Does Your Antique Furniture Pass The Test? 3 Things To Avoid (& How We Solve Those For You)

Does Your Antique Furniture Pass The Test? 3 Things To Avoid (& How We Solve Those For You)

What do you love about your antique furniture? Sentimentality & nostalgia. Those nostalgic feelings probably trigger wonderful memories with your family. Maybe it reminds you of visiting for Christmas as a child or bringing your children over to play baseball in the yard with their grandparents. That is why it is so important to craft furniture that can withstand the years, the memories, the horseplay so you & your families can have visible mementos of those experiences. (Plus, it helps that our furniture is also super comfortable & durable!) 

Even though antique furniture lasts longer than low quality furniture it also deteriorates. Some of the biggest causes of weakness in antique furniture include poor adjustability to extremes in humidity, weak joints or low-quality workmanship.  In fact, today I want to share with you 3 of the biggest issues we see in antique furniture & how we design our furniture differently to avoid those problems.

Challenge 1: Humidity
Tongue and groove backing allows for moisture adjustments of solid wood furniture store lancaster york

One of the most common issues you may see in wood antique furniture is wear & tear due to changing humidity. Dry Forced Air heat will dry out furniture in the winter while damp summer weather provides extra moisture. Considering these two extremes, we specifically craft our wood furniture to handle changing humidity levels. 

Because solid wood furniture is always expanding and contracting to adjust to the humidity levels of the environment, all joints are constructed with movement in mind.  Wood is dried in George’s kilns and furniture is constructed in a humidity-controlled environment similar to most homes.  This helps the furniture expand and contract as one unit with the seasonal changes of the environment. When the furniture can respond to humidity as one unit, it is more protected from warping or weakness.

Challenge 2: Weak joints

Let’s talk about rung joints. Maybe not a typical topic of conversation unless you have ever tried to pick up a chair where the back comes off in your hand or sat in a chair and the rung pops out leaving your chair in pieces. Aside from the frustration & inconvenience, this can become an expensive situation when your only solution is gluing the rungs for the rest of its life or replacing the chair. We avoid this situation from the beginning with our method of attaching rung joints.

On chairs where it is necessary to use glue rather than screws to keep joints together, each rung is hand-sanded to fit tightly in its hole. The joints are so tight that the chair can hold the weight of an adult even before any glue is applied to the joints. The glue is applied to the hole with a small paintbrush and the chair is clamped tightly together, forcing the glue throughout the pores of the wood.

George’s chairs do not need to be treated with special care to maintain their strength.  They have held up over years of workmen leaning back on them during break time and children using the back of them for makeshift sliding boards.  On the few occasions over the years when chairs have needed repair, it typically is due to a damaged rung rather than a loose joint.

Challenge 3: Warped wood

One final way we see weakness in antique furniture is simply due to thickness and the support of the wood. We have broken down our process of selecting & preparing the wood in this blog about our complete handcrafted method. The thicker the board the better however anything over 12 inches in width needs to be supported by a table skirt, wooden batten or toeboard. Learn about solid wood bottoms of the dresser drawers, the strength of a dining room table, & even in the durability of our non-tip rockers. 

George’s commitment to solid wood construction has always included solid wood drawer bottoms.  As a result, you don’t have to worry about drawer bottoms coming apart due to the weight of the contents in the drawers.  In fact, George’s creative grandchildren have even used drawers as hiding places without harming the furniture!

Strength test on custom handmade table lancaster york furniture storeTable Test

Strong construction extends into the tables – even when fully extended to 21 feet.  The strength of George’s extension tables was tested. The first idea of placing a small vehicle on top of the extension table was considered. The logistics of how to get a vehicle on the table was abandoned for a new idea of standing people on the table. The final result of the strength test placed 14 people (1887 lbs.) on top of the table and the table stood strong.  The center leg supports the center of the table without interfering with your guest’s legs. The Pentagon even commissioned one of our extension tables for their conference room!

Non-Tip Rockernon tipping rocker solid wood furniture store made in lancaster

You can especially see the strength of high-quality wood in our non-tip rockers. When George was small, he was having so much fun rocking in his rocking chair that he tipped it right over.  After recovering from the fall, he promised his mother that he would build a rocker that would not tip over. George built that rocker and now there are 7 different sizes from a child’s rocker to a rocker for the large people (300-400 lbs.) Large or small, tall or short, there is a rocker designed for you that does not tip over.

Ready for strong, heirloom furniture that does not wear with age or bad construction?

