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Lumber
For total appreciation of our fine furniture it is important to keep in mind that no two pieces are identical. Lumber varies in color and grain from tree to tree. The factors of heredity and environment play an important part in trees before harvesting, influencing grain structure, density, figuring, etc. And though we use premium grade lumber, this variation will occur and be evident in your furniture to varying degrees. This is part of the unique character of solid wood furniture and should be expected. Our private craftsmen do their best to keep the figuring of the wood consistent throughout a piece of furniture, however, there will be some variations from board to board. Our Vermont factories also try to keep consistency of grain, figuring etc, but can do so only to a certain degree.
Cherry Wood
Cherry is an unique and beautiful species of hardwood. Newly sawn cherry is quite light in color. Due to a natural photosynthesis process caused by natural sunlight and oxidation the cherry wood will darken as it ages. After a period of time it will reach a warm reddish chestnut patina. This maximum colorization will vary from tree to tree. Cherry ranges from pale yellow to light reddish brown and often has darker areas of burl, which add character and contrast to the wood. These areas of burl or mineral deposit streaks are not defects—they are natural characteristics of cherry wood. White cherry is a hardwood but it is not as hard as oak or maple—it will scratch or dent if subjected to misuse. But due to cherry's unique colorization process, the scratch or dent will color up to match the surrounding wood and will blend in quite nicely. Upon receiving a piece of new natural cherry it is advised to rotate lamps or centerpieces as the area that is covered by the object will not darken as quickly as the exposed wood will. If this lightening does occur, remove the object and place the piece of furniture near a sunny window and the lighter area will quickly disappear.
Oak & Ash
These woods are both naturally quite blonde and will develop a warm hue as they age but certainly not like cherry wood does. Both of these species are hardwoods and are quite resilient but will, if subjected to enough misuse, scratch. A scratch in ash or oak will not color like a scratch in cherry. They both have raised grain patterns and can be painted but some slight graining will be visible through the paint. Ash is generally very cost effective to use while being very hard. Ash, despite the hardness, is quite flexible and can be steam bent into various forms. It is often used as the bow back component on Windsor chairs.
Maple, Tiger or Curly Maple or Birds Eye Maple
These woods are commonly found with some darker streaking, a natural characteristic of maple and not a defect. Maple is naturally very blonde in color but will mellow especially when in direct sunlight. Maple is also a very hard wood but again. if subjected to enough misuse, will scratch or dent. A scratch in maple will not color like a scratch in cherry. Because maple is a flat-grained wood it is often painted. A painted finish on maple will not show the grain like it will on oak or ash. Birch is another hard wood that looks very much like maple and can be more cost effective.
Pine
This is a very cost effective soft wood that has much character. Pine inertly has knots, pitting, and darker streaking in it. Pine wood has a natural tendency to mellow or darken with time. This darkening process is not as extreme as that of cherry but old pine has a rich amber hue that newly sawn pine will only develop with time. Pine is very soft and is prone to scratching and denting. A scratch or dent in pine will not color as will a scratch in cherry.
Temperature, Humidity and Sunlight
All fine furniture, whether brand new or antique, should have as stable an environment as possible. A fairly constant temperature and humidity level should be maintained. That can be accomplished by using a humidifier in the winter months and a dehumidifier in the summertime. Moisture causes the wood to expand or contract. Even though our furniture is built to accommodate such movement, on rare occasions a particular board may move in an undesirable way.
Intense, direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight may cause your furniture to dry out and may even fade over time. Careful attention should be paid to this, as there is no finish that can totally suppress the sun's UV Rays.
Care of Your Furniture
Because we have different craftsmen and companies we represent care is dependent on the finish used for your furniture. For all furniture we recommend never leaving standing water on any wood surface, regardless of finish. Dining Room tables are specially treated with multiple coats of water resistant lacquer or polyurethane. Also we do not recommend the use of household products such as Pledge etc they will leave a heavy wax build up on your furniture after prolonged use. Generally, dry dusting is adequate for lacquered pieces. Furniture finished with a hand-rubbed oil, requires replenishment of the oil about twice a year. Homes with especially dry heat may find that this needs to be done more frequently. Because of the multiple finishes available it is best to ask us specifically for care tips on the particular piece you have purchased.
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