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 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!
by Juanita | Apr 19, 2018 | Customization, Forestry Management, George's Furniture, Rocking Chairs, Stools, Tables
We often get asked what makes our furniture last so long. Many of our customers own George’s Furniture heirlooms that have been passed down to them—or they themselves plan on passing their pieces down to their children and other family members.
There are several reasons as to why our high-quality, hand crafted furniture is built to last right here in Lancaster County.
Built from strong solid hardwood
Wood is a resource that keeps on giving. Pennsylvania forests are managed and cared for to strengthen and increase sustainability and the quality of our products.
Constructed with the ability to adjust to moisture changes
Between seasons and different climates. When the furniture is sitting in your home, the wood continues to move as the seasons change or the pieces move with you to different climates—but you’d never know it. Our furniture is assembled to allow for this movement without affecting its construction.
Crafted by one craftsman with precision and seasoned skill
We do not have assembly lines. The craftsman who makes your furniture onsite will sign and date every masterpiece. Each craftsman takes pride in the personal work that goes into each piece they build—from start to finish. This goes a long way in controlling the overall quality and beauty in your own piece of furniture.
Quality control at multiple points throughout the building process
The initial build of your furniture is by one the craftsman. While being hand stained, each surface of the furniture is checked closely. Final assembly includes hardware and possible lighting. We personally deliver our furniture; this allows us to check it while blanket wrapping it for delivery with one final check at your home while you’re present.
Time tested joinery methods
Our gift to you through our joinery methods is a promise for long-lasting construction. Craftsmen are trained to know the “feel” of a solid joint during assembly.
Durability and life of furniture is taken into account at the design stage before building starts
Each piece is reviewed together by both a designer and a craftsman—and continues throughout the building stage. Our designers enjoy working with you to create your own unique piece for your home.
Maintained temperature and humidity in the wood shop and finishing room
Temperature and humidity levels are monitored throughout the year to keep the wood in a constant stable condition from the building stage, and through to the finishing stage. The wood or furniture never leaves the building between building and finishing. We use humidity control in the building throughout the year.
High grade sanding materials
We use the highest grade of sanding materials to give the perfect surface for receiving a consistent stain. Sanding materials are never overused and our craftsmen have the experience to know when enough sanding is enough.
As you can see, a lot of time and care goes into each piece of custom furniture is made here at George’s Furniture. Contact us today or stop by our beautiful Lancaster furniture store showroom!
by Juanita | Feb 15, 2018 | George's Furniture, Team Bio
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.
by Juanita | Feb 8, 2018 | Events, George's Furniture
George’s Furniture is thrilled to announce that we will be showcasing our one-of-a-kind handmade, hardwood Lancaster County made furniture and home accessories at the traveling Sugarloaf Craft Festival from March to April of 2018. And guess what? You’ll have the chance before each show to win FREE tickets—and one lucky person will receive a $50 gift certificate to use at our booth!
The Rules:
1. Follow our Facebook and keep your eyes peeled—we’ll post about the current contest for the upcoming show, as well as contest deadlines.
2. One contest question will be posted before each show.
3. Head on over to www.georgesfurniturepa.com to find the answer.
4. Five (5) winners will be selected at a time, and one lucky winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to our booth for the upcoming show! Each winner receives two (2) tickets to the show.
Show Dates:
March 2-4: Edison, NJ
March 16-18: Oaks, PA
March 23-25: Chantilly, VA
April 20-22: Gaithersburg, MD
April 27-29: Timonium, PA
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Founded in 1976, the Sugarloaf Craft Festival is a maker-based event focusing on unique, high-quality artisans and their handcrafted work. Each show features 200-350 talented artists and attracts over 200,000 total shoppers! These shoppers spend more than a total of $2 million each year on products from the incredible artisans taking part in the event.
We hope to see you all there!
