Solid Wood

We Specialize In Solid Wood Furniture.

Here at Amish Direct, we offer over 70 companies that manufacture solid wood furniture. While we do carry some items that are not solid, we do not hide that fact. Our knowledgeable sales staff will explain what is and what isn't solid wood.

Here is some information from the American Hardwoods Information Center:

"Solid Wood" vs. "All Wood"

Solid Hardwood

"Solid wood" means that each exposed part is made of pieces of genuine hardwood and nothing else. For large surfaces, strips or boards are bonded with stronger-than-wood glue and other wood joinery techniques.

Some alternatives are hardwood veneers - thin slices of wood bonded to composite boards or plywood. This type of construction is sometimes described as "all wood."

Artificial laminate surfaces of plastic, foil or paper often are printed with photographs of wood grain patterns and bonded to composites such as particle board or medium density fiberboard. Remember the terms "oak, maple and cherry finish" may simply refer to the color or the photographic reproduction of the wood's grain - it does not necessarily mean it is the authentic, natural hardwood.

If you're not sure whether the item is solid hardwood or an imitation, examine the construction.

Advantages of Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwoods, as building and furnishing materials, go against the grain of a mass-produced, throw-away age. Although every hardwood board will predictably share the characteristics of its species such as - oak, ash, alder, maple, cherry, hickory and poplar - each board displays a face which is uniquely its own, having been formed over the long lifetime of the individual tree from which it came.

Solid hardwood furniture offers the potential for many generations of hard use. Their beauty is not skin-deep. They can live with nicks and scratches, are easily repaired and refinished, and their value is lasting.

When you're choosing for a lifetime - and maybe two or three - you should choose wisely. Solid hardwoods are genuine, not imitations. They are natural, not synthetic. They are classic, not artificial.

What may look at first like solid hardwood cabinetry may be something else. It pays to ask questions and take a hard look at materials. Aside from aesthetic considerations, substitutes can't compare to solid hardwoods when it comes to holding nails and screws and withstanding the stresses, loads, shocks and abrasions of daily life.

What are American Hardwoods?

Hardwoods are deciduous trees that have broad leaves, produce a fruit or nut and generally go dormant in the winter. America's forests grow hundreds of varieties of hardwood trees that thrive in this country's temperate climates. These varieties, or species, include oak, ash, cherry, maple and poplar. The species guide portion of this website features 21 of the most popular hardwood species.

All the commercially available U.S. hardwoods are crafted into furniture, cabinetry, woodwork and built-ins. It's simply a matter of taste, preference and availability.

Certain hardwood species aren't recommended for flooring because they're not hard enough to withstand heavy wear and tear.

Softwoods are conifers, evergreen and cone-bearing trees. Widely available U.S. softwoods include cedar, fir, hemlock, pine, redwood and spruce. In a home, softwoods primarily are used as structural lumber such as 2×4s and 2×6s, with limited decorative applications.

For more information on solid hardwoods, go to www.hardwoodinfo.com