Woodstock Timbers
The first essential for any fine furniture maker is to ensure that they have the best raw material at their disposal. At Woodstock, it is a task we take very seriously. The classic hardwoods that form the basis of most of the furniture that we create are harvested from managed resources primarily in North America that employ a policy of perpetual renewal. This policy ensures a continuous supply of fine timber as well as providing wildlife habitats and protecting the countryside from soil erosian.
Maple
Maple is in many eyes the greatest of the classic hardwoods. Its creamy, honey colour means that a maple kitchen will always have a light and airy quality. Woodstock designers know that although maple is pale, it possesses a strong 'figure' or grain pattern which is a delight to the eye. It is tough, durable and its resistance to abrasion means that it is strongly recommended to clients who prefer wooden worktops in their kitchens to the granite alternative. Maple's longevity is borne out by the fact that only now are our craftsmen refurbishing maple worktops built nearly twenty years ago.
Oak
Oak has been and still is a great traditional favourite for all kinds of furniture making, reigning supreme from the Tudor period to the Jacobean period. Light to dark brown in colour, oak has a strong 'figure' or pattern and is mostly straight grained with a medium to course texture. It stains and polishes to an exceptionally fine finish. Woodstock craftsmen find that oak is equally suitable for furniture, cabinet making, doors and flooring and all manner of joinery work.
Cherry
Cherry's beautiful markings are a continuous source of pleasure to all who take a delight in fine furniture. The wood itself has a fine uniform straight grain, the texture is smooth and it 'finishes' to a silky lustre. Here at Woodstock we feel that cherry's rich reddish colour makes it a natural choice for bedroom furniture and panelling, in fact for any room or area where a warm, inviting atmosphere is the requirement. Cherry is also magnificent when it is used in a decorative capacity with the addition of veneers, or as a contrast to other woods such as maple.
Walnut
Walnut is often described as the piece de resistance of hardwoods. Certainly walnut is rather special being justifiably associated with high-class joinery during its heyday in the period 1660-1720. This period saw a flowering of British cabinet making skills. The wood is light chocolate brown in colour with either a straight or curly grain which produces an attractive, decorative 'figure' or pattern. It is a great favourite with Woodstock's designers and craftsmen, frequently being used with lighter coloured timbers for the creation of contrasting effects. Although uniquely associated with cabinet making, it is also equally effective for all kinds of furniture and joinery.
Poplar
Poplar can be viewed as the great universal hardwood being a particularly abundant species. It has been described as the queen of the forest, the trees frequently living for two hundred years or more. The wood is pale to medium brown in colour and straight grained. At Woodstock we respect it and welcome it for the way it holds paint, enamel and stain, and are the first to suggest it to clients if a painted finish for their furniture is envisaged. Poplar is extremely versatile and can be employed in the making of furniture, cabinet doors and panelling.
Ash
Ash has much to recommend it, being both highly durable, strong and exceptionally shock resistant. It can vary in colour from greyish brown to light brown to pale yellow speckled with brown. Ash has a very pronounced grain pattern which enables it to be finished to a bright lustre, its interesting surface being frequently exploited by Woodstock designers when they wish to employ stains and colours to the maximum effect. Ash is a very versatile timber and an attractive alternative to maple or oak.
Beech
Beech has less figure than its fellow hardwoods. However this gives the wood an understated elegance of its own. The light to darkisk brown colour of beech is easy on the eye and it is generally straight grained with a close uniform texture. Beech was the wood used by the famous bodgers' of the High Wycombe area, makers of the Windsor chair, who actually worked out in the open in local woods. Their work ironically was of a high standard and not as todays understanding of the word bodger would suggest. At Woodstock, beech is a frequent choice for the contemporary styled office and commercial furniture that Woodstock is commissioned to create.
