Hand-crafted Amish wood furniture is famous for its beauty as well as its durability. The high quality of Amish-made furniture is a result of their traditional hand-crafting techniques and refusal to take any shortcuts in the crafting process.
If you have ever wanted to learn more about the Amish way of crafting wood furniture, here are some key features of their technique.
The Workshop
An Amish wood crafting workshop runs entirely off of hydraulic, pneumatic and hand-powered energy instead of electricity. Large pulley and belt systems are used to power saws and drills efficiently, creating the same degree of control that you would see in an electrical system.
More care and attention can be paid to each piece of wood than you would see in a factory setting. Traditional methods of selecting the best pieces of wood individually based on their grain and tone are passed down through the generations within the community. By purchasing an Amish piece of furniture, you can be sure you are getting a piece that has passed a craftsmans personal quality standards.
Wood Joining Techniques
In many cases, traditional wood and glue joints are used in the construction of Amish furniture instead of wood screws. The type of joint that is used is selected by the craftsman depending on the specific application of the joint. When perpendicular boards need to be joined with the strongest bond possible, such as in cabinet drawers, most craftsman will choose a dovetail joint.
Mortise and tenon joinery is commonly used by craftsmen to create the joint between the seat and back of furniture. This type of joint is difficult to create with factory machinery, and it heavily contributes to the long-lasting durability of hand-crafted Amish furniture.
Styles
Amish furniture comes in a number of different styles that all share the same quality and durability. The Shaker style is that which most people associate with Amish furniture. It is a style that focuses on utility, eschewing all types of inlays and ornamentation that are not necessary for the furniture function. The result is a minimal design that displays the quality of the wood.
You can also find Amish furniture that is very ornamental by design. The Queen Anne style, modeled by the decorative furniture used in Britain in the early 18th century, make generous use of curved forms and C-scrolls for a decorative look.
If you are interested in owning authentic Amish furniture, you can find several sites on the Web that partner with Amish craftsmen and can ship high-quality pieces directly from their workshop.