Untitled

The Wonderful Inconsistency of Wood
Wood ain't like clay in a potter's hand. It is not poured into a mold like cultured marble, not extruded, rolled or molded like molten metal and not mixed from chemicals. Wood comes from a living tree - and not one that died and was covered over thousands of years ago. In fact what the poet, Joyce Kilmer, stated so eloquently almost 100 years ago still sums up our respect for trees when he wrote: *I think that I shall never see* A poem lovely as a tree... Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
The beauty of real hardwood is created by the variation of grain texture and color. Wood is particularly noted for its variety in graining. This is the nature of the hardwood species and unusual graining or color variations are a natural and acceptable condition of quality wood finishes. Our cabinetry is constructed using many pieces of solid wood and wood veneers. An average drawered 24" vanity face has 25 separate pieces of wood. Graining differences as well as normal color change can be expected. Within a species of trees the appearance can vary dramatically even from two trees growing close to each other due to their access to sunlight. There can be variances from region to region based on the amount of rainfall received and the affects of heat, cold and ice and high winds. The color and grain pattern within the same tree can also vary based on how the saw mill slices through the tree and by the closeness to the middle heartwood, outside sapwood, limbs, wounds to the tree - especially near torn off limbs (from ice, snow, wind and age) that allow mineral build-up. The length of the growing season can affect the color of Oak wood. Southern Red Oak is seldom used because of the long growing season and related fungus discoloration's, but instead use Northern Oak which has a shorter growing season with better color and grain pattern. Much like molded materials, wood being processed for cabinetry can be affected if temperature and humidity are not consistent. In addition to its natural cracks and open knots, it can have cracks and checks added in the kiln drying operations that occurs before we get our lumber. This drying process does kill any worms or fungus present in the wood. As cabinetmakers we actually can't change the wood much. Our job is to select parts according to general industry standards, and then machine, sand, finish and assemble the wood parts. We are responsible for the workmanship and for using or not using part of the wood -- such as knots, splits and extreme mineral streaks. We work hard at being consistent at doing this. We use only structurally sound wood but in order to keep our cabinetry affordable for you, our customers, we make decisions as to what is acceptable based in part upon how close to eye level it is. If we used "eye level quality" lumber on the medicine cabinet top, which is only seen before installation or on the vanity toe board then our costs and our prices would be much higher. We're also pickier on our "Premium" cabinetry than on our "Good" price category cabinetry. For each of the of cabinets we build each day, we are literally making hundreds of decisions about the acceptability of the components that makes up one cabinet. We have sample grade boards for each wood species we use to guide them in these decisions. We have sample stain color guidelines, which must be met. We also have workmanship standards for machining, sanding and the assembly tolerances and appearance. Even with each production team member responsible for their own quality, with logging and analysis of all rejected components and sub-assemblies (doors, drawers and frames) plus pre-finish and pre-carton inspections we can conceivability still send out a cabinet that you and we are not proud of. When that happens we want you to notify us and return it to us. But please understand our occasional frustration when after our lumber processing folks have weeded out the kiln drying and natural tree Defects, our machine and sanding operators have done their part. Correctly, our finish technicians have wiped the stain to further enhance the natural beauty of the wood and professionally applied our finish. Our final assembly staff have fit all parts and sub-assemblies together as needed. Then just as proud as punch we send it to you and low and behold rather than telling us what amazing people we are, you tell us that the grain pattern on the top left drawer is wilder than on the top right drawer! Imagine our surprise at hearing this. We didn't just slap the cabinet together and throw it over the wall -- we worked real hard on it. Yet, if we slipped up we want to make it right. If you get a cabinet where the workmanship is fine, but the cabinet wood looks a bit inconsistent; we ask you to visualize the trees in your neighborhood or those you've seen on visits to the midwest and think of just how beautiful and varied they are. If they vary so much on the outside it stands to reason that they should vary on the inside and therefore on any piece of furniture made from them. Seriously, call us with your problems and we'll do our best to make it right. We will appreciate your education on the wonderful inconsistency of wood, but we want you to be satisfied with our cabinetry so you'll be back for more. As we often says, "Wood is consistently inconsistent!"

