Who are Among The Trees?

We are a local reclaimed timber shop, woodworking school, and artist space based out of Bulanaming/Marrickville. In 2021, four local timber lovers sat down and decided we wanted to help keep some more of this beautiful material out of landfill – the result: Among The Trees.

Coming from a range of backgrounds, we’ve come together to create a place to celebrate all things sustainable and the beauty of pre-loved timber, and we’re excited to share this love of wood and woodworking with you!

Our mission

“Launch a reclaimed timber business, which creates an accessible market that utilises existing materials, eliminates waste and initiates sustainability through education and an interactive community of woodworkers and creatives.”

Virgin timber that comes from plantations can take between 12-50 years to grow depending on species. With increased protection of forests and restrictions on deforestation, old growth and exotic timbers can now be sourced mainly through reclaiming existing timber.

Saving timber from demolitions and otherwise discarded uses allows for instant, seasoned lumber to go on the market while also stopping these going into landfill.

The Process

1. Saving timber from landfill

Traditionally, once timber has been used once it is sent to landfill. Estimates place the amount of timber going into tips around Australia at over 1.5 million tonnes annually. Surveys have observed that the most commonly observed wood in landfill is untreated timber.
All our timber is reclaimed, which means we have to go and rescue it before it’s thrown away. We do regular pick ups around Sydney, as well as accept donations from individuals or companies.

2. We give it some TLC

Once we’ve got the timber, we give it a makeover before it’s ready for you. Reclaimed timber often still has hardware like nails, screws or bolts attached, and may have a finish or painted surface.
After taking out all the metal, we trim off any structurally unsound bits and resurface the timber - cutting back the old, weathered layers on top to reveal the beautiful old timber underneath. It’s then stacked and stored in the shop waiting for its new purpose and home.

3. You find the perfect piece in store

This is where you come in! Come into Among The Trees and find what you’re looking for. We stock a range of hardwoods and softwoods, from common timbers to more unusual and exotic woods, and we’re always around the shop to have a chat and find something perfect for your project.
If you want to read more about the types of timber we have in stock, go to our Why Reclaimed Wood? page.

4. Machined to order

Once you’ve found your timber, we can machine it to your specifications. We can square any uneven timber and reduce it to your desired thickness using our jointer and thicknesser, and our drop saw and table saw can be used to dock the ends, cut the timber into pieces, or rip it down the middle into two or more thinner pieces.
We also can do more detailed or custom bespoke work with a bit of notice, so let us know if you’re looking for something specific.

5. Wood with a whole new life

The end result is that piece of timber out of landfill and looking beautiful in your home, garden, business, or public space. We can’t get enough of how stunning this old wood looks, and know you’ll feel the same way.

How have we done so far?

Over 65 tonnes of timber saved from landfill

In 2022 alone we estimate to have saved 65 tonnes of timber from landfill, including denailing, machining, and selling it to the public.

Over 400 students in 2022

Many of our students are beginner woodworkers, with most saying they've never done any woodworking in the past but are exited to do more!

Over 20 artist tenancies

We've had a range of amazing local artists take up some creative space in our upstairs artist studios since we opened!

Who we are

Sara

With a strong passion for sustainability, previously working in interior architecture and being a creative jack-of-all-trades (woodworking, ceramics and printmaking), Sara was increasingly frustrated by the lack of environmentally friendly options in architecture and design.

The solution: If there are no sustainable options, create that market.

Pete

A graduate architecture student who enjoys designing and building furniture in the brief moments of rest architecture school allows. Pete has a passion for sustainable, accessible design based on traditional techniques and facilitated by modern technology.

Luke

Luke has been a woodworker for more than a decade. He is passionate about using second hand materials and tools to lessen his impact on the environment and sharing that passion with others. He has taught many woodworking courses, worked in furniture conservation and is a guest presenter on ABC TV’s Gardening Australia’s ‘Mr Fix It’ segment.

Scott

New to the team, Scott (aka "Chuff") is the owner of "Davey Guitar Works," a guitar repair shop located above the shop. Inspired by the wonderful work that Among the Trees is achieving in the sustainability of timber and its positive impact on the community, he wishes to share the same goals and extend the vision of sustainable timber to instrument building, bringing this vision to the musical world, one riff at a time.

Liz

When she’s not working in freelance design or travelling to hug trees, Liz is an apostle of antique tools and carpentry techniques. Having previously worked in architecture and seen the waste that resulted from demolitions, she has since believed there is a better future for timber than landfill.

She can be found on Instagram at @shewooddothat