Furniture Facts

The part of the table underneath the tabletop, which goes around the perimeter of the tabletop, usually recessed a few inches from the edge. It is optional, but usually done to add “Depth” to the table and provide anchoring for the legs to the tabletop. Sometimes called the skirt.

A standing closet, also known as a wardrobe. It has doors and sometimes drawers below, it is often sold as a bedroom piece instead of a chest of drawers.

(also known as bicast leather, split leather or PU. leather) is a split leather with a layer of polyurethane applied to the surface and then embossed. Bycast was originally made for the shoe industry for glossy shoes, and subsequently was adopted by the furniture industry. The resulting product has an artificially consistent texture that is easier to clean and maintain.

(also known as a Blanket Box) A low storage chest with a hinged lid and often a lower drawer, serving also as a bench.

A headboard for a bed that has space to store books, radios, clocks, and other small items. Sometimes called a storage headboard.

A French term referring to a sideboard used for storing china, silver, and linens. The top surface is used as a counter for serving. Buffets usually have drawers as well as doors. Often referred to as a Server and can be accompanied with a Hutch that sits on top of the Buffet.

No inventory is carried. Furniture is made specifically for you. Furniture that is built to order is not necessarily a custom product. It may be that the furniture comes with a wide range of standard options so having a piece of furniture with every option ready made is impractical. It also means that furniture which is built to order can often be customized.

A low chest of drawers that usually has a mirror. Also called a dresser.

Small wheels mounted on a swivel frame and then attached to a base or legs to facilitate moving a piece of furniture.

The French term is “long chair.” Has also been referred to as a “fainting couch.” Often used in bedrooms.

A swinging full-length mirror hung between two posts anchored by a crossbeam.

An enclosed glass cabinet for displaying a variety of products such as glassware and other collectibles. Sometimes simply called a curio.

A small buffet or sideboard used for serving, storage, or display.

A couch with low head and footboards usually placed lengthwise along a wall. Removable cushions allow a daybed to serve as either a seating piece or a bed. The frame can be made of metal, wood or upholstered.

Small-scaled dining furniture with a table and four to six chairs designed for kitchen use, but also used in small dining areas.

An antiquing process that makes new wood look old and used. Usually entails surface marks and indentations that are added during the finishing process.

The strongest and most permanent joint made in carpentry. It consists of each piece of wood being cut so that the 2 pieces interlock.

These strips of wood or metal are placed under the center or on the outside of drawers to serve as a track on which they are drawn back and forth. Full Extension slides enable the drawer to be opened completely enabling easier access to the drawer.

A table leaf that is slotted into the end of the table (instead of the centre). The leaf may “drop onto” a set of rails that you pull out, “End Extensions” –See demo here; or the leaf can be “Plugged “ into the end –See demo here

Any wood product that has been made from wood fibres or veneers, usually using pressure, temperature and adhesive. eg Plywood, MDF

Refers to a table top which separates in the middle to accommodate leaves, but the supporting system (Legs/Pedestal/Trestle) do not need to be moved. This enables the top to be opened easily by one person.

Any table that is 36″ High, also called Counter Height. Standard table height is 30″, Pub table height is 42″.

Variations in color and texture made by the size and arrangements of cells and pores of a living tree and is revealed when wood is cut through the trunk in an essentially horizontal direction. It gives the “Look” of the wood and no two pieces of wood will look exactly the same.

The method used to remove moisture from wood. The thicker the wood the harder this is. If it is dried out too fast you run the risk of causing cracks in the drying process. The lower the residual content of moisture relative to where you live, the less likely the wood will crack over time. Wood can be kiln dried in a heated room, by microwave (best for thick pieces of wood), or just a closed room, where the wood creates it’s own heat, much in the way a compost heap becomes warm.

Term usually refers to the handles and knobs used on furniture, also the slides used for the drawers.

A general term for the lumber of broad-leafed or deciduous trees in contrast to evergreen or coniferous trees, which are termed softwoods.

A high chest of drawers, deriving its name from haut bois, which is French for “high wood.”

Synonymous with a cedar chest and dowry chest.

A top cupboard usually placed above a buffet or sideboard for the display of plates, cups, and utensils.

The coating that covers and protects your wood. It can be clear or contain a stain and may be applied multiple times, drying and being sanded between each coat. Most of our furniture finishes use a stain on its own which sinks into the wood, then a sealant to “Seal” the stain in, and then one coat of clear laqueur to protect the furniture.

A type of chair with back posts joined by a series of horizontal rails, resembling a ladder, used instead of a vertical splat.

Extensions to a tabletop, either placed in the centre, or on the ends of the tabletop.

This is a style of furniture where the carpenter incorporates the natural edge of the wood into the design of the piece. Some leave the natural holes and cracks in the wood while other artists fill them with resins.

Medium Density Fibreboard. It is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down softwood into wood fibres. It is combined with wax and resin, made into panels under high temperature and pressure. It is less expensive than natural wood and is easy to work with (no wood grain so won’t split, consistent strength and can be easily shaped). Drawbacks are it’s very heavy, and can swell when waterlogged.

A fabric which is made of a blend of polyester and polyamide. Exceptionally soft it holds its shape well and is easy to clean, puncture resistant. Excellent if you have pets or children.

A table supported by a single central column.

A table leaf that is slotted into the end of the table (instead of the centre), and plugs into two or more slots in the Apron.See demo here

Thin sheets of Veneer glued together under heat and pressure. The Veneers (or Plies) are arranged so the grains of each veneer are at right angles (for added strength). It resists cracking, shrinkage, twisting/warping, and is generally very strong in all directions. Most large “Solid Wood” pieces of furniture will have some plywood in the framing of the walls to help give rigidity to the furniture.

Any table that is 42″ High (Standard Table height is 30″, Counter height is 36”)

The best grain and most expensive Oak. Distinctive by it’s tight linear grain. It comes from the fact that the oak log is first cut into 1/4s and then each quarter is cut against the grain.

Refers to a sofa series that can be added to with other “Sofa Parts”, eg Corner Chair, Chaise, Armless Chair

Refers to Dining tables which take leaves and where they can be safely stored inside the table, usually a maximum of 2 leaves. No need to go search for the table leaves in the cupboard.See demo of our Tangent Table.

Usually understood to be furniture made from “Natural” wood (Maple, Oak, Pine etc) that has not been “Engineered” (usually into MDF and Veneers).

Professionally matching the stain being applied to your new furniture with that of a piece of furniture you currently own. Not to be confused with having 2 pieces of furniture that “Go with one another” – that is where the 2 colours are complimentary.

Unless otherwise specified, all our solid wood furniture undergoes a 3 stage finishing process.:
First – the wood is stained, with your chosen stain colour.
Second – A clear sealant is put on.
Third – a clear lacquer is applied. This is the protective coat, that usually takes 3 – 4 weeks to fully harden. It also affects the “glossiness” or sheen of the furniture.

Sugi ban is a traditional Japanese method of treating wood with heat to create a beautiful dark finish. The wood is essentially charred to burn off any excess wood fibers, the lumber is then wire brushed to remove any excess carbon. The result is a highly durable inky finish with a pronounced grain pattern which highlight the beauty of the wood and the furniture.  Our Sugi ban pieces are then sealed with a clear finish to further protect from any colour transfer.

A trestle table is an item of furniture comprising two or three trestle supports linked by a longitudinal cross-member over which a tabletop is placed.

A thin strip of wood. It is usually associated with ” thick strips, which are adhered to an MDF or Ply base.