At Middle Tennessee Lumber, we don’t shy away from an honest day’s keep because we still believe we are what we make.

For hundreds of years, millers were rooted in their craft. They knew the weight, feel and smell of quality lumber. That’s the standard we still hold ourselves to today. The sawdust on our coats and calluses on our hands are signs of the satisfaction we take in creating a beautiful, handcrafted product.

Back in the 1930s, founder Bill Cockrall operated a sawmill on Cleveland Street in downtown Nashville. As business grew, he expanded with two additional mills on the city’s outskirts.

Word of the Appalachian timber spread and its demand required a move to our current 22-acre location in Burns, Tennessee.

Since becoming a family-owned business in 1985, we successfully pushed MTL to become one of the most diversified hardwood companies marketing lumber, flooring and mouldings across the US and internationally.

Since the world caught on in the 1920s, Appalachian hardwood has remained unmatched. Our corner of the world breeds lumber with greater sustainability, increased yields, and consistent grain patterns, color and durability.

It’s the natural conditions of Middle Tennessee that grow these hardwoods to set the standards for strength and beauty. The blend of the soil’s minerals and nutrients, the amount of rainfall, and the stable rotation of seasons assist in gradual growth and contribute to a superior quality of lumber.

Cured, stained and lived in, lumber should be made to last. Past generations knew this. Their hardwood was milled with craft and skill.

We believe this should remain the standard. Every step of our process is well-studied to create superior lumber regardless of how long, labored or costly the stage. We do what it takes to ensure our Appalachian hardwood will be with you for a lifetime.