George’s unwavering commitment to building strong, hardwood, heirloom furniture continues with each new design. Each piece is signed and dated by its maker and finished with a water-resistant finish.  Bring your ideas and desires for functional furniture and George’s craftsmen will make those dreams come true. And the best place to start when you are dreaming up your perfect dining set is knowing what to look out for. Start with our “Guide on How To Spot Quality Furniture” & give us a call as soon as you are ready to jump in to designing your own high-quality furniture.

Amish Furniture

Amish Furniture

Amish Communities

Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana are home to the largest Amish Communities in the United States. The Amish lifestyle consists of plain clothes, horse and buggy, no electricity, one-room schoolhouses, and farming. Over the years they developed a reputation for their quality quilts, furniture, baked goods, and produce. In fact, in 2015, about 8.34 million visitors to Lancaster County directly spent $1.97 billion, creating a total tourism impact of $2.64 billion in the county.

Quality Compromised

Over time, marketing replaced craftsmanship. While a few Amish craftsmen are still producing quality furniture, many stores market Amish furniture devoid of the quality buyers expect. As the perception of the quality  Amish furniture increases, the natural result is an increase in demand.  This increase brought new systems and processes which dropped the quality of the product.  They compromised when materials such as cheaper stains, protective coatings, glue, or hardware.  They left the old process of construction behind while newer methods of cheap assembly take over.  These newer methods, which use assembly lines and computerized machines, compromise excellence for the convenience of efficiency.  Consequently, the quality of hardwood furniture is lost along with the buyers ability to customize their product.

Furniture Experts

Furniture experts pinpoint pieces displaying true quality, handmade Amish furniture. The untrained eye, however, sees little or no distinction.  While Amish craftsmen are talented, rarely is the resulting piece considered by furniture experts as constructed by a Master Craftsman. Why does this matter? Furniture crafted by a Master Craftsman ultimately become heirlooms.

Master Craftsmen

Heirlooms are pieces constructed to withstand the test of time and passed down to the next generation. mission raised panel bed custom made furniture store in lancasterFurniture designed, crafted, and assembled by master craftsmen endure the normal wear and tear of daily life. While George’s craftsmen are not Amish furniture makers, we are Master Craftsmen. George’s master craftsmen build each piece to suit the needs of the buyer now and in the future.  Forever cherished assets.

George’s Difference

each custom furniture is signed by craftsman who made it from start to finish craftsman's signature constructed in lancaster county furniture storeAt George’s Furniture, one craftsman uniquely crafted each piece – signed and dated.  100% Pennsylvania hardwood construction—no plywood here!  Each item is built-to-order, custom made to your specifications.  Visit our showrooms and see the furniture manufacturing! Time-tested construction for over 50 years…that’s the George’s difference.

Our Crafting Process

Our Crafting Process

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.

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.

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. 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.

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 Finishes

Walnut natural blend mission hall table amish furniture lancaster

Our most popular stains are the natural black walnut blend, cherry wood with cinnamon stain, and 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!

George’s Furniture: Forestry Management

George’s Furniture: Forestry Management

As we gear up for National Forestry week (March 20-25), we believe now is the perfect time to think about what items in your home are environmentally sound. Here at George’s Furniture, we are passionate about sustainable products—those that are good for the earth and hold great quality in your home.

Products from George’s Furniture are one-of-a-kind, and are handcrafted with the finest hardwood furniture made from trees grown in Pennsylvania’s forests. Locally made right here in Lancaster, PA, buying from George’s Furniture is naturally the most sustainable choice.

Unlike other materials—such as plastic, steel, or other metals—wood is a renewable resource as trees grow back! Using only the best trees for your furniture, the wood being used actually helps to offset the carbon emissions in the air.

In addition to reducing pollution, harvesting and manufacturing wood doesn’t produce wasted materials. While the main bulk of the wood is used to build our beautiful hand crafted furniture, the by-products are then used to produce mulch, wood pellets, and paper pulp. Additionally, the forest products industry is responsible for generating 77 percent of the country’s biomass energy. They are the largest producer of renewable energy and exceeds the nation’s solar and wind energy combined.

You may be wondering what we do with the wood waste, which we actually use to heat our air drying kiln which dries our walnut woods. Slowly air drying the walnut wood helps maintain the natural beauty of walnut grain, making it beautiful and unique!

So the next time you’re looking for eco-friendly, sustainable furniture, think of George’s Furniture. Come visit our woodshop and get a tour!

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For more information on wood harvesting in the Pennsylvania Forests be sure to check out their website: http://paforestproducts.org.