A man shopping for wood for a mantel.

Nothing ties a living space together like a fireplace mantel.

Using a real wood surround adds a unique focal point to your living room, but those handcrafted floating shelves can be showstoppers, too! (Live edge slabs are popular right now, but a box mantel – even with some corbel accents – is sure to stay on-trend for decades to come).

No matter what style you want, it all starts with picking the right wood and getting to work. Read more

Up close look at a woodworking finger joint.

Finger-jointed mouldings are a unique product that you’ve probably seen at your local home improvement store, but you’ve likely never given them a second thought. Well, we’re here to tell you that you should! While we pride ourselves on the quality when it comes to all of our hardwood products, finger joint mouldings and S4S lumber are quickly becoming best-sellers (and for good reason). Whether you use them to update your trim boards or as another DIY carpentry project like shelves or benches, finger joint products are great options for almost all painted applications.

But, at Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods, our finger-jointed hardwoods aren’t what you’ll find in big box stores – they’re better. Why? It’s all about the species of wood used to create them!

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A dining room with matching warm wood undertones.

Thinking about mixing wood tones in your home but concerned that you’ll end up with a busy, miss-matchy look? Let us put your mind at ease!

Mixing tones of wood furniture and wood floors can create visual interest, leaving you with a stunning, professional-like home design. All you have to do is put a little thought into how the different wood tones interact with one another. Let’s take a look at the considerations you need to take into account before getting started.

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A craftsman considering several wood types for woodworking.

It’s no secret that woodworking – even just as a hobby – comes with a lot of benefits. Not only do you end up with a beautiful DIY project (whether it be a handmade musical instrument, baseball bat or fine furniture), but it also leaves you feeling a zen-like calm.

No matter what the item might be, good DIY projects start with good building materials. And that means you have to be selective about what type of wood you’re using. It’s important to know how the different wood types stack up against each other when it comes to woodworking so that you can make the best choice for your project’s needs.

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This Old House Modern Barnhouse in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Modern barn home designs don’t have to be plain — Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods has products that help you bring a modern feel to this type of traditionally-styled house.

This Old House’s Modern Barnhouse Idea House, located near St. Paul in Afton, Minnesota, is a master class in designing with nature in mind while building for today’s style. This 2021 Idea House was the brainchild and dream home of Amy Matthews, and the plans she developed with D/O Architects Colin Oglesbay and Aaron McCauley-Aburto outlined a 3,800 square-foot barnhouse with an open floor plan and plenty of windows. The plans were brought to life by builder Chad Maack and his team at Hartman Homes.

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