What does Live Edge mean anyway?

Live edge is a style of furniture where the natural contour of the log section becomes part of the design. It does not necessarily mean that the bark is left on. In reality, we routinely recommend bark removal for most functional furniture live edge pieces. The contour and shape of the tree inside the bark line is often amazing. Each build makes us a little giddy about what we may encounter and how we may enhance that natural beauty in a one off original.

What in the world does board foot mean?

Merriam-Webster defines a board foot as, “a unit of quantity for lumber equal to the volume of a board 12 × 12 × 1 inches —abbreviation bd ft.”

While board footage seems complicated it’s intended to be a transparent way to measure a product that by nature often involves different lengths, varying widths over a span, and routinely cut in thicker increments. So while linear foot works well for measuring rope or same size baseboard, where square footage works well for figuring surface area for a countertop or flooring, board footage is useful in calculating the size of live edge slabs or thick mantles. The simple formula would be Length (in inches) X Average Width (in inches) X Thickness (in inches) divided by 144. That will produce the board footage within a given piece of material. The easiest way to understand the concept is surface area square footage, which then additionally factors for material thickness.

How do I go about making an appointment?

Send us a text, give us a call, or click on the schedule an appointment tab to send an email. If sending an email, please suggest a day and time that works best for you. We will respond and confirm, or offer the nearest available appointment to the day and time requested. We do regularly schedule weekend appointments from 8-8 on Saturdays and Sundays in the PM for your convenience.

Why do I need to make an appointment?

We do appointments primarily for the benefit of our customers. When I created this business I promised myself to never tell someone I would be there between the hours of 10-2 or 1-6, and that I would also value my customer’s time equally if not more than my own.

Here are some of the benefits to doing showings by appointment.

- Faster service where nobody has to routinely wait for assistance behind other customers.

- Lower overhead on our part = lower pricing to the customer.

- One on one service model with a wood expert versus less knowledgeable minimum wage counter help.

I can usually accommodate appointments 7 days/week.

How do I go about ordering a custom table, fireplace mantel, floating shelves, or other furniture?

The process is really easier than you may imagine. As a starting point, we have a request a quote page. If you prefer text or discussing by phone call, then that’s fine too. The general size and other pertinent information regarding your envisioned custom piece is appreciated. We’ll take it from there and respond with an estimate or any additional questions we may have. No pressure!

Does custom simply mean expensive?

Our approach to custom is pretty straightforward. We consider custom as something made to order for a particular customer. Pretty much everything we do is custom, so we don’t see that as Latin for way overpriced. Without question, large custom tables incorporating metal bases, epoxy, or other specialty finishes and joinery will inherently increase the price. Materials, machining, and time are all components. In the end, we focus on providing high quality heirloom furniture pieces at a great value for our customers.

What types of wood materials and species do you carry?

We focus on domestic species sourced regionally in the Carolinas. We routinely have most of the following species in inventory as either live edge slabs or mantles, as well as some dimensional material.

• Eastern Black Walnut (what we often refer to as the Cadillac of North American hardwoods)

• Eastern Red Cedar

• Poplar / Rainbow Poplar

• Maple / Spalted Maple

• Cherry

• Pecan

• Sycamore

• White Oak

• Red Oak

• Red Elm

• Others we have occasionally include Hickory, Ash, Pine, Cypress, etc.

How long does it take for my custom project to be completed?

Each piece is unique and has it’s own set of circumstances. Size, design and build complexity, material sourcing, and our custom calendar bookings are all timeline drivers. We are constantly preparing wood materials for use in custom pieces so often we are matching those to specific builds as they become available and project ready. We’re blessed with staying busy and tend to stay booked out several weeks to a couple months most of the year. If the project involves material readily available and isn’t going to put us behind on our commitments to others, then we can sometimes work in a simpler build. As part of the estimate phase we provide a specific timeframe for completion.

Can we leave and incorporate the bark on a live edge piece?

The short answer is sometimes. A small book could easily be written on the subject. There are many variables involved and retaining bark on most projects is a challenge. First off is wood species. Some wood species are simply not good candidates. Eastern red cedar quickly comes to mind, though there are many, many more. Another factor is time of year a tree might have been cut. Some wood species that may be better candidates like Pecan or Maple are best felled during the dormant winter months. And yet another factor is how quickly the felled log is milled. If the log is lying on the ground for a period of time, then the bark battle becomes more of an uphill one.