Brief descriptions of the materials used in our work.
Furniture, cabinet face frames, moldings, drawers, and most doors.
I personally produce 75% of the solid lumber used in my projects. Local logs are brought to my facility, cut into lumber and then kiln-dried. This method allows me to monitor all steps of the process and ensures only the highest quality material.
Common species used:
Cherry
Walnut
Maple
Birch
Poplar
Mahogany
Red & White Oak
Cabinet grade Plywood
Cabinet box sides, tops, bottoms and backs.
I use only veneer core plywood (no particle board) for cabinet box construction. Veneer core plywood consists of alternating ply's of solid wood with the appropriate Species face veneer. Veneer core is far superior to the particleboard used by many cabinets manufactures.
Functional Hardware
Drawer slides
Drawer slides are the mechanical devices used to smoothly open and close the drawer. We use Blum soft-close drawer slides whenever possible. We also use ball bearing side mount slides for certain applications.
Door hinges
Door hinge style is determined mostly by the door and how it will fit the cabinet. We use Blum Soft-Close cup hinges for overlay door applications. Cup hinges are fully adjustable, very durable and totally invisible when the cabinet is closed. We use Youngdale Knife hinges for inset door applications. Knife hinges are a quality choice and leave only a small "Knuckle" visible on the front side of the door.
Blum Concealed cup hinge
Youngdale knife hinge
Decorative Hardware
Door and drawer Knobs, pulls
There are thousands of choices in decorative hardware. Here a few links to some of our favorite suppliers.
Counter-top/Worktop Choices
#1 Wood
The obvious choice if you wish to match the wood of the cabinet under the top. Also a great choice to contrast solid color cabinetry. Wood tops are used mostly for kitchen islands, office cabinetry and living room built-in projects. For mostly for non-kitchen applications where high moisture and above-average abuse are not factors.
Pros:
Beautiful natural wood grain
moderately priced
gains character with age and use
Cons:
May warp or split if exposed to high moisture
easily scratched
#2 Granite
All-natural, sliced from solid formations throughout the world.
Pros:
Will not burn or scratch
Extremely hard and durable
Natural color and pattern variations
Cons:
cost
May require periodic treatment.
#3 Quartz
Formed from small particles of natural stone mixed with binders to form a hard flat surface and then polished. Quartz is extremely durable, consistent in pattern and color. It polishes beautifully and offers a good selection of edge profiles.
Pros:
Extremely hard and durable
pattern and colors Consistent throughout worktop
Cons:
Will not burn or scratch
cost
#4 Solid surface (acrylic)
DuPont Corian is the original solid surface brand. Solid surface is durable, stain-resistant and waterproof. It is repairable if deeply scratched or burnt. Unlike Laminate, the solid surface color and Pattern and run throughout the entire thickness of the top, This allows for a better choice of edge profiles and is a better choice for under-mount sinks. The DuPont patent expired and is now also available from companies such as Wilsonart, etc
Pros:
Medium cost range
Generous selection of styles and patterns
Glassware is not easily broken when dropped
Repairable
Cons:
Will burn and scratch
#5 Laminate
Mostly plastic but, also available in Aluminum and steel. Laminate tops are fabricated in our shop by gluing the thin laminate to a wood sub-straight such as particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). This option offers a durable surface, is available in hundreds of patterns and styles and is the most affordable option. We prefer Formica and Wilsonart brand Laminates. Wilsonart offers hundreds of great styles, colors, and patterns.
Pros:
Low cost
widest selection of styles and patterns
Glassware is not easily broken when dropped
Cons:
Not easily repaired
excessive moisture can cause the laminate to peel or warp
limited edge profiles
Environmentally friendly
I have always been environmentally conscious when using our natural resources. Wood is a renewable resource but still needs to be used in a way that is efficient and responsible. Wherever possible, I use green certified materials from sustainable forests. A majority of the trees used to produce my lumber are windfalls, cut from roadways or cleared for buildings. These trees would have otherwise been used for firewood or ended up in a landfill.
Custom VS. Stock or box cabinets.
Factory produced cabinets while fulfilling the most basic needs of function and aesthetics, tend to be less durable, quickly constructed and have a shorter life span Then custom cabinets. This is true especially with cabinets and furniture built overseas. Handcrafted cabinetry and furniture are built on a small scale by craftsmen who are passionate about their work and seeks to meet the needs and tastes of each particular client. Stock cabinets are only available in specific sizes and use filler strips to fill any gaps. Custom allows you to build the cabinetry to the exact dimensions of your space. This produces a cleaner look and maximizes efficiency.
Exceeding expectation since 1988
The Wood Shed is fully insured and licensed under Pa. contractor license #PA081009