SAWMILLS
Sawmill financing and leasing
A sawmill turns logs that sell by the ton into lumber that sells by the board foot. A hydraulic band mill, an edger and a kiln are what separate custom sawing as a sideline from a mill that fills orders every week, and that equipment costs more than most small mills hold in cash. Financing puts the mill to work and pays for it out of the lumber it cuts.
What we finance
New or used, from any vendor, dealer or auction. Named manufacturers are examples of what this covers, not a limit — if what you need is not on this list, ask.
- Portable band sawmills — Wood-Mizer LT40 and LT50, TimberKing 2000 and 2220, Norwood HD38
- Industrial and stationary band mills — Wood-Mizer WM4500, Baker, Cooks
- Circular and swing-blade sawmills — Lucas Mill, Peterson, Mobile Dimension
- Board edgers, gang rips and resaws
- Lumber dry kilns — dehumidification, solar and vacuum kilns from Nyle, Wood-Mizer and iDRY
- Planers, moulders and four-sided planers for finished lumber
- Slab flattening mills and wide slabbers for live-edge work
- Debarkers, log decks, conveyors and green chains
- Blade sharpeners, tooth setters and blade inventory
- Pallet and tie mills — scragg mills, notchers and nailing lines
- Skid steers, forklifts and log loaders for the yard
- Used sawmills from a dealer, an auction or another sawyer
Why lease it
01
The mill is paid for in board feet
A mill earns on every log it opens, whether it is custom sawing by the hour or lumber sold by the board foot. A lease with a fixed monthly payment over three to five years sets the cost of the mill against that production, and a hydraulic mill that raises the day's output often covers its payment with the difference.
02
Buy the mill the orders call for
The gap between a manual mill and a hydraulic one with an edger and a kiln is the gap between green boards and dried, edged lumber a customer pays more for. Financing lets a sawyer buy the line the work calls for now, rather than outgrowing a smaller mill in a year.
03
Deduct the mill the year it is delivered
Sawmills, edgers and kilns are Section 179 property. Buy on a $1 buyout lease or an equipment finance agreement and it can be expensed in the year it goes into service, subject to your own tax position and your CPA's advice.
FREE QUOTE
Get a custom quote in minutes
Tell us what equipment you need — from any list above, or something that is not on one. An ACG specialist follows up, typically within 24 hours, with options built around your business.
Business equipment financing. $10,000 minimum. We do not finance personal or household purchases.
- — NO OBLIGATION, NO HARD CREDIT PULL
- — NEW OR USED, ANY VENDOR
- — OR CALL (949) 271-5800
Three steps to your equipment
01
Request a quote
Use the form above or call (949) 271-5800. No obligation and no hard credit pull to get a number.
02
Secure approval and sign
Most decisions come back the same day. Documents are signed online.
03
Order your equipment
We deal with the vendor directly — payment, inspection and delivery — so you can keep running the business.
Questions sawyers ask before financing a sawmill
Can I finance a portable sawmill?
Yes. Sawmill financing from American Capital Group covers Wood-Mizer, TimberKing, Norwood, Baker and Cooks band sawmills, circular and swing-blade mills, edgers, resaws, kilns, planers and log handling equipment, new or used, for custom sawyers, lumber producers, pallet and tie mills, timber framers and woodworking shops. Most mills are approved on an application alone, with no financial statements up to $150,000, and larger stationary lines are quoted on a short financial package.
How much does it cost to lease a sawmill?
The payment depends on the mill, its age, the term and the end of term option you choose. A band mill with a hydraulic package on a three year lease is a very different agreement from a diesel production mill with an edger and a kiln over five years, so send the manufacturer's quote through the form on this page and we return real numbers, usually the same business day. Financing starts at $10,000 of equipment.
Can I finance a used sawmill from a private seller?
Yes. Used sawmills from a dealer, an auction or another sawyer qualify, subject to age, hours and condition. We pay the seller directly once the mill is inspected and the agreement is signed.
Can a new sawmill business finance its first mill?
Yes. A sawyer starting a custom sawing or lumber business can finance the first mill against personal credit and experience in the trade. We fund start-up businesses regularly, and the first payment can be set after the mill is delivered and cutting.
Know what you need?
An application takes a few minutes and most decisions come back the same day. If you would rather see a payment first, the calculator gives you a range without asking for anything.