by Douglas Bialor on May 25, 2010
This dining room wall-unit was a fun project. The before and after photos are a great illustration of how to successfully resolve a couple of common design issues that we encounter on a regular basis. As you can see in the before photo (below), an existing structural bump-out in the right hand corner makes it difficult to place a piece of furniture against the back wall and contributes to the space feeling smaller than it really is. The existing sideboard cabinet, pushed all the way to the left side, ends up calling more attention to the problem than it does to fix it. Our solution was to replace the free standing cabinet with a wall to wall built-in that defines a consistent plane across the room. In addition to providing a centered focal point, it also offers increased storage and a more open, larger sense of space.
by Douglas Bialor on May 10, 2010
Another topic from the list of questions we get asked a lot is what type of wood should I choose for my project? This can seem like a daunting task, and one not to be taken lightly. After all, the entire success of a project can be jeopardized with the wrong choice of material. Fortunately, there are many great woods to choose from, and by evaluating some basic criteria it can become an easy and risk free decision to pick the right one. The criteria we use include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Cost
- Availability
- Durability
- Tone
- Texture
- Special Considerations
I’ll discuss cost, availability, and durability here and come back to the more subjective issues of tone and texture in later posts.
Cost & Availablity
There are many high quality woods that are suitable for the making of quality furniture and cabinetry. Some of the most popular that come to mind are ash, maple, oak, cherry, mahogany, and walnut. These are all readily available, stable, and highly attractive woods that are ideal for most interior woodworking projects. And, while costs do vary from species to species and exceptions must be made for highly figured and prized boards, this core group of materials is available at reasonable cost. In fact, because such a large percentage of the cost of any custom furniture or cabinetry project is the labor of the skilled craftsmen creating the piece, the cost of the material is rarely the determining factor in choosing a material. This is actually good news because it means that we can focus on choosing our material based on appearance, not on price.
Durabilty
While traditionally divided into categories of hardwoods and softwoods, these lumber classifications have more to do with the cell structure of how a particular species than they do with the strength of toughness of a particular wood and offer little practical advice on what might be an appropriate material for a given project. In truth, almost all hardwoods and mahoganies are suitable for furniture construction. While special consideration may be given to particularly durable woods, such as maple or oak, for projects that will be subject to extra abuse, all of our standard hardwoods will hold up just fine.
Tone & Texture
Next time we’ll discuss “tone & texture,” which are the terms we use here in the shop to define the color and appearance of a particular wood. These are the most important criteria in selecting a material for each project, and our unique approach ensures we can help you pick the perfect material for yours.
by Douglas Bialor on February 17, 2010
We are pleased to announce that we have added the F.W. Honerkamp Co. to our stable of “green” suppliers. Jeff Honerkamp, part of the 4th generation to work in the family lumber business, has taken the lead in offering an extensive line of FSC certified panel products. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of green building materials as well as LEEDS architectural requirements. We look forward to working with him and the Honerkamp team as we continue to offer our clients healthy, sustainable furniture and cabinetry of the highest quality.
Exciting New Products From Honerkamp
- Arreis SDF – Sustainable MDF
- FSC Certified Hardwood Lumber
- SkyPly – No added formaldahyde veneer core plywood
- Shinnoki – ready to use European veneered panels
Some of these items are newer, green versions of tried and true staples of the cabinetmaker’s craft. Others are new and exciting products that open up fresh design possibilities and just happen to feature recycled content and low VOC adhesives. As we get our hands on some of these newer items, I’ll share our experiences with them here on the blog.