by Juanita | Aug 14, 2018 | Coffee End Table, George's Furniture, Office
How do I choose a wood for my custom solid wood furniture?
At George’s Furniture, every piece of furniture is made from high-quality hardwood. It is crafted from start to finish by one of our highly-skilled craftsmen. The use of hardwood for our furniture is especially crucial to our business as it ensures longevity and durability. Each piece of furniture comes in a gorgeous design and long-lasting finish with your choice of wood and stain. We can help you select the right wood that will provide a look of elegance to match the décor of any room or office. Part of the decision in choosing a wood variety will be preference (color, appearance). However part of the deciding factor should also be practicality, including the weight of the finished piece.
Not only is wood a sustainable and renewable resource but purchasing wood furniture from a locally-run and USA based company boosts the local economy and provides American jobs in the forest products industry. Hardwood is also durable, natural and draws people into the beauty of the real wood with its color variations and character. Our 100% hardwood furniture comes in Walnut, Cherry, Oak or Hard Maple with a variety of different stain options. While each wood boasts its own glory, why choose one over the other? Let’s find out.
Natural Black Walnut Blend
This blend is natural walnut using both the dark inner heartwood along with the lighter sapwood, revealing a gorgeous color combination. The central part of the tree is dark brown in color, while the outer layers of sapwood are a light off-white color. Our talented artisans choose the boards that have both the sapwood as well as the heartwood grain of the walnut tree. The arrangement of the board is an important aspect of the crafting as it creates a unique natural flow of grain.
Black Walnut
Black walnut come from the same tree as the walnut blend however the lumber selected for the furniture is taken from the center of the tree. Walnut is not as busy looking while it displays the natural grain patterns of the more mature growth rings.
Both the black walnut and the black walnut blend are air dried which makes it less stressful on the wood itself, retaining its natural beauty of the color variation. In choosing this particular wood, know that it is finished with a clear and water-resistant finish to enhance its natural beauty without staining the wood. Black Walnut has a flowing, feathery grain.
Cherry Wood
Our Cherry Wood is naturally lighter red in color with a beautiful flowing grain. This gorgeous choice of wood is typically stained. 15 different variety of stains are available to choose from – from light red to dark red and everything in between. The elegant and rich-looking result is very popular among our customers.
Red Oak
This choice of wood has a distinct, bold grain that is naturally light golden in color. Our customers choose from about 15 different stains for this hardwood which highlights the darker part of the grain. Red oak is about 15% heavier which is an important characteristic to note for our customers.
Hard Maple
Maple has a naturally light creamy color. It displays a smooth flowing grain for a softer look. It is very dense and needs to have the grain raised so that stain can penetrate into the wood. The natural maple is an attractive accent when combined with darker woods like walnut or stained cherry. Create your own unique accent piece that is a one-of-a-kind, signed and dated.
Regardless of the wood type you choose, the furniture is protected with our water-resistant clear finish, inside and out, top and bottom. Our finish will protect your furniture for decades to come. Each piece of furniture is signed and dated by the craftsman who built it. Head on into our furniture store in Lancaster county, PA to learn more about our crafting process and to take a tour with us!
by Juanita | Jul 25, 2018 | Customization, George's Furniture
We pride ourselves on our efficient and quality crafting process, bringing an artisan touch to every single piece that goes through our shop. We provide an unwavering commitment to delivering superior quality to all of our customers. Let’s walk through our crafting process to see how our talented craftsmen achieve those elegant styles for each piece.
Drying the Lumber
We slow dry the rough-sawn lumber in our kiln video (which is heated using wood trimmings from projects) to reduce stress cracks that may occur in the grain if it dries too quickly. Over time, the moisture in the wood can lead to loose joints, splits and even warping. Some lumber will even dry for several years before it is ready to be crafted into furniture. Our lumber is then stored in a climate-controlled building until it is needed to retain the integrity of the lumber.
