FAQ

Where does your Koa come from?

We operate a state and federally sponsored conservation program for the native Koa forest on our ranch in the Hamakua region on the big island of Hawaii.  This is the only source of Koa wood we use.

Is your Koa sustainably harvested?

As part of our conservation program, we practice a full-lifecycle forest management regimen to ensure the forest is in a net-positive state of regeneration and will be in place for many generations into the future.  

A key feature of our program is the restriction of only harvesting trees that have lived their complete lifecycle and are in the die-off process.  Once a tree has reached 80% or greater canopy die-off, we will place it into our harvesting schedule for eventual felling and milling. 

The only exception we allow to this restriction is the harvesting of trees that have been toppled by storms.  Despite the frequency of storms that impact us, it's relatively rare to lose any trees and on average we only have one storm salvaged tree annually. 

What is the usable yield I can expect from the Koa I purchase?

For our dimensional lumber items, we aim for 95% or better yield on the stated dimensions in the product listings.  The Koa wood we sell is the excess and cut-offs from our milling work to produce finished goods for the KoaWood Ranch retail and wholesale operations,  As a result, These pieces are typically surfaced and sanded on all four sides.

For Koa craft and project wood pieces as well as bowl turning blanks, the yields vary widely depending on the natural contours and features of each specific piece.  

Is the Koa you sell air dried or kiln dried?

All of our Koa is air dried for an average of two years.  This generally brings the moisture content down to approximately 20%.  Prior to finish milling we transfer the rough slabs into a dehumidification chamber to further reduce and equalize the moisture content throughout the pieces and ensure stability.

Bowl turning blanks typically have higher retained moisture levels due to the application of end grain sealer and the lack of the DH chamber drying in their processing. 

What is the moisture content of the Koa you sell?

12-15% is the average moisture content for our dimensional lumber pieces. 

Do you apply any sealers or waxes to the Koa you sell?

The Koa we sell is in raw form.  We do apply end grain sealer (AnchorSeal) to the ends of our rough slabs and blanks prior to drying to minimize end grain checking.   This does not affect the primary faces of the Koa boards.  

Do you have other Koa pieces that are not listed on the site?

We do often have additional stock that has not yet been listed for sale.  If you are looking for something specific, feel free to send us a message and we can see if there's anything that may be a possible match for your requirements.

Can you do custom milling if I need something not listed on the site?

Our mill set-up and equipment is calibrated to support the production work for supplying our KoaWood Ranch wholesale and retail operations.  We do have some limited custom milling capabilities but they are quite limited due to the labor associated with making equipment adjustments for non-standard milling.  If you need some basic work done, send us an inquiry and we can let you know if it's something that would be economically feasible.

Do you offer combined shipping discounts?

Yes we do.  Due to the high cost of shipping individual items from Hawaii, combining multiple items into a single shipment is a great way to significantly reduce the overall cost of your purchase.  If you are interested in purchasing multiple items, feel free to contact us and we'd be happy to provide a quote for the items you're interested in.