The Wonderful Inconsistency of Wood

Wood ain't like clay in a potter's hand.

It is not poured into a mold like cultured marble, not extruded, rolled or molded like molten metal and not mixed from chemicals. Wood comes from a living tree - and not one that died and was covered over thousands of years ago. In fact what the poet, Joyce Kilmer, stated so eloquently almost 100 years ago still sums up our respect for trees when he wrote:

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree...
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

The beauty of real hardwood is created by the variation of grain texture and color. Wood is particularly noted for its variety in graining. This is the nature of the hardwood species and unusual graining or color variations are a natural and acceptable condition of quality wood finishes.

Our cabinetry is constructed using many pieces of solid wood and wood veneers. An average drawered 24" vanity face has 25 separate pieces of wood. Graining differences as well as normal color change can be expected.

Within a species of trees the appearance can vary dramatically even from two trees growing close to each other due to their access to sunlight. There can be variances from region to region based on the amount of rainfall received and the affects of heat, cold and ice and high winds. The color and grain pattern within the same tree can also vary based on how the saw mill slices through the tree and by the closeness to the middle heartwood, outside sapwood, limbs, wounds to the tree - especially near torn off limbs (from ice, snow, wind and age) that allow mineral build-up.

The length of the growing season can affect the color of Oak wood. Southern Red Oak is seldom used because of the long growing season and related fungus discoloration's, but instead use Northern Oak which has a shorter growing season with better color and grain pattern.

Much like molded materials, wood being processed for cabinetry can be affected if temperature and humidity are not consistent. In addition to its natural cracks and open knots, it can have cracks and checks added in the kiln drying operations that occurs before we get our lumber. This drying process does kill any worms or fungus present in the wood.

As cabinetmakers we actually can't change the wood much. Our job is to select parts according to general industry standards, and then machine, sand, finish and assemble the wood parts. We are responsible for the workmanship and for using or not using part of the wood -- such as knots, splits and extreme mineral streaks. We work hard at being consistent at doing this.

We use only structurally sound wood but in order to keep our cabinetry affordable for you, our customers, we make decisions as to what is acceptable based in part upon how close to eye level it is. If we used "eye level quality" lumber on the medicine cabinet top, which is only seen before installation or on the vanity toe board then our costs and our prices would be much higher.

We're also pickier on our "Premium" cabinetry than on our "Good" price category cabinetry.

For each of the of cabinets we build each day, we are literally making hundreds of decisions about the acceptability of the components that makes up one cabinet. We have sample grade boards for each wood species we use to guide them in these decisions. We have sample stain color guidelines, which must be met. We also have workmanship standards for machining, sanding and the assembly tolerances and appearance.

Even with each production team member responsible for their own quality, with logging and analysis of all rejected components and sub-assemblies (doors, drawers and frames) plus pre-finish and pre-carton inspections we can conceivability still send out a cabinet that you and we are not proud of. When that happens we want you to notify us and return it to us.

But please understand our occasional frustration when after our lumber processing folks have weeded out the kiln drying and natural tree Defects, our machine and sanding operators have done their part. Correctly, our finish technicians have wiped the stain to further enhance the natural beauty of the wood and professionally applied our finish. Our final assembly staff have fit all parts and sub-assemblies together as needed. Then just as proud as punch we send it to you and low and behold rather than telling us what amazing people we are, you tell us that the grain pattern on the top left drawer is wilder than on the top right drawer!

Imagine our surprise at hearing this. We didn't just slap the cabinet together and throw it over the wall -- we worked real hard on it. Yet, if we slipped up we want to make it right.

If you get a cabinet where the workmanship is fine, but the cabinet wood looks a bit inconsistent; we ask you to visualize the trees in your neighborhood or those you've seen on visits to the midwest and think of just how beautiful and varied they are. If they vary so much on the outside it stands to reason that they should vary on the inside and therefore on any piece of furniture made from them.

Seriously, call us with your problems and we'll do our best to make it right. We will appreciate your education on the wonderful inconsistency of wood, but we want you to be satisfied with our cabinetry so you'll be back for more.

As we often says,

"Wood is consistently inconsistent!"