Passion For Reclaimed Wood
The rich patina and unique grain of aged wood make it the hottest choice for today’s tables. If you’re searching for the ideal reclaimed wood table, Urban Beaver should be at the top of your list. Here’s why:
- Our skilled woodworkers have expert knowledge in transforming old wood into high-quality furniture.
- We know exactly what it takes to deliver a one-of-a-kind wood table that exceeds expectations.
Revealing the Beauty of Reclaimed Wood
Finding the perfect piece of worn, aged wood is the starting point for crafting a new table. Sourcing the right wood material for a particular project is critical because the wood dictates the piece’s overall style.
Preserving the wood’s original nature is a key to creating a gorgeous table too. Honoring the wood’s natural traits showcases the texture and patina it has developed over its decades of use. Our craftsmen capitalize on these qualities, creating a strong character piece. Whether you’re seeking a rustic table, an impressive conference table or an inspiring desk, we reveal the wood’s true beauty.
We also insist on using wood with an impeccable pedigree. In addition to its patina and texture, we look for wood with historic value. The wood must also be old growth and free of paint, chemical treatment and insects. Because of our exacting standards, we use only wood that is reclaimed from building interiors. Ceiling beams, floor joists, wall studs and framing lumber are ideal for our creative repurposing. Most wood from a building’s exterior is excluded from our projects. This is because exterior wood is often treated with lead-based paints and chemical preservatives. It also frequently contains hazardous substances such as chromium and arsenic, so we stick to interior woods.
Good Old Doug Fir
Our top choice for creating magnificent furniture is old growth Douglas fir. We especially appreciate old growth that was originally harvested in the Sierra Nevada Mountains before lumber became industrialized. This century-old structural lumber is often found preserved in aging buildings where it has developed a deep patina. Most of our reclaimed wood is sourced within California where historic buildings are wooden treasure troves.
Some People See Wood, We See Possibilities
At Urban Beaver, we usually handcraft our pieces for a specific person or business, function or event. Each piece is the careful culmination of close communication with and complete understanding of our clients’ needs and preferences. At this stage, our client becomes an important partner in our creation. We delve into the client’s vision for the piece, developing a design that makes the most of the wood’s features and client expectations. Creating a unique piece every time is not always easy; creating a piece for a unique person simplifies the mission. As long as complete understanding and trust exist between both parties, the end result is destined for success. This ability to understand and execute our client’s vision helped us develop a reputation for excellence. Occasionally, our clients prefer to take a more passive role, relying entirely on our vision, experience and creativity. In these cases, we are happy to assume creative control of the whole process. From choosing the wood to selecting stains and finishes, we’ll let our experience and keen eye lead the way. Ultimately, our success hinges on establishing a unique partnership with each client. In fact, we’ve built our reputation on this one-of-a-kind process.
Craftsmanship is not-so-secret ingredient
Unparalleled craftsmanship is the lynchpin of every successfully created piece. Without this mastery of the craft, even the world’s best wood and the most innovative vision are useless. At Urban Beaver, we understand that a true craftsman is not just an experienced woodworker. A craftsman is an artist, a designer and a visionary. A craftsman is passionate, inspiring and inventive, bringing together all of these skills and experiences to create fabulous works. A superb craftsman also understands the importance of a fully equipped production facility. Urban Beaver’s shop is designed to take on all projects, from the smallest side table to immense conference room tables. We’re so proud of our wood shop that we often invite visitors to observe the furniture-making processes we’ve developed. We want our clients to see how the transformation process transforms a simple piece of reclaimed wood. Working with aged wood isn’t always the simplest form of furniture making. It requires additional attention and knowledge, and it requires extra preparation and conditioning time.
This preparation involves several steps:
- First, we always look for raw, aged wood with strong character.
- Each board is then carefully cleaned and repaired, bringing out its unique, often-hidden features.
- Individual pieces of wood are then paired up to produce a one-of-a-kind and aesthetically complete surface.
- After the piece is paired and shaped, there are still many steps of refinement and detailed work to perform.
At Urban Beaver, our overriding mission and passion are to transform historically enriched wood into functional furniture. At every step of the process, we insist on great attention to detail and exceptional customer service. In this way, we are proud that our shop and craftsmen stand out in the vast forest of furniture makers.