Introducing a New Rustic Furniture Collection: The Cedar Lake Collection

We are all very excited here at JHE's Log Furniture Place to exclusively debut our new collection of log furniture.  With this collection we decided our goal was to combine the best of the best while offering the collection at a competitive price.  What we have ended up with is our Cedar Lake collection, a line of log furniture that will simply take your breath away when you lay your eyes on it.
The Unique Aged Cedar Logs
We started by locally sourcing the cedar logs from friends and associates.  For the cedar logs we wanted as much character as possible so we found logs that were naturally aged.  What we were able to find were a lot of dead standing cedar trees and cedar trees that had been cut down by farmers and stored in barns.  There the trees were left to sit allowing nature herself to age the logs.  The naturally aged cedar logs are thusly rich in character and many will feature beetle marks, burls, gnarls and other rustic character.
When the logs are brought to our factory we set out hand peeling the logs.  Hand peeling is not a fancy name for a machine peeler of some sort.  Literally we dig our fingers in under the bark separating the bark up off of the log enough to get a better grip in the hand and then the bark is peeled away.  It is a very labor intensive and time consuming process, but the end result are amazingly beautiful logs that have their outer bark stripped away while having areas of cambium, or inner bark, left on.  This hand peeling process ensures that the logs keep as much of their uniqueness as possible.  The cambium also adds some color to the whitish hue that Northern White Cedar has.
After the hand peeling process the logs are brought in to the drying room, where a large wood burning furnace, or kiln, dries the logs.  During this kiln drying process a good percent of the moisture that was left in the logs is removed.  The escaping moisture is what creates the checking in the logs.  More about checking can be read in our article here:  Checking and Cracking.
The Log Beds in the Cedar Lake Collection

The log beds you will find in our Cedar Lake Collection are going to range from the classic log bed style to more unique styles.  Select skilled builders, or log furniture artisan if you will, will carefully construct each and every lodge bed.
Since all of the logs are vastly different the building process cannot be automated. The specialized builders will sort through the logs patiently and carefully while envisioning your log bed in their mind’s eye.  After they have found the complementing logs needed to create the rustic masterpiece they envision they will then lay the logs out and will start constructing your cabin style bed by hand.  Bends, beetle tracks, twigs, splits, forks, checking, arches, burls and knots – all of these natural markings on the logs come into consideration in the placement and construction of your log bed.  The most unique markings are placed in the most visible areas when possible on your log bed ensuring that your rustic bed is a unique piece of art.
This process is repeated for each and every bed in our Cedar Lake Collection, whether you choose the Original Log Bed, the Super Spindle Log Bed, the Flat Top Spindle Log Bed, the Original Canopy Bed, the Leaning Ladder Bunk Bed, the original Bunk Bed, headboards etc. etc.

