About Old Wood

We are now on the fourth generation of Old’s on the Viveash Ranch northeast of Santa Fe New Mexico!  Between 8000’and 10,637’ of elevation, we own over 2400 acres of what was all prime forested lands.

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We have had small sawmill operations going since the 1930’s.  My Father, Tom Old was killed in a plane crash in Alaska in 1977, leaving the ranch to me, David Old to ‘make it or lose it’.   In the mid 90’s, I decided to leave a prosperous career in helicopter and aircraft sales, to go ‘back to the ranch’ with my dear wife to raise a family.    For a while, life was good, debt free and we got to go to Mexico once in a while. BUT, in 2000 the Viveash Fire struck, erasing over 17 million feet of timber in one awful, hot, afternoon.

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With mountains of fire-burned wood trees all around us, we immediately began exploring new and often ground-breaking ways to make both plank and wood block flooring:  we have created many ‘worlds’ firsts’ but always, we look ‘over our shoulder’ to the past, to see what has been done, what was beautiful, and what has endured the centuries.  Inspirations from art, technology, Forest Science and God-given natural creativity, combine with aggressive technology and modern process to help us make great floors and other remarkable products.

​In 2013, the Tres Lagunas Fire struck at our western flank, with over 650 acres burned in the hottest fire intensity levels.   Again, we look to our friends, our trade and our Lord for help and success where we have been dealt a ‘rough hand’.