From Tree To Your Custom Furniture Piece - The Journey

Here at Wildwood Designs we’re proud of our work from imagining to creating to delivering your custom furniture piece. 

Whether it be a buffet, dining table, bed, entertainment unit or mirror, we take pride in what we do and how we do it. To see some of our custom pieces, please click here.

So, we thought it might be interesting to follow the journey of the timber from tree to when we begin working on it for you.

Wood, timber, lumber, which ever term you use, has been used by people through the ages for living and here in the modern era we’re still doing the same thing. 

For example River Redgum, whose botanical name is Eucalyptus Camaldulensis, and which is found along rivers and areas prone to flood; the Aborigines used the bark for shields, water vessels, shelters and canoes.  Today? Bowls, platters, tables, sideboards… Living. 

As you know, Wildwood Designs use Australian Hardwood to craft beautiful custom furniture.  All our timber go through the same general process before they get to us.  We pride ourselves in sourcing our timber from sustainable suppliers as well as reclaiming pre-used lumber.

Once felled the tree is then milled. This process dictates the size of our slabs, planks, boards etc. Some trees are milled onsite and others are transported to the mill for this process.  At times it may take a little longer to source your Australian Hardwood than usual because the pieces required are not a conventional size, so patience is needed.  When milled and stacked the timber is left to season. 

The wood of living trees and fresh logs can contain large amounts of water, which represent sometimes over 50% of the wood's weight. So this seasoning/aging/drying  process is an important part of the journey to enable us to use the timber for its final purpose.

Wood shrinks and swells depending on the moisture content and absorption so the seasoning process can take some time.  In essence we are removing moisture from the timber to avoid damaging the wood when used.  Of course, there are other benefits to using seasoned wood;

1. Stronger
2. Lighter – easier to transport and use
3. Easier to work/machine with - glues, stains, paints, all last longer

Among other advantages.

Slabs can be air dried which is the long-established method, or kiln dried, which is far more time efficient.  Air drying obviously takes longer, as the slabs are allowed, over a period of time, generally, years, to very slowly naturally age/dry. The kiln drying process can take a matter of days, though other factors do come into play in order for kiln drying to be effective.

And then?  Garth get’s his hands on it! And what will it be? One of our luxury beds? A custom designed wall unit? A beautiful sideboard?  Well, that’s up to you.

To discuss how we can create the ideal custom furniture piece for you please call our team on 9550 4442 or contact us here

Have you checked out our "Available Now" page? We might have something on the our showroom floor that you've been looking for...  Click here to have a peek