Cortez, CO–Muscanell Millworks Inc., based here, manufactures solid Hardwood flooring, stair parts, textured flooring and Woodchucks Fire Logs. Located in what’s known as a transition zone between the high desert and alpine vistas, this mill setting looks out at the San Juan Mountains, Sleeping Ute Mountain, the Blue Mountains and the long outline of the mesa holding rich archaeological gems of Mesa Verde National Park.
A little over 2 million board feet of Hardwoods are purchased annually by this operation. Species used in the manufacturing process include Ash, Cherry, Hickory, Red and White Oak and Walnut (4/4, 5/4, 6/4, 8/4 surfaced and unsurfaced, sanded, textured). Recently they built a 25,000-square-foot warehouse that houses roughly 500,000 board feet of material.
Muscanell Millworks was founded by Doug Muscanell, whose flooring approach was fed by a degree in forestry, a mechanical engineering background and experience with fine woodworking. Muscanell had a vision of producing rustic flooring in longer lengths, while still maintaining precise milling tolerances, a company spokesperson stated. The business was sold in 2017 to German company Lägler Holding GmbH, the world market leader in the manufacturing of wood floor sanding machines. Lägler maintained the location, staff and founding vision. Bobby Comisky, a longtime employee who worked closely with Muscanell in building the operation, is now the president of the company, overseeing all aspects of the operation.
Muscanell prides itself on its quality, the spokesperson said. This is apparent in many ways through sourcing lumber from reputable suppliers, drying lumber a second time, routine quality checks through all parts of the process and regular crew training. They even hold themselves tighter than industry standard tolerances, according to the company. To complement these stricter specifications and to set themselves apart, Muscanell created their own flooring grades: Hacienda, Casa, Madera, and Mesa.
Hacienda is similar to Select & Better and is Muscanell’s highest grade. Casa is just below Hacienda and is most similar to No. 1 Common. Next is Madera which is a mix of No. 2 Common and No. 1 Common. Last, but not least, is Mesa which is most similar to a No. 2 Common. One thing Muscanell’s custom grades have in common is they are all a nod to the Southwest.
Muscanell’s unique location in the dry climate zone of the Four Corners region lends itself to the special drying formula, the spokesperson stated. The first part of the formula is taking the lumber received from suppliers and drying it a second time to reach a 5-7 percent moisture content, which is preferred for arid climates. The second step is drying the lumber prior to milling, which is not standard practice, but is for Muscanell so that movement from loss of moisture takes place before the lumber is turned into flooring. The final step is storing the flooring on site until it ships out to help ensure it stays at 5-7 percent moisture content.
Every effort towards sustainability is made at Muscanell Millworks, according to the company. North American Hardwoods are purchased from reputable lumber suppliers. Additionally, no part of the wood goes to waste. All wood by-products are used in some part of the operation. It starts with an efficient boiler system that has very low emissions and utilizes sawdust to heat manufacturing buildings, multiple warehouses, concrete slabs and the kiln. Remaining sawdust and planer shavings go through a European briquetting press to create Woodchucks Fire Logs. These logs are created without binders or additives resulting in a product that burns hot, is a clean source of fuel, low moisture, low emissions and leaves very little ash, the spokesperson remarked.
Muscanell Millworks would not be the company it is if not for its employees, according to the company. They are a group of family-oriented, hardworking, conscientious people with a love of this beautiful corner of Colorado, and pride in producing the best quality solid wood flooring, said the spokesperson. Many people on the crew volunteer throughout the community as firefighters, school board members and coaches, in church and with groups like 4-H. These employees, many of whom have been with the company for more than 10 years, care about the flooring they produce and their community. They are the reason to “Count on Quality” with Muscanell flooring, according to the company.
Muscanell Millworks is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association.
For more information visit www.muscanell.com.
