Woodworking professionals know a lot about turning hardwoods into beautiful, functional products. But how much do they know about the process it takes to convert a log into the lumber that they depend on for making cabinets, furniture, millwork, etc.

Jessica Hickman of Hickman Lumber Co. of Emlenton, PA, narrates this video aptly titled, "What Happens at a Sawmill." It shows how FSC-certified logs are converted into lumber, including key decisions made by the head sawyer to determine the best use for each log based on defects, size and other attributes.