“Count On Quality:” Muscanell Delivers
Aerial view of Muscanell’s mill in Cortez, CO.
“Count on Quality” is more than a motto, it’s what we pride ourselves on at Muscanell Millworks. Closing in on almost 40 years in the wood industry, and 30 years of manufacturing flooring and stair parts, we know what quality looks like. It looks like responsibly sourced North American hardwoods precisely milled into solid wood flooring with wide widths, long average lengths, and special drying for the arid climate. It also looks like custom stair parts that match the flooring because they are made from the same material and follow the same strict grading standards. Quality at Muscanell Millworks is visible throughout the whole process and has been part of our identity from the very beginning.
In 1986, Doug Muscanell started Muscanell Studios to make and sell fine wooden boxes made of burlwood at American craft galleries. While this was a great venture, Doug always believed there was an untapped niche for precisely milled hardwood flooring perfect for the Intermountain West. With this dream in mind, the first flooring machines were purchased in 1995. By 1998, the crew grew to seven, the last decorative box was turned out, the first national trade show was attended, business with flooring distributors started, and Muscanell Millworks was officially created.
Today, the company has grown to approximately 25 employees, making Muscanell one of the largest private employers in this region of Southwest Colorado, and the largest, if not the only, hardwood flooring manufacturer in Colorado. The beauty in this area is stunning, but the climate does not compare to other parts of the U.S. The trees that grow in this area are tiny compared to those that grow in The Appalachian, Glacier, and Pacific regions. This means that Muscanell Millworks has all its lumber shipped from reputable lumber suppliers; primarily located in the Appalachian region. This also means that once flooring and stair parts are dried to a 5-7% moisture content, the natural dry climate here helps maintain that range. This lower range makes it possible to install in arid regions with less movement and makes it possible for homeowners in the West to enjoy the quality and beauty of hardwood floors for years.
Muscanell’s White Oak Qtr/Rft Mesa Stairs with a Herringbone landing.
All-Hardwood fire logs known as Woodchucks.
A big issue when creating hardwood flooring is waste. In 2006, we solved the waste issue with the purchase of a European “briquetting” machine. We use this machine to transform our waste into all-hardwood fire logs, called Woodchucks. Woodchucks are sold primarily to residents, but also to a local retailers and nearby Native American communities. Even these logs, made from our sawdust and shaving waste, are a quality product. They are a heating source that are 100% hardwood, contain no paraffin or added binders, leave behind very little ash, contain high heat value, have very low creosote, and are even safe to cook over.
To fully understand how quality has been at the forefront of every big decision for Muscanell, the sale of the company in 2017 to Lägler should be discussed. Lägler is a German manufacturer of high-quality floor sanding machines. They make and sell the machines, but they also own Palo Duro Hardwoods, who sells our flooring and other quality flooring products. This setup is perfect for Muscanell because it allows for production of the same quality flooring and stair parts, with the same crew, but allows for more growth in the future.
Hickory Hacienda flooring.
Nobody knows what the future holds. But, if we were to guess, it looks like continuing to improve on manufacturing wide width, long length, precisely milled flooring dried specially for the arid climate. It looks like more custom stair parts. It looks like “Count on Quality” will continue to be more than just a motto to Muscanell Millworks.
Visit muscanell.com for more details.
