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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Urban Lumber or reclaimed wood, what makes it different?

A: Urban lumber can come in many forms from live edge slabs, dimensional hardwood, and construction grade softer wood. This wood is milled from logs that have been rescued from local urban areas typically from trees that have fallen from storms or cut down for landscaping, or new construction. Most lumber from big box retailers is not reclaimed and is mass produced and pressure treated. Most do not offer local grown lumber or hardwood slabs.

Q: Why is live edge furniture considered eco-friendly?

Urban lumber and live edge furniture is considered eco-friendly because you are re-using valuable natural resources with minimal impact on the environment for processing and minimizing waste by using the lumber all the way to the edge of the tree. 

Q: Why are live edge slabs so expensive compared to other wood?

A: Urban lumber and specifically live edge slabs are not felled and processed in the same way as the big box lumber thats done through a large automated commercial operation. Preparing these slabs to be used for furniture creation is a lengthy process that involves specialty tools and knowledge.  Once the log has fallen it has to be air dried for a long period before it can be cut on the saw mill. The slabs are then stacked & stickered and go into a kiln which removes remaining moisture in the wood through careful heat & humidity regulated chambers. Each type of wood has its own drying regimen.  After its dried in the kiln the wood must be carefully flattened before its ready to be sanded and finished into furniture. Each slab passes through a number of hands and tools before its even ready to be worked into furniture.

Q: Why is the furniture so expensive, why do I see such a wide range of prices from artists?

A: Custom furniture is expensive because everything is done by hand with the assistance of expensive specialty tools. Most furniture in stores is mass produced over seas using imported wood which means it can be made cheaper - less hand labor, less time, made in mass quantities by the 1000s instead of 1 of a kind. Prices vary for custom furniture with different artists because each one has their own costs depending on region, supply & demand, and overhead. Prices vary a lot depending on the type of piece and the components that go into it as well. We build all of our tables with utmost attention to detail with intention of this piece lasting you a lifetime and can be passed on to your children. This often involves hidden reinforcements or cleat systems that help insure the slab stays flat during seasonal wood movement. Yes, even kiln dried stable hardwoods move and this should be accounted for.  Amateur builders and "hairpin" table builders that just screw legs on the corners of any slab will certainly charge less because it costs less and takes less tools, less time, etc. I've seen some of these pieces that aren't even sanded or sealed. Each project has its own needs depending on intended use, type of wood, and leg design and this requires experience and knowledge to know how to build pieces that last longterm. 

Q: Whats different between imported "live edge" that I see in stores and what you make?

A: Live edge furniture has become extremely popular and with that, the furniture importers and over seas builders have cut costs by faking it.  How do you fake wood furniture? Well, I've seen molded plaster made to look like big root stump tables, I've seen laminated particle board digitally printed to look like woodgrain. But most commonly they glue up random boards into a panel and grind the edge back to make it look like a natural live edge. The sad part is, some of these fakes sell for higher $$$$ than what I could build the real thing for because of a big name brand. That plaster "stump" table was priced at $900 for the small one and $2000 for the big one. Please don't buy these knock off products - half the time you aren't even buying real wood. It's definitely not eco-friendly nor is it authentic.  

Q: Do you have a price list? 

A: Every finished piece in our inventory has a price listed and available for purchase in the SHOP area of our website. We provide individual personalized quotes for every custom project because each has different needs and we get so many different types of requests that involve so many variables you could never have a set price. Some of the pricing variables include: type and size of wood slabs, amount of resin fill and patching required, metal legs and framework, glass, installation fitment/labor, and shipping.

Q: How much is shipping?

A: We are based in Phoenix, Arizona and provide free local delivery for most orders. We do ship nationwide within the US but please keep common sense in mind - shipping for a 900lb river table with hand cut glass inlay is going to cost a small fortune. Please don't be shocked when we can't offer free next day shipping like Amazon. Shipping costs are determined by the size and weight of the item, how fragile it is, where its being shipped, packing materials required, etc. We us white glove delivery services for larger items that cannot be disassembled like large coffee tables, dining tables, or console tables. Most smaller items ship in parcel via FedEx.

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