Materials

We source premium quality hardwoods from local sawmills whenever possible. Exotics and plywood is sourced from suppliers with an emphasis on FSC certification and sustainable forestry management.

MAPLE

Both soft maple and hard maple are very dense hardwoods which are known for their soft cream color. Two popular style variations of maple are ambrosia maple and curly maple (which are both stocked when available).

Ambrosia Maple is soft maple which displays a variety of greyish-blue to brown streaks that are caused by an infestation of the ambrosia beetle. The beetle burrows into the tree and leaves a fungus in its path, which is what creates the discoloration in the wood and create a very unique pattern in each board.

Curly Maple is a hard maple with a unique wavy or curly pattern in the grain. The ripples in the grain pattern create a three-dimensional effect that looks like the wood has curled along the length of the board. The pattern is most noticeable after a finish is applied.

WALNUT

Walnut heartwood is a rich dark brown to purplish-black, mostly straight grained, but with wavy or curly grain occasionally present. The sap wood is lighter, sometimes nearing maple in color, and is often removed for a more uniform appearance, but we prefer to leave it both for the visual contrast and for our commitment to reducing waste.

CHERRY

The heartwood of cherry varies from pale pink to light reddish brown and will darken with age and on exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood is creamy white. The wood has a fine uniform, straight grain, satiny, smooth texture, and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets.

WHITE ASH

Ash is a light colored, smooth-grained hardwood. Typically, straight grained and beige-to-light-brown with highly contrasting grain. While the color variation can be unpredictable, the appearance is lively and expressive. It is durable, lightweight, aesthetically pleasing.

Our current stock of ash is from a tree which was felled on our property in Fletcher NC and has been air drying for several years!

OTHER

We occasionally have stock of other hardwoods as they become available at our local sawmills. If you are looking for something specific or would like to customize any of our products, please contact us to discuss options and sourcing. We can (almost) always find what you’re looking for.

PLYWOOD

We use only Baltic Birch (also known as Russian Birch) in our shop as it is the highest quality furniture grade plywood on the market. Baltic Birch is a plywood that is light in color with excellent strength and stability due to core made out of single piece Birch veneers and having more plies (or layers) than standard domestic plywood.

Finishes

We offer categories of finishes based on the appearance and end-use of the product.

Our finishes are food-safe, environmentally friendly, highly durable, easily repaired, and conform to safety standards for humans, plants, animals, and children’s toys.

Products that may frequently come into contact with food or are designed for children will receive a finish which is made in-house with a mixture of beeswax and food-grade mineral oil.

Pieces which have been painted are sealed with a water-based marine varnish which is completely non-toxic and heard wearing.

Other pieces may have a high solid hardwax oil. This finish is based on natural vegetable oils and waxes and highlights the natural character of the piece.

If you are unsure which finish is on your piece, please reach out for care instructions.

None of the above finishes require any chemicals or polishes to maintain and these should be avoided as they can ruin the finish. If you notice that your piece is starting to appear dry or worn and in need of a refresh, please reach out to us so we can advise on the process and supply any required materials for reinvigorating your piece.

APPEARANCE & VARIABILITY

By virtue of the material, appearances of the wood used to build your piece may vary from the wood shown in our samples, images of any product, and physical product you’ve viewed in person. Every tree, board, and cut is unique to that instance. We can make no representation, warranty and/or guarantee in the exact color or appearance of any finished product.

The wood used in our products may contain mineral deposits, pits, gum streaks, small pin holes, knots, checks, cracks, color differences, unusual grain patterns, darker heart wood, lighter sap wood, etc. The appearance of such characteristics will depend upon the species selected and will vary in all pieces. No two products are identical.