If you were to examine a piece of my furniture you would see that the joints are primarily mortise and tenon and glue. This is the joint of choice for most Arts and Crafts furniture. It is strong, beautiful, and long lasting. I use wood screws when necessary although you’d never see them. The woods I use most often are quarter-sawn white oak, red oak, mahogany, walnut, and Alaska spruce and Alaska birch. For finishing, the possibilities are truly endless. For the majority of woods there are a myriad of finishes, and it just boils down to the look you like or that a particular piece needs.

The majority of my furniture is built from solid wood. This is the right way to build and most pieces will do fine built this way.  When I do use something other than solid wood, I do so when the design requires it, such as a large hutch, bookshelf unit, or something with a decent sized carcase (body).  Movement in wood across the grain is substantial depending on temperature and humidity - up to an 1/8th of one inch in a foot of width!  Obviously this would be seasonal movement!  I can plan for this in my joints and wide table tops, but sometimes it is best to use a stable substrate with a quality veneer on top of that on larger pieces. When I do use a substrate, I use MDF-medium density fiberboard. MDF is kind of like the high class cousin to the dreaded particle board. The difference is that particle board is made up of many kinds of wood loosely chopped, pressed, and glued together and is not very strong or dense. MDF, on the other hand, is made of one kind of wood only and is built to be far superior in every way to particle board. Because it does not react to temperature or humidity the way wood does, it is a good choice for wider pieces in furniture building.  

Below are some samples of the types of the woods I use the most as well as a look at the same wood with a finish applied. These examples only scratch the surface, however.  The possibilities are endless!

Qter Sawn White Oak Unfinished


Qter Sawn White Oak
Finished

Red Oak Unfinished

Red Oak Finished

Walnut Unfinished

Walnut Finished

Simple Pine Work Bench

I've made several styles of this bench in different sizes for customers. It has mortise and tenon and half-lap joints and can be made with a plank top as shown here or with a solid top. My Dad taught me to "make 'em strong enough to hold a D-8 cat!"

Fully Loaded Router Table

This is a Bruce Kieffer design with a few modifications. It holds a 3.75 hp router motor, plenty of storage, and a very versatile top/fence combination. One of the greatest features is the internal mobile base which is operated by the walnut crank on the bottom right. Thanks Bruce!!

I really enjoy building workbenches. This monster weighs more than 400 lbs! Beautiful wood, solid construction, and plenty of features make this a woodworker's dream! This particular bench has felt-lined drawers, front and side vises, a sliding tool tray on the back side, and plenty of dog holes on top! Prices of benches will vary depending on size, type of wood, and features.