Tree-Purposed is a sawmill and custom workshop specializing in live edge slabs.
We have an extensive inventory of Michigan live edge slabs of all sizes. We also stock a variety of smaller pieces and cutoffs. All of our wood is sustainably harvested from unwanted urban trees from around Metro Detroit. Our live edge slabs are perfect for making one-of-a-kind tables, bar tops, desks, benches, shelving, mantles, headboards, wall art and much more. Our inventory is on display at our warehouse in Farmington Hills, MI. Our address is 32575 Folsom Road, Farmington Hills, MI.
Recent Projects
Explore our stunning collection of handcrafted live-edge tables.
Experience the Artistry of Transforming Metro Detroit’s Urban Wood Waste Into Useable, High Quality Wood Products!
Our meticulous process ensures that each piece showcases the natural beauty and character of the wood. From carefully selecting the raw materials to applying the perfect finish, we are committed to creating stunning and durable pieces that will be cherished for generations. Tree-Purposed customers are proud to support a local small business producing a high quality handmade product!
Live Edge Slabs
Step One
Live Edge Slabs
We have an extensive inventory of Michigan live edge slabs of all sizes. We also stock a variety of smaller cutoffs. All of our wood is sustainably harvested from unwanted urban trees. These trees often endure countless injuries and stresses growing up in the urban environment. Each tree's unique history shines through in our slabs rich grain, gnarly character and figure.
Custom Milling
Step two
Custom Milling Services
- milling logs into slabs, boards and beams
- level and flattening of large slabs and small slabs
- ripping, crosscuts, waterfalls
Shaping & Sanding
Step Three
Sanding & Shaping Services
Hand sanding and shaping
Wide belt sanding:
- 36" wide planer/sander
- 52" wide belt sander
Finishing
Step four
Finishing Services
- full finish, delivery and install services
- we have the skills and equipment to make your wood project a reality.
Meet Our Team
Get to know the skilled craftsmen behind our wood mill.
Owner
Lead Carpenter
Sales/Builder
Sales/Builder
FAQs
Treepurposed Detroit is owned by Arbor Man LLC, a residential tree service based in Livonia, MI. Treepurposed as an entity does not physically remove trees from residential properties, all removals are executed by Arbor Man LLC Removal of residential trees is a dangerous job, with many liabilities to be account for, specialized tradesman that command a premium hourly wage, heavy duty equipment, licensing, insurance.... you get the idea. Unfortunately, there is no scenario where the value of your standing tree (or felled log) outweighs the labor and equipment operating costs associated with removal, transportation, milling, storage, drying etc... If you'd like an estimate to have a tree removed from your property, you can call Arbor Man LLC, and schedule an estimate; you will be meeting with the owner during your estimate, and you may feel free to ask any questions you'd like about what we are planning to do with the log after removal; if it is a tree we plan to mill, it's not unreasonable of you to ask to keep a slab once it's all dried and ready to build with, or ask for a discount on removal in cases where a tree is exceptionally valuable and the hazard level of removal is fairly low. Each tree is judged case by case, so please understand that sometimes it is not possible to offer discounts or allow you to keep any of the wood after it has been milled.
While our inventory is changing pretty frequently, we generally will always have the following wood species in stock: Maple (Hard and Soft) White Oak, Red Oak, Black Walnut, Cherry, Elm (Siberian and American), Sycamore Other species we will commonly have but will have limited quantity: Beech, Ash, English Walnut, Hickory, Spruce, Cedar Species we generally don't stock: Anything not native to the state of Michigan
While you are certainly more than welcome to call ahead and set up an appointment with a member of our Sales Staff to ensure the most efficient shopping experience, it is not necessary, and we'd be happy to assist you anytime during our regular business hours which can be found HERE
We do our absolute best to provide options that will net the least amount of waste once a customer's dimensional requirements have been communicated to us, and we are always willing to finish your off cuts if you'd like to use them for other projects, but we do not sell portions of slabs, so it is best to stick to slabs that are fairly close to the your final dimensions when selecting your materials.
In almost 10 years of building beautiful custom furniture from our own locally sourced live edge slabs, we have yet to have a project fail due to poor workmanship, or any sort of negligence in construction techniques; our joinery is sound, and our products are built to last a lifetime. We don't have a standard warranty in place, because we simply haven't had to address any issues with our builds, but you can rest assured that if you were the anomaly who unfortunately has to be our first with regard to any failure in workmanship, we will work swiftly to correct any issues you may have. All of our pieces are finished with Rubio Monocoat Hard Wax Oil, and while no wood finish is completely bulletproof to all the wear and tear we can throw at our furniture, we have found it more than adequate for daily use even with busy families and small children. Our past clients who have been exceptionally hard on their furniture will generally inquire about a refinish every 4-5 years; but again, this is completely subjective and that timetable can be shorter or longer depending on how hard you're using your surface. Many customers have elected to refinish their own pieces as in most cases, all that is required is a light sanding and re-oiling of the surface, but for those who do not wish to tackle that process themselves, we offer reasonably priced refinishing for those in the Metro Detroit Area.
We do not offer mobile milling services. Our Mills are located in Livonia, MI. If you have the means to transport your log to our facility in Livonia, we'd be happy to mill your log(s). Please contact us to arrange a time for drop off so we can make sure to have someone there to accept your delivery and get your information for the work order. We do not offer storage of your milled log, once the work is completed the wood needs to be picked up within 30 days or it will be considered abandoned and become the property of Treepurposed.
Returns are handled on a case by case basis, but the general rules are as follows: Completed Custom Builds are Non-Refundable If a quote has been accepted, with a slab having been purchased, and for one reason or another you wish to cancel the project, the slab is refundable up until the point the project has started; if we level it, cut it, pour epoxy etc... the slab is no longer refundable. If you wish to pickup the slab in whatever stage of the process it currently resides and abandon the remainder of the project, you will be billed for the portion of labor that has been completed and only after that payment has been made will the slab be released. If a slab was purchased using a credit card, and qualifies for a return, funds will be refunded via check and will be less 3% to cover the credit card processing fees from the initial purchase. Slabs purchased with cash or check will be refunded via check for the full purchase price including sales tax.
Black Walnut is far and away our best selling species of wood, and that's for good reason! It is naturally one of the most beautiful woods we have available to us in the State of Michigan, and rivals many exotic species with it's rich color, and intricate grain! "Well, can't you just stain this maple with black walnut stain and make it look like Black Walnut?" "Sure, and I can slap a whale tail spoiler on the back of a VW Beetle, but that's not going to trick you into believing its a Porsche 911 Turbo" We certainly can stain a light wood to make it darker, but a lighter wood stained dark is not a 1:1 clone of Black Walnut, so temper your expectations, please.
Occasionally we are met with clients that have procured a slab or multiple slabs from another source, and they want us to build something for them using those materials; we're happy to work with outside materials after inspecting them to ensure they're suitable to work with. We will assess each situation case by case, and if we choose not to work with the materials you're attempting to provide, we will provide a thorough explanation of why we do not believe those materials to be suitable to work with. The most common issue we find with slabs provided by clients is that the wood hasn't been properly dried.