A former art teacher turns reclaimed wood into stylish and sturdy patio tables

Longtime art teacher and carpenter Jacob Matz’s sustainable furniture company Wicked Grain was born out of a school fundraiser for an art program. Students crafted side tables and step stools using aged wood salvaged from the district’s old baseball bleachers.

“I liked it so much that I would go home and do it on the side to make extra money,” Matz says. “I started posting stuff on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, and it just took off.”

In 2013, as demand increased, Matz made the decision to turn his side hustle into a full-time gig. Today, Matz runs the business with help from two part-time employees who assist with packing orders.

Although the carpenter now crafts an array of products, including doors, shelving and live edge slabs often used for vanities and bar tops, indoor-outdoor farmhouse tables are his specialty. Wicked Grain’s rustic yet refined Land of Oz table was the first farmhouse table Matz designed, and it remains a bestseller. “I’ve made hundreds,” Matz says. Made with longevity in mind, the custom-built pieces are well suited for KC’s temperate months of outdoor dining and gathering.

Matz says around 90 percent of Wicked Grain’s reclaimed wood is sourced from Against the Grain Lumber in Topeka. Run by Adam Moser, a former tree trimmer for the city of Topeka, the company salvages and kiln-dries lumber that would otherwise be sent to a landfill. Typically, Wicked Grain’s products are built with cedar, fir and pine, but customers can opt for an upgrade with hardwoods like oak and walnut.

The shop, located just off of I-35 in Overland Park (7893 Mastin Drive, Overland Park), might be open if you try your luck with a walk-in, but appointments are highly recommended.

Browse Wicked Grain’s collection at wickedgrain.com. 

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