N.A.
Durso Woodworking  |
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Vermont Handcrafted
Furniture |
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS A: Each piece is individually handcrafted here in our North Hero shop frequently in pairs to make more efficient use of tools and time. We're proud to say that we practice responsible forestry— we harvest our own trees and mill our own material right here on our land in Vermont. Q: Do you do custom work? A: The short answer is "no". There are many small woodworking shops that create individual pieces of furniture or cabinets on a custom order basis. Our ambition is to provide a collection of pieces with a number of options relating to choice of wood or finish. Our catalogue is expanding at a rate of between one and two new pieces per month. The long answer is yes — we do a certain number of custom items but only those directly related to our construction division. Here's an example: this past summer, an addition we were building required that a bathroom window be eliminated. Instead of simply walling over the opening, a custom mirror and glass case with recessed lighting was built in our shop and installed on site. It was a one-of- a-kind one-time-only application that was directly related to a project we already had underway. During a kitchen remodel, the homeowner requested that we create a custom breakfast bar countertop that would match the stairway handrail we had created when we were remodeling another portion of the house the year before. The countertop was fabricated in our shop and installed in the breakfast nook — a perfect match to the handrail. But as a rule, we don't make countertops. Q: Is Shaker style furniture all you do? A: Although we specialize in Shaker reproductions, some of our pieces (floor lamps, coat trees, mug racks and bookcases, for example) are not style specific. Q: How do I maintain the finish on my piece of furniture? A: All of our hardwood gets three to four applications of tung oil or linseed oil hand rubbed into the wood followed by two applications of furniture polish to protect the finish from spilled liquids, for example. Any household furniture polish (Pledge or Endust) will work fine for cleaning and maintaining the wood. Don't use anything containing ammonia or solvents that would strip the finish from the wood. Our painted and polyurethane finishes are sprayed on in layers to create a deep and durable finish. We always have small vials of touch-up paint available in case you inadvertently scratch a table leg. Cutting boards are best maintained with occasional applications of mineral oil. Try to avoid vegetable or olive oil. Q: Do I need to worry about the wood cracking or warping in any way? A: You shouldn't have to. But remember, solid wood is a natural product unlike furniture made from chipboard, plastic, or metal. It enjoys a stable environment with a consistent temperature and low degree of humidity. Keep your furniture away from heat registers, fireplaces, and woodstoves. A high rate of summer humidity might cause a drawer to stick but that will pass as the humidity j and temperature fluctuate. Q: If I get two matching tables, how closely "matched" will they be? A: When the wood is milled, we keep the boards from an individual tree together in order to more closely match the color, figure, and grain patterns. When pieces are joined, we're very careful about which board or portion of a board gets matched with another. On the other hand, each tree and each piece of wood is unique. Oak tends to match up very consistently while cherry often varies in its depth of color and grain pattern. Of course, all painted finishes will always match exactly. Q: Are any of your pieces available unfinished for do-it-yourselfers? Are any pieces available in kit form? A: Nearly all of our items are available in unfinished form for those who might like to apply their own special paint or stain color. The step stools and coat trees are currently available in kit form. Q: Are your pieces on display at local craft shows? A: Our craft show appearances are limited primarily because it is difficult and costly to obtain booth space large enough to display the work. However, we do enjoy participating in craft shows. It's always a pleasure to meet people who are interested in our products as well as other craftspeople who take the same great pride in their work as we do in ours. Q: Do you have a showroom where your pieces are on display? A: Our showroom is located at the front of the first floor of our shop building in North Hero. Feel free to contact us if you'd like to come for a visit. Q: How can we contact you? A: We are located on the island of North Hero (about thirty minutes north of Burlington) at 2621 US Route 2. Our phone number is (802) 372-6711. You can also e-mail us at info@BuiltinVermont.com Q: Do you have a mailing list? A: Yes, we do. We'd be happy to add your name and mailing information to it. New products are announced through our mailings, craft shows dates are listed, and special discounts are available.
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