Here are 20 things about custom furniture you probably weren’t aware of.
There’s no particular order, and there’s no fluff – just compact nuggets of insight.
Consider this a cheat sheet to ask the right questions and make the right design decisions so you can commission a furniture piece that you love.
Lumber prices vary widely
Hardwood lumber is priced by volume (board feet). If we look at some common furniture hardwoods, maple and cherry cost about the same at $6.50 per board foot. White oak is about double that at $13.50 per board foot, and walnut is about double that at $26.50 per board foot.
Depending on the size of your project, material cost can be a significant factor.
There’s a reason some woods aren’t popular for furniture making
Aesthetics, strength, and workability are all things sought after for furniture making.
Some tropical woods are beautiful but extremely hard on tools, and high in natural oils that can impact finishes.
White oak, walnut, maple, beech, cherry, mahogany and ash are all good candidates for quality indoor furniture. They each help cater to a different style.
Not every board is a gem
A client sees the finished product, comprised of the best boards the craftsman could acquire. What isn’t seen are the stacks of boards with warp, imperfections, cracks and color irregularities that were picked through to find boards with consistent grain, color, and quality.
Craftsmanship is in what you don’t see just as much as what you do.
Material waste is inevitable
In a perfect world, the craftsman could get a nearly 100% yield out of the material they buy. But that’s not how it works. Buying extra material accounts for milling, optimizing the grain direction of piece parts, and for inevitable mistakes.
Wood’s not dead… it moves
Two critical aspects of wood movement need to be considered: how it’s dried and how the design allows for seasonal wood movement.
Wood needs to be dried, preferably slowly, to the right equilibrium moisture content for the region, and furniture designs that don’t account for seasonal wood movement are destined to loosen joints which impacts the integrity of the piece over time.
Custom doesn’t mean wild and loud – It just means it’s designed intentionally for you
Custom simply means made for you. The design can be simple or complex, but it’s personalized to meet your specific needs. Custom means it’s yours, and there’s only one of them.
If the Craftsman doesn’t want creative freedom, you should be concerned
I’ve had people send me pictures of mass-produced furniture designs asking me to build the exact same thing. I politely decline, partly because it usually means the person is trying to get the cheapest option, but even more importantly because it squanders my creative freedom.
If a craftsman wants creative freedom, it means they want the ability to be just as excited about the project as you are – in return they put their best effort, skills and creativity into the piece.
Proportions are everything
Sometimes the difference between a design that strikes you and one that turns you off is a subtle change in proportions.
Symmetry, visual weight, and stance are all things to be aware of. It is the craftsman’s job to help you navigate these things.
Veneer - used on high-end and low-end furniture
If you immediately think of faux wood-look laminate peeling off the edge of a table, you’re not alone.
Veneer has gotten a bad rap but when used intentionally the result can be high-quality and beautiful. Using modern sheet material such as veneered plywood or MDF can help when a complex design necessitates minimal wood movement.
Make sure it fits the space
Fit has two meanings: dimensionally and stylistically.
For dimensions, either measure the space yourself or have the craftsman come to your home if certain measurements are critical to the fit of the piece.
For style, communicate the vibe of the room, and share pictures too. Giving the craftsman a sense of the feel and use of the space can help inform their design recommendations.
Be flexible
Be open to change at any point in the process. As the build progresses, challenges are realized, and design tweaks might be warranted. Be clear from the start about which requirements are firm but leave room for changes if they lead to a better product. Leave room for judgement – its part of the price of custom furniture.
Intentional Joinery = Longevity
How piece parts of furniture fit together is crucial to their longevity. Joints need to be selected with seasonal wood movement and anticipated stresses in mind.
Good joinery takes time and skill. You might not even see it. The details might be completely hidden in a joint, but it’s the difference between a piece that lasts a couple years and a piece that your children can enjoy.
Wood Finishes 101
No technical jargon necessary here. All you need to know is how the piece will be used (level of abuse), and what the preferred sheen is (matte, satin, gloss etc).
From this information, the craftsman can select the right finish, so your piece holds up to abuse, looks great, and is easy to maintain.
Leave it natural or add color?
Some craftsmen may be open to incorporating color, others might be against it, but you should communicate this preference upfront to make sure the project is a good fit.
There are a lot of modern coloring products that produce a great looking finish and have the benefit of being a 1-part application (color and protection in one).
Will you ever take it apart?
For larger furniture, it helps to consider if you want the ability to disassemble, either for storage or transportation. This can significantly change the design so its vital to communicate this requirement upfront.
The Ikea effect
This is a cognitive bias where people place higher value on something that that partially or wholly created. (i.e. assembling Ikea furniture).
While quality custom furniture is nothing like Ikea furniture, it does amplify the Ikea effect. Clients are involved in every step of the process, including design, iterations, and overcoming challenges during the build. The result is an extreme sense of pride and a story behind the piece that elevates it’s value.
Custom and efficiency are not friends
Custom means one-off. Every dimension and design feature is unique. Efficiency comes from making the same thing repeatedly and streamlining the process. Custom furniture requires novel steps that may never be repeated on another piece. You can have fast or quality, but not both.
Mistakes will be made. Standards determine acceptability.
The first thing that comes to mind when I look at my own work from many years ago is “Wow, how did I let that fly?” It’s pretty simple – I was less skilled and thus held lower standards.
Mistakes will always be made. A craftsman’s standards are what dictate what’s an acceptable level of perfection and what isn’t.
Holding a high standard is vital because even when mistakes are made, the quality is still well above the client’s expectations.
Humbling Hours – The furniture maker’s tax
With custom furniture, challenges are just the price of admission. Time needs to be built into the cost of the piece for judgement, troubleshooting, frustration, redo’s, and wasted material.
Some projects go better than others, but problems are just a part of the game.
Quality furniture still requires maintenance
As the owner of a beautiful new piece of furniture, you should know how to take care of it. Ask your craftsman how you need to maintain it, what products they suggest, and how frequent.
It’s your investment, and simple up-keep can keep it looking new for years to come.
It’s not you, it’s me
At the end of the day, a furniture maker reserves the right to decline a project if it’s not a good fit for them. Don’t take it personally. It’s a sign that they really care about their work which makes them selective about what projects they take on.
It’s a good idea for the client to look at the craftsman’s portfolio and see if what they are looking for aligns with the style of completed work. It’s not a hard rule – simply a recommendation for a better chance of matching.
If you’re interested in commissioning a custom piece but still have questions about the process, head over to the inquiry page and shoot me a message!