Choosing materials is obviously a critical factor when commissioning a piece of furniture. For those interested in a custom piece of wood furniture, I suggest that you consider basswood.

Source: nuttakit via Freedigitalphotos.net

If you’re not familiar with basswood, it offers a creamy white sapwood and a pale to reddish brown heartwood. This type of wood is typically grown in the Northern and lake states and is reasonably available.

We most commonly see basswood used to make carvings, millwork, Venetian blinds and shutters, and furniture. This type of wood is fairly easy to work with, which is why so many people choose to use it as a carving wood. Unlike some other hardwoods, basswood nails, screws, and glues well and has the ability to be sanded and stained to a smooth finish. This type of wood is uniquely light and soft, which means it offers low strength properties.

Basswood is just one of the many types of wood that I’ve discussed on my design blog. When deciding on a wood, I recommend that you take the time to research the various types of materials out there that could possibly be used to build your one-of-a-kind piece.

Please feel free to contact me, Richard Oedel, Fine Furniture Master, to learn more about  how the commissioning process works and recommendations for types of materials to use to create your furniture masterpiece.