Elevated Woodworking

Elevated Woodworking is a one person woodworking business located near Pittsburgh.

I (Noah Lorang) have always loved maps, from the atlas you find under an old car seat to the maps you use on your phone for navigation. In 2016 I figured out a way to combine my passion for maps with my passion for woodworking and engineering to produce my first wooden topographic map, which still hangs proudly on my living room wall.

My wooden topographic maps are made using data from the US Geological Survey, with elevation exaggerated for artistic effect. The end result is an accurate topographic map: every river, valley, and other feature is a real part of the terrain.

Each map is rough cut on a computer controlled router and then hand finished and sanded. Maps are finished with oil and shellac for a semi-gloss sheen. No dyes here — the colors of the map are entirely from the natural color of the wood. We use only high quality North American hardwoods, sustainably harvested from the Appalachian region and kiln dried to ensure stability for years to come.