Construction
Each and every piece has a craftsman that is chosen to handcraft that piece from start to finish. Our craftsman will review the plans, select the boards and processes the boards (Video) through our joiners, planers and table saws until the pieces are ready to be glued. The craftsman will then carefully cut, turn and sand each piece to the exact customer specifications. Each table leg and bed finial is then individually hand turned on a lathe. Precise hand sanding throughout the assembly process ensures proper fit and finish.
Finishing
After the piece of furniture is assembled, it is taken to the staining station where the craftsmen will hand rub the color-specified stain into the wood. After the stain has thoroughly dried, the piece will be taken into the dust-filtering spray booth where two coats of a premium-quality clear, water-resistant finish are applied (video) to the entire piece to protect it from moisture. The first coat of finish is dried and sanded and after the second coat, the piece is closely inspected for smoothness and coverage.
Final Inspection
Each piece is very carefully inspected to make sure it exceeds George’s Furniture quality standards. The furniture is then dated and signed by the craftsmen to show pride in the artisanship of the piece.
by Juanita | Jul 11, 2018 | George's Furniture
At George’s Furniture, every piece of furniture is made from high-quality hardwood and is crafted from start to finish by one of our highly-skilled craftsmen. The use of hardwood for our furniture is especially crucial for our business as it ensures longevity and durability for each and every customer for years to come. Hardwood is the optimal material for our furniture here at George’s.
Throughout Pennsylvania, there is a plethora of renewable hardwood lumber that can be turned into high-value finished products with very low environmental impact. Non-renewable resources like steel, plastic, aluminum and other metals have a much higher environmental impact than using renewable products like hardwood.
Not only is wood a sustainable and renewable resource but purchasing wood furniture from a locally-run and USA based company boosts the local economy and provides American jobs in the forest products industry.
Hardwood is also durable, natural, and draws people into the beauty of the real wood with its color variation and character.
With George’s, you will have a beautiful natural design that fits any room and will last for generations to come.
by Juanita | May 26, 2018 | Forestry Management, George's Furniture
George’s Furniture is a second-generation family-owned business located in the farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Our furniture is still made the old-fashion way – handcrafted by artisans who take great pride in the quality of their work. There is no shortcut to quality. Make our shop one of your stops as you tour Lancaster County, Pennsylvania!
Each piece of furniture is handcrafted right in our workshop and signed by its maker. There is no factory assembly line – just skilled craftsmen who lovingly follow each piece from the selection of the lumber to the final detail.
Arrange a time to see your furniture being made and meet the craftsman by scheduling a tour on our website: https://georgesfurniturepa.com/take-a-tour/
Tour hours are Monday through Thursday, 9am to 4pm and Friday, 9am to 2pm. (Groups of 10 or more individuals should call ahead at 1-800-799-1685.)
by Juanita | May 12, 2018 | Accessories, George's Furniture
George’s Furniture specializes in customizable hardwood furniture—but did you know we also make accessories that will light up any room in your home? From cutting boards, to hand turned wooden bowls, to keepsake boxes, our craftsmen’s careful precision and skills are unmatched.
Our gorgeous wooden bowls are hand turned using the following steps:
- Initial rough turning: this first step takes place while the wood is still wet (before starting the drying process). The rough turning is complete when the bowl’s thickness is about 1” all around.
- One year of drying: the wood then dries for an entire year. For the last four months of drying, the wood is brought into a stable environment (like your home) for the final drying time.
- Remounted to lathe: The rough turned bowl can then be remounted to the turning lathe. You will notice the slightly oval shape due to the drying process. By letting the bowl fully dry, you will have a bowl that keeps its perfectly round shape for life!
- Thickness achieved: Hand turning continues and, depending on the skill of the craftsmen, the bowl will be turned into a very narrow thickness all around—giving it a beautiful shape and feel. The turning isn’t quite finished until the craftsman takes varying grades of sanding paper to provide the smooth touch to the bowl.
- Final product: The final product is then rubbed with a food-safe finish made for items such as butcher blocks and salad bowls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL4anCcr2dA
Visit our Lancaster County showroom today to see a variety of solid wood accessories, created and customized by our skilled craftsmen!
