Uniquely Manitoba: Wood Anchor’s recycled wonders

WINNIPEG — Wood Anchor is a Winnipeg wood-reclamation company that converts scrap trees into flooring, furniture, art and other products. With one-of-a-kind tables, countertops, doors, stools and benches, Wood Anchor works on creating custom designs from waste.

Jason Neufeld, the owner of Wood Anchor, transforms chopped-down elms into original works of art with the help of the City of Winnipeg, some sick trees and a sharp eye for design.

“Ultimately, we’re dealing with wood that doesn’t really follow typical criteria as far as other lumberyards, so we’re dealing with urban trees that have a lot of gnarly bends to them,” said Neufeld as he sat down for his Uniquely Manitoba segment on Global Winnipeg’s Morning News. “Our designs have to follow what the tree is kind of telling us, so we’re taking these kind of weird-shaped trees and showing off the live edge to them.”

Almost all of Wood Anchor’s products — 99 per cent — are made from landfill-diverted timber, responsibly harvested trees or reclaimed wood, which comes from naturally grown forests where some trees struggle to survive.

With trees that had Dutch elm or similar issues, Wood Anchor ensures every piece received is processes through the Forest Health Protection Act. Without people like Neufeld picking up the scraps, the trees would be destroyed.

“We have a contract with city elms that they cut down if they have Dutch elm disease. Prior to us coming along, there was no real recycling plan for them,” said Neufeld. “So we take anything we can turn into furniture and make tables and flooring and that kind of thing.”

To take a look at the work from Wood Anchor, visit their website, check out their Instagram, or visit them on Waverley Street.

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