Outdoor Furniture: Wood or Recycled Plastic?

March 5, 2020January 7, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh Leave a comment

Last updated on January 7th, 2022 at 03:58 pm

Recycled Plastic Outdoor Furniture | Polywood — If you’re shopping for wooden outdoor furniture this season, you’ve probably noticed there are a lot of new faux wood furniture sets, made from recycled plastic. Shown here is the POLYWOOD Euro dining set. It has the look and weight of wood but lasts longer and doesn’t require any maintenance.

Why Recycled Plastic Instead of Wood?

When customers asked us to start carrying outdoor furniture naturally we searched for a real wood product. However, while there are weather resistant species such as cedar, teak, eucalyptus and redwood that make fine outdoor furniture, we still worried about the longevity of the furniture, maintenance, and the environmental impact. While researching high end outdoor wood furniture we discovered recycled plastic lumber (RPL) made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Also known as Poly-Wood, it looks like real wood & has the heavy weight of real wood plus it’s durable, versatile and environmentally friendly.

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Off to Mexico to Help the Monarchs

February 13, 2020February 14, 2020 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on February 14th, 2020 at 11:56 pm

Monarch butterfly at Stonehurst in Vernon, VT — If you visit us at Stonehurst in the summer, you’ll probably notice the milkweed and monarch butterflies outside our showroom. But did you know we also work to conserve the monarch’s winter habitat in Mexico?

Reforesting the Monarch’s Winter Habitat

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Vermont Winter Activities

January 24, 2020October 12, 2022 Kelsey Eaton Leave a comment

Last updated on October 12th, 2022 at 06:17 pm

winter has arrived in Vermont — *Winter has finally arrived in Vermont! This is the first significant snow fall we have seen in Vernon this season.*

Mother Nature was a few days late bringing us a white Christmas, but we finally have snow in southern Vermont. I have to admit, I have a love-hate relationship with winter. I love winter activities, but I hate winter chores. So, the other morning as I was digging out my car for the first time this season (winter chore), I focused on my favorite Vermont winter activities. There are a lot of things to do in Vermont during the wintertime, so I have narrowed down my list to 5 things, just for you!

Whether you are a snow bunny at heart, or are on the fence, there’s something on this list for everyone.

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Top 5 Dining Table Designs: All About That Base

January 9, 2020January 9, 2020 Megan Fulton Leave a comment

We always put so much focus on the tabletop, but what about those legs?

I’m a perfectionist by nature and attention to detail has always been something I pride myself on. That being said, it can make doing things, like shopping for a new dining table, a challenge sometimes. I tend to be really indecisive because I like knowing what I’m choosing is the best possible product for me. I take everything from color, material used, shape, size and design into consideration. But what about the base of a table? It can aesthetically make or break a room, so why do the table tops get all of the attention?

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GreenGuard Certified Furniture: Everything You Need to Know

January 3, 2020August 16, 2021 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on August 16th, 2021 at 12:47 pm

The furniture finishing industry is somewhat renowned for its use of questionable chemicals and behind-the-curtain practices. At one point in time, craftsmen used natural finishes like oil and wax or shellac.

But somewhere along the line there was a movement towards more durable, highly engineered wood finishes.

While these advancements in technology created finishes that are more durable, easier to apply, and cheaper than the traditional alternatives, they have also added some concerns about environmental sustainability and toxicity.

Just check out the standard warning that the State of California requires on many of the most common finishes sold in the US today:

WARNING: This product is known to the State of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive issues.

This movement towards chemically engineered wood finishes has created enough concern among consumers that third party testing organizations have sprung up to evaluate the safety of these finishes. One of the most common standards for verifying the safety of wood finishes is GreenGuard Certification.

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2019 Highlights

January 1, 2020January 25, 2020 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on January 25th, 2020 at 08:48 am

Happy New Year! A look back at 2019 highlights & a salute to the future. — Here’s a look back at 2019 highlights & your impact on the work we do at Vermont Woods Studios. We are grateful for your support and we wish you the very best of good health and happiness in 2020.

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Christmas in Our Home Town

December 16, 2019September 29, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on September 29th, 2022 at 08:16 pm

Vernon’s Giving Tree

The Giving Tree | Vernon, Vermont — Vermont Woods Studios is located in the tiny village of Vernon, Vermont (population 2141). Every December local volunteers set up a Giving Tree at the Town Hall.

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Wood Stains from Copeland Furniture

December 16, 2019October 5, 2022 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on October 5th, 2022 at 01:49 pm

Copeland Audrey Table

If you’re not familiar with Copeland Furniture, they’re one of the leading manufacturers of modern and mid century furniture in the country. Located in Bradford, Vermont, Copeland was founded in 1976 by Tim Copeland.

Copeland offers furniture in cherry, walnut, maple, oak, and ash woods, and they use a clear, non-toxic lacquer as a wood finish.

In addition to offering furniture in several popular domestic hardwoods, Copeland also offers stained finishes on most of their collections. Here are their stain options for cherry, maple, ash, and oak (walnut is not typically stained due to its natural color).

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Wood Stains from Lyndon Furniture

December 12, 2019December 13, 2019 Riley Farabaugh

If you’re not familiar with Lyndon Furniture, they’re one of the leading furniture makers in the state of Vermont. Founded by Dave Allard in 1976, Lyndon has spent the last several decades producing some of the highest quality furniture in New England.

Most of the furniture made at Lyndon is available in cherry, maple, oak, and walnut, and they use a clear, non-toxic lacquer as a wood finish. We also offer several stain options on cherry, maple, and oak (we don’t recommend staining walnut).

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This Climate Change Remedy Is Proven. What Are We Waiting For?

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Climate Change is Mitigated by the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont — Trees are Carbon Capture Technology at it’s best. Trees remove carbon dioxide CO2 from the atmosphere. CO2 is the greenhouse gas that’s causing climate change and global warming. Protecting existing forests (and re-planting forests we have already destroyed) is our best chance to remedy climate change. Let’s start planting trees. Photo of the Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest by artist #1778011 at Pixabay.

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