Frank Lloyd Wright Collection Construction Details

• Lead Time | Woods & Stains | Finishes | Upholstery | Case Pieces •

Lead Time

Approx lead time:

5-8 weeks

Lead times vary greatly depending on a number of factors, but generally is between 5-8 weeks. The lead time depends primarily on the piece. Each product page will describe the crafting and shipping options available.

Woods & Stains

Each piece of Copeland's Frank Lloyd Wright® Furniture exhibits the artistic authority and superior quality that comes with masterful design and true craftsmanship. Experienced wood artisans apply traditional and state- of-the art techniques that announce and preserve the wood’s natural beauty while adding strength and durability to overall piece.

Select solid hardwoods - Frank Lloyd Wright® Furniture by Copeland starts with solid hardwood (Cherry and White Oak) from The Northern Forests. The White Oak is quartersawn to reveal a ray-fleck in the grain. This time-consuming process is essential to obtaining distinctive wood characteristics and adds stability.

This collection is available for order in the following standard woods and stains. Additional options may be available upon request for an upcharge of 10% - 20%. Contact us for details.

Parkton Oak (17)

Madison Oak (27)

Parkton Cherry (13)

Natural Cherry (03)

Click here for more information about the woods we use.

Finishes

The Copeland Furniture Finish

This collection incorporates a durable, hand wiped finish. Labor intensive hand-rubbing incorporates stain pigments and highlights grain definition in each piece. Our standard top coat is a pre-catalyzed lacquer. The "pre" refers to the fact that the acidic catalyst is added by the finish manufacture, as opposed to post-catalyzed lacquers where the components are combined at the time of spraying. Copeland's finishes are Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) rated - meaning they are made to withstand the type of heat, grease and spills typically found in a kitchen setting. This durability is a significant advantage over the industry's standard conventional lacquers. Also noteworthy is the matte, satin look and feel of our finish which contrasts favorably with the heavy build-up and high gloss of conventional finishes.

Water Based -- the next generation

As concern over indoor air quality continues to grow, Copeland is becoming the leader in non-toxic, eco-friendly water based finishes. Conventional petroleum based solvents contain large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOC)s which are harmful to the atmosphere. While most of these VOC's are released at the time of manufacturing, a small amount remains on the product and can off-gas in the home. Individuals with particular sensitivities sometimes report that this has an adverse affect on their health. That's why most of Copeland's furniture can now be requested in a non-emitting water-based finish. Technically, this finish is called an Acrylic Emulsion meaning that the resin is made up of acrylic polymers mixed in a water solvent. Since there is no petroleum based solvent, our water based finish is extremely low in VOC's and completely free of formaldehyde. As important, the finish is every bit as durable as our standard pre-catalyzed lacquer with the same satin feel. There is a slight difference in color - the water based finish tends to be a bit whiter than the pre-cat - but it's slight enough that unless you were looking at the two finishes side by side you might never know the difference. As this technology develops we anticipate a day when water based becomes the standard on all our furniture, however presently it is only available on about 3/4 of Copeland's pieces. Please contact us to request this finish on your furniture.

Veneers are not used in this solid hardwood collection.

Solids Wood

Our solid wood comes from sustainably harvested, domestic hardwood trees. We select species regarded for their exceptional beauty as well as their steady long standing market demand. Sawmills generally process raw logs with one of two techniques:

PLAINSAWING - produces widely spaced and broadly arcing grain patterns.
QUARTERSAWING (often referred to as Rift Sawing) - produces closely spaced, parallel graining.

Boards are then kiln dried to the ideal moisture content. An important fact about solid wood is that it expands and contracts with the varying levels of humidity (up to 1% measured across the grain). Furniture made of solid wood must be designed specifically to allow room for the wood to move. In this sense the final shape of the product is largely dictated by the materials themselves. This is an interesting variant of the modernist axiom form follows function and could be expressed as form follows fabrication. In both cases the designer serves a higher master than their own internally derived sense of aesthetics (expressed as form follows fancy).

Well made solid wood furniture is extremely durable and when damaged can be repaired and renewed over generations -- veneer over particle board, once damaged can never be returned to "as good as new". Solid wood construction is a time honored tradition that is also as much an appeal to one's sense of culture and heritage as it is to any practical criteria. Furniture built of solid wood often displays exquisite, traditional joinery techniques that heighten a sense of historical connectedness even when the style itself is very Modern or contemporary. It's also useful to remember that even after a tree is harvested, the wood itself remains very much 'alive' for decades if not centuries to come.

High Quality Upholstery

High Quality Upholstery - Upholstered Frank Lloyd Wright® Furniture by Copeland will enhance any interior palette. Copeland Furniture offers and extensive selection of fabrics and leathers or will use customer- supplied material.

Hardware

A selections of knobs is available for all Frank Lloyd Wright furniture by Copeland cabinetry and desks.

Case Pieces

Drawer Boxes

Copeland's drawer fronts are solid wood, 3/4" thick. Drawer sides and backs are also made with solid ash - and are a full 5/8" thick. Drawer bottoms are 1/4" high-grade plywood panels.

You'll notice that our drawers are joined with an asymmetrical English dovetail joint. Asymmetrical refers to the fact that the pins (seen on the drawer front) and tails (seen on the drawer side) are of different widths. This is the gold standard in traditional joinery and is both aesthetically and structurally superior to other common techniques.

The drawer front integrates directly with the drawer side. Often you will find furniture where the drawer front is simply screwed on to a pre-existing drawer box. This is usually because the manufacturer has opted to purchase pre-manufactured drawer boxes rather than going to the trouble of designing, engineering and building the components to match their individual designs. Sadly, many manufacturers who market themselves as Made in the USA engage in this practice, effectively outsourcing components that make up nearly half of the product.

Some manufacturers cut corners, leaving drawer boxes unfinished. Not only is this unsightly, it is potentially hazardous to your clothing. Delicate garments can be snagged or even torn on rough unsanded surfaces and this becomes more pronounced with age as the unprotected wood is exposed to changing humidity. Copeland's drawer boxes are fully finished and sanded on the interiors.

Solid Wood Case Sides

Miter-Wrap construction - In Wright’s day, craftsmen achieved the bold, sturdy tabletops of thick-cut hardwood with woodworking techniques that are all but forgotten. Copeland has revived miter-wrap construction for tabletops that present 2 inches or more at the edge - enabling the wood grain from the top to continue over ends and sides.

Forty-five Degree Miter construction refers to the angle in which solid wood tops and sides are joined to create a perfectly seamless perimeter. Stylistically, these cases are highly refined and visually Modern. The technique to produce this style of case requires extreme precision and is only attainable through exacting detail. The leading edge of the cases is beveled to present a thin delicate, line that belies their considerable heft.

Drawer Glides

Drawers are mounted on three ‘wood-on- wood’ slides - one on each side and at the center - and are fitted with drawer stops. Since they are under mounted there is no visible hardware. Copeland also dovetails drawer dividers - rare in furniture today.

Key to the longevity of any furniture piece is the preparation of wood pieces and the science of joinery. Copeland Furniture combines precision planed glue surfaces, calibrated hydraulic pressure, and radio frequency-assisted curing to ensure consistently superior, enduring glue joints.