The Log Chests, Rustic Dressers and Cabin Style Nightstands in the Cedar Lake Collection
We decided to create two lines of rustic chests, log dressers and log nightstands in our Cedar Lake Collection.  Both lines feature solid construction with smooth rolling drawers.  Both lines are built to become your family’s rustic heirlooms. Both lines feature solid tops with a natural edge.  Solid?!  Yes, solid…
We looked around at a lot of the cedar furniture being sold, and found that the most popular and best selling rustic cedar furniture lines use plywood with veneer for the sides and the tops.  The tops are typically a thinner piece of furniture grade plywood with a log edging to make it appear thick.  These tops look great… but rustic furniture to me should be real.  It should be solid, it should be built to withstand lifetimes of use and abuse.  So we decided to go with a real top, a thick and solid top that will last lifetimes.  The tops feature natural edges on two sides.  These natural edges are often wavy and add a lot of character to the furniture.  The two non natural edges are hand draw knifed and can be lightly fired with a blow torch, if desired, to add even more color and unique character.
The Cedar Lake Logger line is a heavy, extremely rustic, naturally beautiful line.  As you will soon see we built this line with no holds barred.
The logger line features drawers with strong and durable full-extension drawer glides.  Yes, I said full-extension.  These smooth and silent roller bearing glides open effortlessly and allow you to pull the drawer open completely.  We continued with the logger line and built half log drawer fronts – not the typical one log makes a drawer – no, we combined multiple logs to create uniquely beautiful drawer fronts.  The drawers turned out so good that we decided to create the sides of the logger chests, dressers and nightstands with logs also.  Now you can see why we called this line the logger line!  For the drawer pulls we decided to use authentic drawer handles to accentuate the look of the log trim.
We stood back and were pleased and satisfied with the result of our logger collection.  We then brought others in to get opinions and soon found that although everyone appreciated the unique look, not everyone would want a no-holds barred piece of rustic furniture in their home.  Thus we created the second line of rustic case goods in our Cedar Lake collection.
The second line features the same thick and solid natural edge tops, the same solid construction, but we toned down the look by creating the sides of the rustic dressers, cabin style chests and rustic night stands with tongue and groove.  The tongue and groove sides give a cabin wall look.  We then used our extremely rustic logs on the corners for legs and decided to offer the drawer fronts in a flat front style or a half log style.  For the drawer slides we switched to smooth gliding euro-glides.   Now everyone was happy and we could move on to designing dining room and living room furniture!
Log Dining Tables, Half Log Benches, and Comfortable Rustic Log Dining Chairs
With the rustic dining room furniture we decided to start with the dining chairs.  We figured what point is it to have a nice solid log dining table if you don’t have a comfortable chair to sit in at it?  We used this same thought in our outdoor log furniture collection - the Contoured Comfort collection.  Our outdoor log furniture is known for comfort, for the ability to hug and curve the natural contours of your body.  We were not going to stop until we had duplicated this sense of comfort in a rustic elegant dining chair.
Yes, we know a lot of companies are charging more for upgrading their dining chair to a comfortable log dining chair.  I don’t like to nickel and dime our customers.  You know what you want, why should you have to upgrade and upgrade just to get it?  It should come standard in my opinion.  So our log dining chairs come standard with a comfortable seat.  Not only a comfortable seat, I should also mention that we spent a lot of time on the comfort of the back as well.  You can lean back in your chair and relax after eating your meal, or while trying to mask your face while holding pocket aces, all comfortably and naturally.
Now that we had the comfortable log dining chairs it was time to create the center piece of the dining room, the dining table.  A dining table top goes through a lot of abuse, unintentional or intentional a dining table top needs to be solid and durable.
Here again we found a lot of cabin dining tables using a thin wood with veneer with a log edging to give the appearance of being thick.  I’m sure these tables are fine for showpieces – for those with dining rooms that will only be used for the Holidays.  But why not have a rustic dining table that is not only an elegantly beautiful showpiece, but also a strong and durable log dining table as well?  Thus we drew design after design, constructed prototype after prototype, trying to hit that fine line of beauty and rustic.
What we ended up with, funnily enough, is the same style of top that we use on our rustic dressers and chests.  The natural edge gives a natural beauty, like looking at a tree.  The thick and solid top can take beatings from kids without worry.  Any dents in the top will only add to the rustic look of the dining table without taking away from the rustic sophistication.
Cedar Lake Collection Log Sofas, Rustic Easy Chairs and Other Log Living Room furniture
The living room was quite a bit easier to design.  We had learned our lesson with the dining tables and knew we could use the same tops for our log coffee tables.  We also wanted to add a second option of table styles in the living room though, so we gathered inspiration from our logger line of bedroom furniture.  We took half logs and joined them together side by side creating a flat top and a unique log bottom.
Our rustic living room seating includes log sofas, log futons, log easy chairs and log love seats.  We wanted to set our cabin style living room furniture apart from all the others.  What we decided to do was to add to the classic rustic log style by adding leather capped arms.  These softly padded arm pieces are added to the tops of the arms with nailhead trim, adding an elegant sophisticated look to your cabin furniture.
Comfort is, in my opinion, the most important feature in a piece of furniture.  Especially living room furniture where one tends to sit the most.  Thus we spent a great amount of time designing the seat cushion supports, finding the most comfortable angle of the back, and of course creating the most comfortable yet durable cushions.  I'm quite pleased to say that though our log living room furniture looks rustic... it seats luxuriously

Information & Benefits of Northern White Cedar

Northern White Cedar has many benefits and is very popular for log furniture because of its many aesthetic and molecular advantages. The USDA Forestry Division ranks it as one of the best woods to use in exterior building. Northern White Cedar has the lowest shrinkage factor, lowest moisture content, and requires very little maintenance. Northern White Cedar is one of the most versatile woods available. In fact, Northern White Cedar is one of only three woods allowed by National BOCA Code to be used to build a deck or porch without pressure treating for rot, decay, fungi, and wood infesting insects.

Northern White Cedar is one of only a few woods that can be used for outdoor log furniture instead of pressure treated lumber because of its long life, durability, stability, and resistance to rot, insects, and fungi.

Northern White Cedar is produced in the greatest quantities in Canada, Maine, and the Great Lake States. Although it is a difficult tree to harvest, its many aesthetic and structural advantages make up for this.

Northern White Cedar grows in damp swampland and can be harvested only when the winter's chill freezes the ground sufficiently to support the weight of the loggers and their heavy equipment. Even with the most determined effort and the longest winter, loggers manage to fell barely half the Northern White Cedar trees that are ready to harvest each year.

