I have been asked to address why solid wood products are much more superior to veneer products. I have owned my own custom furniture business for an excess of Forty plus years, in which I specialize in one hundred percent solid wood construction. First of all, when building solid wood products, moisture content is critical to keep in mind in order to ensure that the products last a lifetime or longer. My shop is set up with humidifiers and dehumidifiers. This lets me manufacture with designated moisture content throughout the building and finishing process of my products. My products are constructed for the area the finished products reside in. I have products in thirty-eight states at this time and have had no issues with customers being unhappy with my work. 

First of all, I purchase my products through a wholesaler that buys directly from the mills. Once I bring the materials back to my shop, I first check moisture content and that will tell if I need to add or take away moisture. Then I let the wood acclimate to my shop for approximately five to ten days, depending on the density of the wood and the area in which it will reside in. Once that first step has been established, I will begin the building process, which begins with plaining the boards.

Then, I prepare the edges for gluing. I utilize the finest woodworking techniques and joinery process that is well-known in the custom furniture industry. It allows for the equalization of the boards and also allows for the expansion and contraction of the boards. This is the main reason why my products do not have issues. Once the panel processing is completed, I prep the panels for the end caps and side caps. All my products are sanded in a large overhead sander. This means that all panels are flat and flawless.

My pedestals are all notched and marked for easy assembly. My conference room tables are supported in the center between the pedestals for optimum support.

I use a hand-rubbed oil process for finishing my products. The big advantage of oil is that you do not need to worry about drink rings. My processes also allow the wood to expand and contract without breaking when it needs to like it was meant to naturally. My conference room tables typically finish up at one and one-half inches to one and five-eighths inches thickness.

Keeping forward, veneer products take particleboard or M.D.F. substrate to give it its strength, which also is very toxic for our well-being. If you scratch or have any issues with veneer (such as cracking or warping), and repair it, it will look like a patch or a defect. If you have an issue with a solid wood product, you can repair the issue and never have to strip the entire product. This is unlike veneer that has to be completely stripped and refinished, and hope that the veneer does not separate from the substrate, which is common. Also, veneer typically gets a spray-on poly or lacquer topcoat, in which moisture can get under the finish, and leave unsightly results.

After I complete my projects I will pad, shrink wrap, and then place them in a multi-ply crate that is glued, screwed and clipped to endure the trip to its destination. More information on my wood products coming soon.