The Choice is Yours: Types of Wood at George’s Furniture

The Choice is Yours: Types of Wood at George’s Furniture

One of the major characteristics of George’s Furniture pieces is the natural beauty of the hardwood we choose for each piece. Our wood is harvested from native trees at just the right time each year. From slow-drying in our kiln, to constructing each piece by hand by our experienced craftsmen to your exact specifications. Throughout this meticulous assembly, precise hand sanding ensures proper fit and finish.

One way in which our customers customize their handmade pieces is by choosing the type of wood they’d like to use to match the look and feel of their home. While we have a beautiful variety of woods to choose from, the most popular choices are our natural black walnut blend, black walnut, cherry, and red oak.

The natural black walnut blend is natural walnut using both the dark inner wood with the lighter outer wood section revealing a beautiful color combination. The center part of the tree (heartwood) is dark brown in color, while the ten (10) outer layers of sapwood are a light off-white color. Our craftsmen choose the boards that have both the sapwood and heartwood grain of the walnut tree. As we carefully arrange the boards to create a unique natural flow of grain, the beauty of this particular wood just shines.

Our black walnut is air dried. Air drying is less stressful on the wood itself, keeping the natural beauty of color variation. This particular wood choice is usually finished with clear water-resistant finish, to let its natural beauty exposed without staining. Black walnut has a flowing, feathery grain.

Cherry wood is naturally lighter red in color with a beautiful flowing grain. We typically stain this gorgeous choice of wood, and our customers have approximately 15 different stains to choose from—from light red to dark red, and everything in between. This rich looking result is very popular among George’s Furniture customers.

Finally, red oak has a distinct, bold grain. Again, while it’s naturally light golden in color, our customers are able to choose from about 15 different stains for this hardwood choice. The stain highlights the darker part of the grain. Also important to note is that red oak is 15% heavier.

Stop into George’s Furniture today to customize your dream furniture! You can even schedule a tour of our woodshop.

The Final Touch: Wood Finishes at George’s Furniture

The Final Touch: Wood Finishes at George’s Furniture

At George’s Furniture, each handcrafted, hardwood piece goes on a thorough journey before taking its place in a customer’s home. We begin by harvesting native trees and slow-drying the rough sawn lumber in house. Our kiln reduces stress cracks which occur when accelerating the drying process. The slow-drying process also prevents loose joints, splitting, and warping. Our craftsmen are extremely careful in caring for every single piece of furniture produced in our woodshop.

Lovingly Handcrafted, From Start to Finish

Once the wood has been slowly dried, construction takes place. From start to finish, our talented craftsmen take particular care in creating each chair, table, stool, etc. by hand. Our furniture is cut, lathed, and sanded by hand to the exact specifications from our customers.

Hand Staining

Before final inspection, your hardwood furniture is assembled and taken to our special staining station. staining by hand amish furniture lancaster custom made yorkOur craftsman hand rubs your specified color into the wood of your choice.

Spray on First Coat of Finish

Once the stain has dried thoroughly and completely, the piece is taken into the dust-free spray booth where two coats of premium-quality clear, water-resistant finish are applied to all sides of the piece—including top, bottom, outside, and inside—sealing and protecting this long-lasting piece from moisture and other elements when exposed to natural wear throughout its lifetime.

Dry – Hand Sand – Second Clear Coat

The first coat of finish is dried and sanded, and the second coat is followed by a close inspection to ensure smoothness and full coverage.

Our Most Popular FinishesWalnut natural blend mission hall table amish furniture lancaster

  1. Natural black walnut blend (black walnut heartwood and sapwood) pictured
  2. Cherry wood with cinnamon stain
  3. Cherry wood with dark mahogany stain

Each piece at George’s Furniture is carefully inspected to make sure it meets our high standards. Call us today to take a tour of our furniture store in Lancaster, PA! Tour our woodshop and showroom so that you can see our furniture making process in real-time—as well as the finished products!

Employee Spotlight, Chris Horst

Employee Spotlight, Chris Horst

Meet the President

Before becoming the President of George’s Furniture, Chris Horst spent ten years in the automotive engineering industry in the 90s and early 2000s. He has now been working for George’s for 12 years. Chris married George’s daughter, Juanita, in July of 2000 and became part of the family business. In 2008, Chris and Juanita decided to take over the family business causing a change in careers for Chris.

Learning Woodworking

During the first three years, Chris learned the craft itself.  He trained directly with a master craftsman and developed a passion for woodworking and the beauty of hardwood furniture.  

Chris says, “Knowing what goes into each piece gives you an appreciation for the skill and craftsmanship that is needed to design and craft a dream piece of furniture for our customers.  Our customers become part of the business and a part of our family.”

Chris loves to see the customers’ reactions when they see their handcrafted furniture for the first time.  It makes all the hard work that goes into each individual piece well worth it.

Favorite Design

The project Chris enjoyed the most was designing and building a special bookcase for a small apartment which allowed cables to run through the unit, hidden by the woodwork and attached to the apartment wall for stability.

In His Free Time

In his free time, Chris teaches a homeschooled Physics class once a week. He also enjoys reading and taking trips in the outdoors—including camping, biking, and hiking.

Employee Spotlight, Ava Lee

Employee Spotlight, Ava Lee

Former co-owner of George’s Furniture, Ava Lee Martin, has been involved with the company in various ways for 47 years.

It all started by supporting her woodworking artist husband, George. Although she has never manufactured furniture herself, she has truly enjoyed witnessing all of the unique projects coming to fruition. For many years, Ava Lee managed the showroom, answering phones, giving woodshop tours and scheduling furniture deliveries.  For Ava Lee, the best part of working for George’s Furniture has been seeing all of the happy customers who come back for more handmade furniture to complete their homes.

Aside from supporting the business in any way possible, in her free time, Ava Lee enjoys flower and vegetable gardening and playing the piano. George’s Furniture is very thankful for her many years of dedicated service.

George’s Furniture Slanted Stool

George’s Furniture Slanted Stool

After a long discussion talking with a customer, who works as a back surgeon, George decided to take his regular foot stool and convert it to a slanted stool using a precise ankle angle, achieving the most comfortable foot stool. 

Precise Angle for comfort

The slanted stool to designed at the precise angle for maximum comfort. The motion of a rocking chair has proven to be very calming to the soul. 
The George’s Furniture slanted stool is perfect to place your feet on for a relaxing resting position, and it can even be slid under your customized “rocking recliner” for storage! The slanted stool can be custom made to match the wood and finish of your amazing non-tipping spindle-back rocking chair.

Experience the comfort

We invite you to experience the non tipping rocking chair yourself. Explore the various size to find the best size for your. Choose the three arm styles and 5 back designs available. For more information about our slanted stools and rocking chairs, or to place a custom order for either one, call us today at 1-800-799-1685!  Georgesfurniturepa.com