustainably Forested Quebec Pine
Sustainability starts with the logging companies that process the timber felling and replanting programs. But true sustainability depends on the material in question being used in a way that means that even though the material can be replaced, it wont need to be, because the product that was made is both built to last in a timeless design.
Sustainably Forested - Built To Last
There is no better material for humans to utilise for the production of furniture for our homes. If forested responsibly and respectfully. Sustainability is simple. Use a natural material that we can plant and replace, and make things we need (not want) in a way that means they won’t need replacing. lastly and just as important is to make sure we design and make things with timeless appeal, meaning it wont go out of fashion and wont end up being discarded even though it hasn’t broken or failed. We even heat our premises using eco briquettes that we make in our workshop from the waste shavings extracted during manufacture of our furniture.
Our Stock
Stocking high quantities of varying thicknesses of Quebec pine means our our furniture makers can carefully choose the right section of timber for the job. Making sure we utilise every plank of timber in a way that best suits its purpose from both a practical and aesthetic perspective forms an essential part of being a professional maker.
Celebrating The Unique Character
Of Mill Sawn Pine
If you love natural wood furniture as much as we do you will no doubt love it for the same reasons we do. Not least the simple fact that each piece is inherently unique, in the truest sense of the word. There is literally no chance that two planks of wood could ever be the same, and for that reason alone, each piece will automatically be different. But it’s not just nature that leaves its mark, Each plank of timber we use has been through many hands before ours. The timber we use is processed in a sawmill using incredibly powerful milling machines that all leave there unique markings, from different types of saw marks and gripper wheel marks to strapping indentations created during strapping for transport. We choose to celebrate these unique characteristics by allowing signs of the timbers journey from forest to home to remain visible in each piece of Mill Sawn Pine Furniture we make, keeping the connections alive, between mother nature, humans, machinery, craftsman and finally the owner of the furniture. Our Mill Sawn Pine furniture is in many ways a reflection of us as human beings, each one being totally unique to the next.
The following images are just a small selection of markings and characters you can expect to see in your chosen pieces. Please note they are just an example. Each piece made is subject to its own unique selection of markings.
Circular Saw Marks
A feature mostly seen on table legs and bed posts, These saw marks are actually left by us in the workshop after machining up the solid four inch thick timbers to the correct size.
Re-saw Marks
What is essentially a huge bandsaw is used in the sawmills to cut large squared off logs into specific thickness planks.
Gripper Wheel Marks
These unique marks are left by a large metal gripper wheel that helps feed the logs through the re-saw in a controlled and safe way. Basically pushing the timber through the extra large blade that you wouldn’t want to get too close to.
Varying Grain Patterns
Knots and grain of all shapes and patterns are formed in places where branches and sections of tree trunk veer off to find the sunlight. Depending on the position of the tree, the sun and other trees around it, the branches of a tree fight for energy from the sun. These branches create knots and grain direction that we see in every piece of our Mill Sawn Pine furniture range. Stronger deeper grain will highlight itself during the waxing stage. Only experience allows you to understand what a piece will look like when fully waxed.
Natural Knots
A defining feature of Quebec pine is the large solid knots of all shapes and sizes, very different to the knots seen in Scandinavian pine.
Character Levels
Not every single plank of timber is packed full of character, sometimes a plank is relatively clean in appearance, without large knots, without heavy saw marks, no transport strap marks. When this happens we take care to leave as much of the character in the board as we can and we plan its position carefully so it isnt adjacent to a plank that is heavy with character.
Choose From Six Natural Wax Finishes
We have created six different finishes for you to choose from. We believe in choice and giving our customers an opportunity to be creative with our designs and how they dress them and accessorise in their own home. After all, there are millions of us and we all have our own take on style. We just make sure the designs are timeless and the quality is top notch. The rest is up to you.
Styles as shown in images. Driftwood. Natural Pine. Light. Antique. Classic. Dark.
Please make allowances for colour variation due to the fact that every piece made is completely unique using natural materials with varying grain patterns, knots, character, strap marks, saw marks etc. We use a natural furniture wax that depending on the particular piece of timber it is used on can vary slightly in colour or appearance. If in doubt please order our sample box, but again keep in mind that they are simply a very small sample to give you a guide. We always recommend seeing the furniture in person if possible.
Visit our showrooms
Our furniture is wonderfully tactile and truly unique, so we always encourage customers to visit us in person if they can make the journey. It’s also the perfect excuse to enjoy the beautiful Peak District—a place we love sharing with visitors.
If a visit isn’t possible, we recommend ordering our wood samples. They allow you to see and feel the colours and finishes we offer from the comfort of your home. You may also find it helpful to browse our Showrooms page for an up-to-date list of what’s currently on display at each location, along with their individual opening times.
With so many designs, sizes, finishes, and options available, we’d need an aircraft hangar to exhibit everything we create—but we’re always here to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Where it all began…. The mill is the heart of the business. It is where we run our workshop, our larger showroom, office and warehouse.
A gem of a showroom on the historic Dale Road in Matlock. Here we display a number of pieces and an array of interiors.
15% Off your First order
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