raw timber will sit for months at a sawmill before it is processed.

Sometimes, raw timber will sit for months at a sawmill before it is processed. Some mills do this to ensure that they have a stockpile of salable wood, while others simply fell so much that they cannot handle it all at once in the mill. During the winter off season, when it is difficult and dangerous to work in the woods, this stockpile may be processed into boards, wood chips, and other forest products. If left too long, the timber can start to rot, which is something that most companies try to avoid.

Depending on the size of a mill, wood products like paper and particleboard may be made on site, or the raw materials may be sent to other companies that purchase them in bulk. Papermaking in particular is a messy, dirty process, and some companies prefer to leave the dirty work to others. Once cut, timber may also be treated with chemicals to make it resistant to decay and insect infestation, and then it will be graded for quality and sold.