How a map becomes a board

People at the market often pick up a board, run a thumb along the contour lines and ask the same question: how do you do that? Here's the short answer, from our basement studio in Nelson, BC.

It starts with the map, not the wood

Every piece begins on a screen. We built our own mapping software to turn elevation data and street maps into the clean, high-contrast line work a laser can read. That's the part most people don't expect: we're not tracing a printed map. We choose how far to zoom, which contour interval reads best at that size, which streets and peaks to name, and where the place you care about sits on the board.

For a custom piece this is where we talk with you. Which trailhead? Which house? Should the lake be named? Small decisions, but they're what make the board yours.

Choosing the wood

We engrave on solid hardwood boards, ¾ inch thick, in maple, cherry and walnut. Maple is light, so the engraving shows crisp and dark. Cherry is warmer, with the map standing out against reddish grain. Walnut is the subtle one: the lines sink into the dark wood and you notice them up close.

Then the laser

Once the design is set, the laser does the patient part. A medium board takes a couple of hours to engrave, line by line. We could make simpler things faster, but the detail is the point. Every contour is there because the land is there.

Finishing by hand

When a board comes off the laser it still needs us. We sand it, then oil it with food-safe mineral oil or our own board butter, a blend of oil and beeswax. The oil deepens the grain and brings the engraving forward. The lines are engraved deep, so the map won't wear off with use.

That's the whole journey: a place you love, a map we draw for it, a piece of wood, a lot of laser time and a careful finish. If there's a place you'd like on a board, start a design or get in touch.