Frank Miller Lumber Fine Woods - Exotic Hardwoods

Embracing a New Chapter: Welcome to Frank Miller Lumber Fine Woods

Posted by Chelsea Timmerman on

At Frank Miller Lumber, we’ve always been committed to providing top-quality lumber and unparalleled customer service. Over the years, we’ve grown and evolved, continually striving to meet and exceed the expectations of our valued customers. In recent weeks, we have slowly rolled the rebranding of our retail store to Frank Miller Lumber Fine Woods. This change reflects our dedication to enhancing our product offers and signifies our commitment to becoming your premier destination for the finest woods and woodworking materials.

Expanded Product Offerings

Bush Oil EZ-Sanding System

With our rebranding, we are excited to introduce an expanded range of products catering to various woodworking needs. Whether you are a professional carpenter, a dedicated hobbyist, or someone embarking on a DIY project, you will find an extensive selection of premium exotic hardwoods, locally made finishes, handcrafted gifts, and much more.

Our inventory includes:

Exotic Hardwoods: Explore rare and unique species from around the world, such as zebrawood, purpleheart, and padauk, ideal for crafting one-of-a-kind pieces.

Domestic Hardwoods: Choose from the finest quality oak, cherry, walnut, maple, and more, all sourced sustainably.

Specialty Plywood: Choose from various high-grade plywood, ideal for structural and decorative applications.

Live Edge Slabs: Experience the natural beauty of live edge slabs, each uniquely shaped and perfect for creating stunning tables, countertops, and other statement pieces.

Woodworking Accessories: Explore a range of finishes, sandpaper, and Bush Oil Product finishing kits to easily complete your projects.

A New Look, the Same Trusted Service

While our name and logo may have changed, our dedication to serving our customers remains unwavering. We are still the same family-owned business you have come to know and trust, now with a renewed focus on providing an even better shopping experience. We invite you to visit Frank Miller Lumber Fine Woods and experience the transformation yourself.

Thank you for your continued support and trust in Frank Miller Lumber Fine Woods.

For more information, please contact us at 765-964-7705 or [email protected].

Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall

The Truth About Quartersawn Red Oak!

Posted by Frank Miller Lumber on

Quartersawn Red Oak has increasingly found its place as a premium hardwood choice for flooring, cabinetry, millwork and furniture. It is readily available and affordable.

The straight grain of quartersawn Red Oak will restrict its shrinkage to the thickness of the board as opposed to width.

Our forest has an abundant supply of Red Oak, which has a stronger growth trajectory than popular alternatives.

Medullary rays are shorter in Red Oak resulting in subtly figured “quartered” boards and “rift” boards that display straight grain with minimal flake.

This also minimizes warping and cupping. Its inherent qualities of stability, beauty, and durability places Red Oak in the company of other premium American hardwoods.

  • Kauffman Center
    Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall
  • Private Residence
  • ‘Fugu’ by Jasper Morrison Studio
  • Kauffman Center for Performing Arts: Helzberg Hall

How Vertical Integration Can Be of Help to the Design Community

Posted by Criswell Davis on

A few years ago Frank Miller Lumber got involved with supplying the quartersawn red oak for the floors of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. I have written about the advantages of working with the mill source on projects like this, since in doing so the project team minimizes its variables. That project, for example, was never delayed due to lumber shortages. The same was true for the Barnes Museum in Philadelphia and several other high-profile projects.

About a year and a half ago, Frank Miller Lumber acquired a high-end architectural millwork company, Indianapolis Woodworking International (IWI) in order to offer millwork services to the design community. In the world of bespoke commercial and residential designs, IWI can help to make a designer or architect’s dreams a reality through collaboration and integration with a skilled millwork partner.

In my role with Frank Miller, I assist architects and designers in adjusting specifications to match the realities of the resource.  Likewise, Gary Riegle, president of Indianapolis Woodworking International, can do the same thing, moving the design process along with samples and advice. For the design community, this synergy can be of immense value, working directly with a high-end millwork company that can help make your vision a reality. Just as flooring companies can be specified for a project, a millwork company can also be specified.

I was in Dubai a couple of years ago talking with a millwork company that produced the First and Business Class lounges for Terminal 3 at the Dubai Airport. The construction of those lounges was a herculean task. To give you some perspective, the architecturally sequence-matched American walnut veneered panels cover more than 1.6 kilometers. By the time the design fell to the millwork company for production, the timer had already been ticking for quite some time. The pressure to obtain material for the project was intense, and the project would have moved along more smoothly with advanced coordination between the designers and the millwork company.

The team at IWI has decades of experience behind them and has produced some gorgeous millwork over the years. You can see examples of their projects at http://www.iwimillwork.com. Let IWI help you in the same way that Frank Miller Lumber helps architects and designers.