Wood Types

The type of wood you choose will affect the character of your rustic decor. Some people like a completely matching set of log furniture, while others prefer a creative assortment.

For your shopping convenience, you will find log furniture constructed of aspen, hickory, pine and white cedar on this site. Please scroll down for the description of the type of wood you are interested in.

Aspen Log Furniture

Aspen furniture isn't made by machine, it's built by hand. The artists and designers enjoy shaping the beautiful Aspen wood into unique handcrafted furniture which becomes an heirloom of quality art. The art form of creating a rustic log piece, is done by artisans and finished by skilled craftsmen. Only Rocky Mountain Aspens are used in our furnishings producing a one-of-a-kind piece that you can enjoy for years. The Aspen furnishings you include in your room will be a masterpiece that everyone will enjoy for years.

Every piece of furniture turns out unique because it is made from aspen logs, and no two logs are alike. Sculpting, sanding, and exposing each minute detail of the various knots and patterns in the wood further enhance the natural characteristics of Aspen tree logs.

Aspen is a softer, light-colored, even-grained hardwood. In addition to the visual benefits of Aspen, we should also mention the amazing durability that comes with it. All logs are subject to the natural drying process of checking. Checking happens as wood releases moisture, and normally occurs across or through the annual growth rings. Checking is one of the characteristics of Cedar, Aspen and Pine and does not affect the structural performance of integrity of the wood.

White Cedar and Pine Log Furniture

Northern White Cedar: A light-colored wood, very similar to pine in color. The look of white cedar log furniture is rustic, with a beautiful but subtle grain and solid comfort. The quality craftsmanship and contoured seating in this line of white cedar log furniture assure years of enjoyment. The white cedar logs in this line are a by-product of the log home industry, taken from the tree tops of logs used to build log cabins. The material in our furniture is a renewable and environmentally safe resource. Cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insects. It won't shrink or warp and needs little, if any, maintenance.

If left unfinished, our indoor white cedar furniture will darken slightly with age. Unfinished outdoor cedar furniture, will, with time and exposure to the elements, weather to a silvery gray.

Difference between Pine and White Cedar: The main difference between the pine and cedar is that the cedar generally has more knots and a little more color here and there in the wood. The log beds in this line are from white cedar, while the cased good are generally from pine with white cedar accents. For example, the drawer handles and corner logs would be white cedar, while the rest would be pine. Many of our customers mix pine and cedar furniture in the same room with very satisfactory results. When finished, the pine and cedar furniture continues to match very well, just as they do in their unfinished state.

About checking: You will notice cracks, some small and some larger, in your rustic furniture. This occurs naturally in the drying process and adds to the character and rustic look of our products. These cracks, which are known as checking, do not diminish the function or design of our furniture.

This is rustic furniture and imperfections in the wood such as checking and knots are expected. Checking can range from very slight slivers to cracks running the full length of the log to the heart (middle of the log) of the wood. In either case this checking is completely normal and in no way affects the integrity of the wood or the strength of the furniture.

Remember that all of our logs are stress tested to ensure that they will hold up to the test of weight and time. On top of that all our log furniture is of course warranted from the manufacturer. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Hickory Log Furniture

Hickory: Hickory furniture has been popular since colonial times. Our beautiful hickory furniture has the bark left on for that added rustic look. Hickory furniture is both beautiful and durable, and may be finished with a clear finish or left unfinished. If you are looking to add a unique touch to your log cabin or otherwise rustic home, look no further than our Amish hand-crafted hickory furniture.

Hickory is a very strong, flexible and durable wood. The Amish have perfected a method of steaming hickory, then bending the hickory poles to make various unique pieces of furniture. After drying, the hickory poles become very rigid and hold their shape.

Some of our hickory log furniture is steam-bent, some is not. The thicker pieces used on the beds, dressers and chests do not need to be bent. Hickory furniture is very beautiful when finished with a clear lacquer that goes right over the bark.

All of our logs are stress tested to ensure that they will hold up to the test of weight and time. On top of that all our log furniture is of course warranted from the manufacturer. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.