Custom Furniture Makers: Woods Used by The Kristian Brunsdale Studio, Ltd.

Wood...Our Considerations

We make many types of custom furniture (Mission, Lodge, Rustic, Art Nouveau, etc.) and cabinets. Choosing whether to use solid wood or engineered materials (such as plywood or medium density fiber-board a.k.a MDF) is a high consideration on our list.

Antique Hand Plane of The Kristian Brunsdale Studio

Designing and pricing a piece will direct the material criteria for that piece. Let me explain a little more about this...

Even though a tree is cut down and kiln-dried, it isn't dead. Wood is always reacting to its environment. As temperatures & humidity change from day to day and season to season, solid woods expand and contract by up to 1/8" per foot of width! This adds up and must be considered in the design and construction process when solid woods are used. The movement of the length of a board is almost negligible and not of much concern. Therefore, solid woods may or may not be the right choice for the piece we will build.

It is critical that the right materials be chosen for each project and great care goes into also considering what to use when the

project will be built in Montana and shipped to another location. There are no bad materials, just poor application. As the design process begins for a project, the function of the piece (i.e. table, wall unit, etc.), the location of where the piece will be, and the color of the piece are all contributing to what materials are used. We also look at whether the project involves shaping, carving, bending, veneering or laminating. We know that cost can play a major role in your decision and as solid wood is more expensive than engineered materials we will recommend when to use the alternatives (for example, cherry-veneered plywood for shelving inside a cabinet).

As experienced wood-workers, we choose the right methods of joinery and functional hardware to assemble the project. The piece will become a family heirloom as long as the materials and craftsmanship are excellent. No matter what the style, we consider all of our creations art.

Wood choices

There are hundreds of woods to choose from. We can quote a price with just about any type of solid wood or veneer from Alder to Zebra wood. There is also an ever growing demand for using recycled wood which is a great way to save a tree and add character to your project. In the West, it's the way to go. There are also a variety of highly figured woods such as burls and planks with varying widths. Cost, availability and what type of finish will be used are all important factors in the choice of wood. Our first recommendation is to look for a wood that is readily available in both solid and plywood and meets your design criteria for the project.

Click Here to See Wood Samples…

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All Text & Images © The Kristian Brunsdale Studio, Ltd. 2008
254 Horse Creek Rd. North Fork, Wilsall MT 59086
Phone:406-578-WOOD(9663) / Fax:406-578-2368 / Toll Free:866-495-WOOD(9663)
e-mail: kristian@kristianbrunsdale.com