All hardwood has variation in its color and grain. In manufacturing and finishing our builders strive to bring out the natural beauty and character of each piece of wood. These wood characteristics give each piece of solid wood furniture its unique charm and, although the finishing processes are identical, no two pieces will be exactly the same.
Because most hardwoods are open grained, solid wood furniture will expand and contract with changes in humidity and temperature, even after protective finishes have been applied. Care in controlling the furniture’s environment will help minimize the minor cracking and warping that is a natural part of wood’s character.
Furniture should be kept away from direct sources of heating and cooling and out of attic or basement storing environments. With proper care, solid wood furniture will provide a lifetime of enjoyment and can be passed on to future generations.
- Each piece is built at the same location, made only when you order, receiving the same careful treatment and meticulous attention to detail that make them heirloom quality.
- Kiln dried Oak provides a more stable wood graining, keeping imperfection to a minimum. Eastern Cherry, Maple and Quarter Sawn White Oak are available.
- Solid 5/4 ‘floating’ tops, milled to appropriate thickness eliminate splitting and warping.
- Tops and faces are all solid wood hand finished, for greater stability and eliminates warping and splitting due to heating and air conditioning.
- Specially formulated finishes are catalyzed conversion varnish (Resistovar III) or hand-rubbed urethane made to resist almost anything (water, alcohol, acetone, vinegar and more…)
When using your furniture, be sure to protect it from wet and heat as much as possible. If a beverage, or something similar, is spilled, wipe it up as soon as possible. When you have hot beverages, protect your table from the extreme temperature it presents. A good rule of thumb is to never place anything hotter than you can hold in your hand on the table without protecting it.
Lastly, ENJOY your furniture. Use it daily.
Distinguishing Features:
- Solid Wood
- Mortise & Tenon Joints
- Tongue & Groove Glue Joint
- Solid Wood Backs w/ Ship-Lap Joint
- Solid Wood Face Frame Construction w/ dowels
- Dovetailed Drawers made from ¾” thick Material Note: same wood used on sides and backs as fronts.
- Hand Fitted Inset Drawers and Doors
- Glass Doors have wood quarter-round molding for glass retention
- Signed & Dated by individual craftsman
- Lifetime Warranty
- Hand Rubbed Oil Finish
- Hidden compartments in some pieces
- Single board drawer fronts when possible
We start with a solvent based finish that deeply penetrates into the wood and brings out the natural graining and beauty of the wood. We prefer this over water based finishes.
Next we apply a catalyzed vinyl sealer that act like a barrier against moisture and its surrounding environment. We then lightly sand this and prepare it for final top coat.
Lastly we hand apply urethane oil that acts like a second sealer and brings out the deep rich beauty of the wood. This oil is the same oil used by wood turners for salad bowls, thus making it food surface safe. It’s a natural oil containing urethane which provides some hardness and durability in the finish. After this dries for 4 hours it’s ready to go. Another nice feature of this top coat is that it is a very forgiving finish. If your product gets dinged you just touch it up with some stain and recoat it with the oil and it will look like new.
Borkholder Craftsmanship