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.

Made In America

Made In America

Does Buying American-made Products Really Matter?

According to Consumer Reports, 8 in 10 American consumers say they would rather buy an American-made product than an imported one. Additionally, more than 60 percent say they’re even willing to pay 10 percent more for it.

On top of that, many consumers are aware that buying American-made items supports the economy. In fact, American perception of the Made in America label speaks of American quality, American creativity, American excellence, and high standards in American manufacturing . This means that Americans are producing a superior product and ensuring the health and safety of  the laborer. Durable products, job creation, low environmental impact, and economic benefits are all encased in those three words, Made in America.

Made In America Event in June!

This month, the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau will host its annual “Made In America” event. The event will run from June 12-15 and showcases local businesses. Each business will show you how it’s made using educational demonstrations and interactive presentations. Additionally, you’ll get to meet the makers themselves! There are 42 locations participating this year. George’s Furniture is one of them! Before you go, you’ll want to visit the Made In America event website to view the  Schedule of Events. The schedule will help you to make it to all of your favorite destinations! Don’t forget to download your own copy of the 2019 passport. If you return your passport to the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau with 5 or more stamps, you’ll be entered to win awesome prizes!

So, be sure to stop in at George’s Furniture while you are out on your tour! We open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, and Thursday, June 13. Additionally, we are open Friday, June 14, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Made In America. These three powerful words can make a huge difference! At George’s, we believe these words are the difference between heirloom furniture and furniture that falls apart. In short, George’s Furniture holds timeless quality. You are getting everything the words Made In America stand for: excellence, quality, integrity, and superior, lifetime-guaranteed furniture.

Made in America Tour Stops at George’s Furniture

Made in America Tour Stops at George’s Furniture

 

 

 

Experience York, PA’s annual Made in America Tours Event with the entire family! The 20th anniversary of this event will be taking place June 13th to 16th, 2018. This annual celebration is a load of fun for you and the kids, and offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at various companies in our county.

From production floors to an alpaca farm, you will be able to explore the inner workings of the businesses who make our beautiful county thrive. George’s Furniture is happy to announce that we will be one of the stops on this exciting tour. Our commitment to high-quality American craftsmanship has allowed our business to flourish for almost 50 years.

While visiting George’s Furniture on the tour, you’ll be transported to a different world where hardwood furniture is made by skilled craftsmen. These craftsmen take great pride in their work, adding their signature to each solid wood piece they create. Enjoy watching handmade, one-of-a-kind furniture being built and imagine the possibilities while walking through our showrooms.

30-40 minute tours will be available the following days and times:
Wednesday, 8am to 4pm
Thursday, 8am to 4pm
Friday, 8am to 2pm.

See the full list of participating businesses on the York, PA website:  https://www.yorkpa.org/events/made-in-america-event/