The craftsmanship of Amish furniture requires attention is paid to details. It demands the application of skill and the need to understand the materials. In producing Amish pieces, the material of choice is wood. While homeowners in Kalamazoo, MI have their preferences, some of them favoring exotic woods, Amish furniture makers stick to the hard woods. They also choose to work with the wood their ancestors did – American wood.
Preferred Furniture Wood Choice
Solid wood furniture is made from wood. It is not composed of particleboard or created from thin layers of wood and veneer. To produce high quality wood furniture, the Amish have consistently relied on certain species of tree. The most common woods employed to produce furniture comprise:
Rustic Red Oak (Quercus rubra): This wood combines the right type of knots, with variations in color, and mineral streaking. It produces wear-resistant furniture that may range in hue from a soft cream to a cheery brown with a red tint. Oak will also evenly receive stains to produce an attractive result.
Quarter Sawn White Oak (Quercus Alba): This style of oak has long been associated with furniture, particularly those created during the American Arts and Crafts era. The method of preparation (quarter sawing) showcases the ray fleck of the wood while helping to minimize such issues as shrinkage, splitting and cupping. White oak prepared in this manner produces Amish furniture with a classic look and timeless.
Cherry: The rosy hue of cherry wood makes it a popular choice for furniture. Its warm tones delight the eye and create a sense of comfort
Cherry (Rustic): The wood is also known as sap cherry because it uses only cherry timber containing sap. The presence of knots introduces that “rustic” quality often sought by homeowners. The range of color variants makes this an attractive choice.
Brown Maple: This is not a species but several types of maples that provide the desired color. Maple receives stains easily, but can also dent and scratch.
Brown maple lumber may be taken from different maple species across the country. As heartwood, brown maple features cream, tan and white streaks. This softer wood is susceptible to dents and scratches. However, it also accepts stains and painted finishes beautifully.
Maple: One of the hardest domestic woods this wood features a grain pattern that is circular and very tight in nature. It is stainable.
Amish Furniture
The Amish work with a variety of wood to create classic furniture with elegant lines. It is durable and capable of lasting for generations. When Amish craftsmen produce their pieces, they do so knowing they are making something unique for people in Kalamazoo and all across the nation. Every piece of Amish furniture that leaves their shops is truly a study in subtle design aesthetics and functionality.
