Trees that fell during recent monsoon storms given new life as furniture

Peoria company turning downed trees into furniture

Recent monsoon storms have toppled trees across the Valley, and one company is turning these felled trees into furniture that could last generations. FOX 10's Stephanie Olmo reports.

PEORIA, Ariz. - Strong monsoon storms have wreaked havoc recently, causing extensive damage and fallen trees across the Valley.

In the midst of the destruction, however, one Peoria company works on saving what they can to build unique furniture pieces.

Custom furniture company giving new life to felled trees

Apple Blossom Woodworks focuses on saving Arizona trees that have so much history and build. The company makes custom furniture that is meant to last generations.

Philip Glassmeyer has been repurposing storm-damaged trees for two decades.

"We really love taking these resources and keeping them out of the landfill and building beautiful things with them," said Glassmeyer.

The company builds beautiful pieces, but not with just any tree.

"It's the hard wood trees, like mesquite, willow, ocasia, Arizona as. We take those and recover them," said Glassmeyer.

Idea to repurpose wood came years ago

Glassmeyer came up with the idea of repurposing wood back in 2004, when he was in St. Louis.

"I was studying in a library, and I saw a bunch of oak trees being removed from the parking lot and to go in this gigantic chipper, and I was like, 'no, this can't happen,'" said Glassmeyer.

That’s when it all clicked for Glassmeyer. He saved the trees from going to the landfill, and built every piece of furniture in his house.

Idea turned into business

Now, Glassmeyer owns Apple Blossom Woodworks, and enjoys getting to build unique pieces, especially from trees that have so much history.

"Just last week, someone is Queen Creek called and said 'our 30-year-old mesquite tree fell, and we'd love table and chairs,'" said Glassmeyer. "So we went and recovered the wood, we marked it, and about six months from now, we'll deliver."

Recover these trees will allow them to last for years, and create special memories.

"A coffee table, people are going to have conversations like where their kids are going to college, where they will go for retirement. I mean, a lot of cool stuff happening around these pieces," said Glassmeyer.

Glassmeyer says with this season so far, they've recovered around 60,000 pounds of logs, enough material for custom orders for the next year.