Solid Wood Dining Furniture, Buying High Quality Handmade Tables & Chairs at Affordable Prices
Looking for high quality, handcrafted, real solid wood dining room furniture at great prices? Here are some tips and advice to make your shopping experience successful and fun!
Look for real American made dining furniture
Why? Most so called "American made" wood furniture sold in the USA is imported from China and other developing countries. The quality is just not as high as you will want to see if you are searching for genuine, handcrafted solid wood dining furniture. In an effort to cut costs, major American furniture companies including Thomasville, Basset, LazyBoy and others have moved their operations overseas. Quality has plumetted. To find true quality that is backed by a lifetime guarantee seek out small local furniture companies that craft honest, high quality dining furniture out of locally and responsibly harvested hardwoods.
Decide what style you're looking for
Are you seeking modern wood dining furniture with clean and simple Shaker lines, rustic distressed furniture, traditional colonial furniture or something in between? Furniture makers will typically specialize in one style or another. You will get the best quality and price if you purchase from a craftsman who specializes in the style you're looking for.
Decide which type of wood you prefer
The most popular hardwood for dining furniture these days is American Black Cherry, but there are many other beautiful and durable furniture woods available including maple, walnut and oak. These four premium hardwoods typically price out at about the same with the exception of walnut which carries about a 20% premium. Each wood varies in color, grain, hardness and durability and some woods, for example cherry even change color over the life of the furniture. Ask your furniture builder what types of wood they work with. Most will offer several choices.
Ask about the construction methods used in building your dining furniture
Look for traditional, robust construction and pay particular attention to joinery methods used to fashion corners and attach legs to tables. High quality drawers normally feature dovetail joinery, while table aprons are usually attached to table legs with mortise and tenon joints.
Consider lead time for crafting the furniture and for shipping and delivery
Quality custom handcrafted dining furniture takes time to design and build. Typically the lead time is 6-12 weeks for crafting, depending on what's currently in the craftsman's queue. Don't forget, if your furniture maker will need to ship your furniture, you may need to allot an additional 1-9 weeks for shipping.
Insist on white glove shipping and delivery
Perhaps the biggest complaint from furniture buyers is about shipping and delivery. Find out before your purchase, how your furniture will be shipped. If it's travelling any distance, insist on a professionally trained furniture delivery crew that will bring your furniture into your home, set it up in your dining room and thoroughly inspect it for shipping damage.
Get a lifetime guarantee
Most serious custom furniture makers will be happy to back their work with a lifetime guarantee. If yours is uncomfortable with this ask why. You may want to move on to another craftsman if there is no room for negotiation on the guarantee.
Best time to buy dining room furniture
When it's on sale, of course! Autumn is traditionally the time when we think about dining furniture. Thanksgiving is on its way and so are many other holidays when family will be gathering around the dining table. Many furniture companies will run their best sales during the Fall so check them out and get started. You dream dining room set could be just a few months away!