This story was written by Radio Milwaukee staff on behalf of the Urban Craftsman, proud supporters of Radio Milwaukee. All content was then reviewed and edited to ensure its resonance with our audience and mission.
After nine years of making custom wood furniture in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, Nick Hardrath of the Urban Craftsman faced a difficult decision. The rent on his shop nearly doubled, forcing him to find a new home.
Fortunately, what first looked like a crisis turned into an opportunity. Not only did Hardrath find a space mere steps from his previous location, that space afforded him the chance to create a retail shop for artists and craftspeople.
Truly one of a kind
Aside from creative custom designs, one of the things that sets the Urban Craftsman apart is the material Hardrath uses in all of his projects. Urban wood is milled from downed and dead neighborhood trees, which traditional sawmills reject because they often contain metal and slow the milling process.
But for those artisans more focused on the end result than the time it takes to get there, urban wood carries a valuable benefit in its unique aesthetics. In short, neighborhood trees that are allowed to grow and branch naturally create more dynamic grain and color patterns.
“Traditional sawmills are in the business of repeatability,” Hardrath explained. “They use manicured trees and want every piece to look exactly the same. Urban sawmills produce pieces that are of one-of-a-kind, truly. Every piece is unique with nature’s artistry.”
The Urban Craftsman mills and kiln-dries all of their lumber and slabs on-site. Now, out of their new home at 3740 N. Fratney St., those materials are available for creatives across the area. The retail shop features more than 15 species of trees — all native to southeast Wisconsin, and most coming from local municipalities and tree services.
“We are saving a wasted commodity with every urban tree we mill. That has always been an important part of what we do here,” Hardrath said. “I’m thrilled to be able to share this resource with the community. This allows us to work with so many people — from DIY’ers and crafters up to professional artists and skilled woodworkers.”
A carbon mission
Aside from the aesthetic quality, another compelling reason for the use of urban wood is the environmental impact.
A tree contains the same amount of carbon — roughly 50% of its mass — whether living or dead. When urban trees fall from storms, disease, age or development, they traditionally end up in landfills or used for mulch and firewood, releasing most of their stored carbon back into the atmosphere. When urban wood is milled for use, the resulting lumber and slabs acts as a carbon prison, keeping the emissions trapped.
The amount of carbon emissions saved per tree vary depending on the species and size. Mature shade-providing trees such as white oak or maple, for example, can contain upward of one metric tons of carbon dioxide in a single tree. That’s the approximate equivalent of:
- Burning 112 gallons of unleaded gasoline
- Consuming 105 gallons of diesel fuel
- Burning 1,061 pounds of coal
- 1.2 months of electricity and energy use by an average U.S. household
Using salvaged city trees for lumber also reduces demand for living timber harvested from managed forests, cutting down on the transportation, processing and land-use emissions associated with traditional logging supply chains.
Because urban wood is sourced locally — often within the same city or region where it will be used — it slashes the transportation footprint typical of commercial lumber, which frequently travels hundreds or thousands of miles from forest to mill to market.
Celebrate a local resource
The Urban Wood Network, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to urban-wood utilization, will host the 10th annual Urban Wood Fest from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Urban Craftsman in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. The event features milling demos and educational programming, local artisan vendors, food trucks and beer from Black Husky Brewing.
