Zephyr Sawmills is a small, family run sawmill in North Dorset that is focusing on sustainability and promoting locally grown timber.
Owner Sam began this sawmill journey in 2016 as a hobby alongside working in forestry and tree surgery. It quickly became apparent whilst working in the forestry industry that there is a lot of high quality timber in the UK and a lot is being exported whilst we are importing a similar amount to meet demands. Seeing the amount of timber that was being wasted, left behind or thrown into firewood piles, he decided to start collecting bits of timber to mill with his first chainsaw mill until it became an obsession and the first bandsaw mill was bought a few years later.
By 2024 the second sawmill was ordered and the became what it is today
We do no go further than 100 miles to collect our timber or import any timber from Europe or beyond – why? There is no need! We can source high quality timber from within this catchment area. Not only is this reducing the environmental impact, but by keeping things local we can put money into the local economy, upkeep more jobs and support the livelihood of those involved
We have made a choice not to use pesticides or chemical wood treatments. Whilst it is a risk for us and our stock, treating log and cut timber with pesticides is not something we wish to encourage or facilitate. With the pesticide list constantly changing, some being deemed safe 10 years ago, others marked as ‘safe’ now, we don’t feel there is a need to use any on a natural product like wood when know one knows the long term risks. It’s worth thinking about when buying wood for your next chopping board or food surface, do we really know how long these chemicals stay within the wood?
Preservative treatments are also so common now that people question when timber isn’t treated. With good quality timbers such as Oak, Larch, Western red Cedar and Douglas, the natural tannins within the wood protect it from the weather and pests without the need to any chemical treatment, not to mention the current unknown risks with handling and cutting treated timber.
Having come from a farming background, Sam has always had a passion for machinery and making things. There are many old machines and tools he has have kept alive and built, but also a small workshop where select pieces of wood are brought in to create exciting surfaces and other wood creations. Take a look here at some of the pieces that have gone through the workshop
We hate plastic! Whilst it is impossible to be completely plastic free, we are trying really hard to use as little as possible and avoid using single use plastics through the workshop and packaging. Where available we use recycled plastic banding, cardboard packaging and our product finishes are plant based.
When we decided to have a rebrand in 2022, the name was the biggest decision we had to make. Why Zephyr? Well he is our dog! You may have already met him if you’ve come to the yard and will already know he is the bestest boy, so why not dedicate our business to him.
