Construction Details: Catalina Collection

Woods & Stains

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.

Learn more about the woods we use.

The Copeland Furniture Finish

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.

GREENGUARD Certified

All pieces are finished with a catalyzed lacquer/varnish finish that resists stains, moisture rings and spots, heat damage (from hot beverages, etc.), and abrasions. Finishes are formulated to meet Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) standards and provides lasting protection. Standard finish is GREENGUARD Certified: We use a catalyzed sealer and top coat that is GREENGUARD Certified for low chemical emissions as the default finish option on all of our products. GREENGUARD certification is a testing program of UL (Underwriters Laboratory) focusing on the issue of indoor air quality. Further information about GREENGUARD certification, can be found at: http://www.greenguard.org

Background - Solid Wood Construction

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.

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.

The reason manufacturers use solids is fairly obvious. Well made solid wood furniture is extremely durable and when damaged can be repaired and renewed over generations.

What are veneers?

A veneer is a thinly cut overlay of the same high-quality, sustainably harvested solid wood used in the rest of the piece, but applied over a substrate, in this case premium quality plywood.

Where are veneers used?

Our reputation is as a solid wood specialist. This is not to say we never use veneers but rather that their use is limited to the specific areas where they are the best choice.

For instance, the curved back panel of the Catalina Bed must be a veneer because it would be structurally impossible to build out of solids. Framed panels, that is panels surrounded on all four sides (as in this Sarah collection), are made of high grade, veneered plywood. In these instances, a solid panel would have the potential to expand and break the frame apart during periods of high humidity. The plywood is considerably stronger than solids of equal dimension. This includes Case Backs and Drawer Bottoms.

Why are veneers used?

There are three main reasons furniture makers use veneers in their pieces:

• Construction: Complicated shapes and curves are often impossible to fabricate out of solids. Very thin parts often require the strength of veneered plywood and certain design elements require the dimensional stability of veneered components.
• Aesthetic: Interesting effects with wood grains can by achieved by matching and/or assembling veneer strips in any number of deliberate patterns.
• Weight/Expansion: By using veneers for framed panel case sides, furniture makers can significantly reduce the weight of a large case good like a dresser. Also, because plywood is made by cross-hatching wood grains, it does not expand and contract the way solid wood does, thus ensuring that the case sides will not expand and contract over time potentially damaging the frame and structure of the rest of the piece.

Catalina Bed Headboards

Bed headboard panel is laminated with maple or walnut veneer.

Hardware

This collection is available with all of the following hardware options on the center of the drawer. It is also available with all of the following options on the top of the drawer EXCEPT:

* "xxx" denotes that this knob is available in several different woods/stains. Contact us for details

Bed Rails

Bed side rails are made with top-grade veneer panels. All Copeland Furniture bed rails are fastened with a simple to use but extremely durable system designed keep the joint firm and rigid for the life of the product. Here's how it works:

1. A headless, threaded machine bolt is screwed into the headboard. Wooden dowel pegs align the bed rail with the headboard or footboard. This forces the bed rail into proper orientation and prevents any future twisting.
2. The parts are then joined together with a special contoured washer and hex nut using the supplied open-end wrench.

Bed Slats and Platforms

Mattress support comes in one of the following forms depending on the wood selected:

Catalina beds utilize three center support legs for additional mattress support.

Platform Kits are similar to T-Slats in that they consist of a plywood horizontal element reinforced by a solid wood spine. However they differ in that they are much wider and are intended to provide the direct support for the mattress. They come in sets of six that are 10" wide, set 2" apart and are standard on all Cherry beds intended for mattress alone.

Catalina Headboards

Bed headboard panel is laminated with maple or walnut veneer.

Drawer Boxes

Copeland's drawer fronts are solid wood, 3/4" thick. Drawer sides and backs are also solid wood - cherry, maple or ash - and are a full 5/8" thick. Drawer bottoms are 1/4" high-grade plywood panels (5 Layer baltic birch).

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.

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

The Catalina collection uses an Under Mounted Soft Close Glide on all bedroom, dining room and media case pieces. These full extension glides provide a gentle bump as the drawer is fully extended and a soft automatic retraction as the drawer closes. Since they are under mounted there is no visible hardware.

Metal Glides on Home Office Desks and File Cabinets. All Copeland home office collections feature Full Extension File Glides. These allow drawers to open wide enough for easy access to all contents and are strong enough to support the heavy load associated with office storage. File cabinets also feature an anti tip mechanism that allows only one file drawer to be opened at a time.