Northern White Cedar is an extremely slow growing tree with very tight growth rings. The trees that are mostly harvested are from 25 - 75 years old. The cedar wood is one of the most versatile. It is nearly impervious to insects, rot, and fungi. It requires little maintenance, it is easy to handle, dimensionally stable, and as durable as it is beautiful. The heartwood is light brown, and the sapwood is thin and white.

Northern White Cedar is a superior choice for log furniture because of its beauty, practicality, and durability. The Northern White Cedar used in log furniture is a creamy white color that gracefully weathers to a silver-gray color when left out in the sun. Cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insect damage. Because of this, cedar log furniture can be used indoors or out, and may be left completely unfinished, treated with protectants, even stained or painted. Whether finished or not, each piece of log furniture will be a durable, beautiful addition to any home, cabin, outdoor setting or garden.

The information above was provided by our knowledge as well as our friends at Timber Ridge Furniture

Appreciate the Value of Log Beds

Appreciating the beauty of log beds depends purely upon the way you view log furniture. If you are someone who loves log furniture, then the mere mention of beds would conjure up the image of a log bed in your mind.

Log beds are beautifully handcrafted beds which can be woven into elaborate patterns which help in providing support. Log beds make for a tremendous value addition to any kind of bedroom, be it big or small. These beds can make you feel one with nature. These beds are strong and sturdy and its construction quality allows for a peaceful sleep. Now you can spend time with your children sitting on the bed itself. Even your children can also enjoy play fighting on these beds. You can even let them enjoy jumping up and down the bed. The high quality of the wood ensures that your log beds remain strong forever. No wonder then, log beds make for an excellent long term investment.

The warmth of a log bed radiates the entire bed room. It makes for a perfect gift for any newly weds. A log bed helps in creating a cozy and comfortable atmosphere in your bedroom. So, take time out today itself and buy something which will remain with you for a very long time.

When you are purchasing a log bed, make sure that you get a top quality product made up of the right kind of wood. There are different kinds of wood used in the making of log beds. These woods come in different colors and texture. Log beds can be made by using pine, aspen, oak and other such high quality wood. Whatever be the kind of wood you may use, the one thing that is guaranteed is an uninterrupted and comfortable sleep.

Truth, Honesty and Log Furniture

Truth is not something that comes to mind when you think of the furniture in your home, or pieces that you have yet to purchase. Yet, it is a dominate issue in most home furnishings on the market today. Truth is what you look for in the company you purchase your log furniture online from.   You won’t find a cheap, tawdry, sugar-coated piece of particle board anywhere in the main construction of handmade log furniture on our site. We know that truth and trust go hand in hand and we only place products on our site that we know will reflect the quality JHE's is associated with.  There unfortunately are online companies more interested in making a buck than quality and truth.  They may brag about a large selection and offer extremely low prices - but look beneath the exterior.  Read reviews about the site, check the BBB, the Web of Trust, etc.  This is your log furniture.  Pride of craftsmanship and the purity of natural wood is essential and promising when you live with log furniture in any room of your home.

The inferior particleboard is well disguised in some finer brands of furniture, as long as you don’t move it much. Every time you move particleboard furniture, the structure is just a bit more compromised. Log furniture, being made of 100% solid wood, not chips and sawdust glued together, is the type of home furnishings investment that is built to withstand the test of time. There are many pieces of log furniture built over a century ago that are still in great shape and under daily use today.

The natural beauty of the wood is allowed to remain in all pieces of log furniture. There is no attempt to cover up the pureness that Mother Nature has built into every log and planed board. Many pieces of log furniture made attractive ornamental use of the bark to add character and originality. For a more rustic look in your home décor bark intact portions of these beautiful pieces denotes a stronger presence of nature within the home.

Log furniture is safe for the environment. It will not remain clogging the earth’s landfills for hundreds of years like plastic will. Not that anyone would want to dump these lovely home furnishings, quite the contrary. Unlike cheap plastic furniture, log furniture is comfortable to live with and easily becomes instant heirlooms that will be ready to grace the next generation’s nest in fine style when the time comes. One could never expect such long lasting use from any type of particleboard furniture.

Removing plastic and vinyl furniture from the interior of your home is a big step towards embracing and reconnecting with nature. Log furniture is 100% natural and exudes warmth and charm no mass manufactured furniture could hope to convey. No two pieces of log furniture are an exact duplicate of the last. There will always be a variety of unique personality and singular character to furnishings that are built to play up the natural beauty found in each piece of wood.

The openness and honesty of log furniture makes your home an inviting place where relaxing is easy and comes over you quite naturally the moment you enter and shut the chaotic world out. It will be far simpler to allow your own unique style and personality reign in a home outfitted with log furniture in every room. Contemporary, traditional or eclectic, every fabric color is at home on the true, pure colors of natural wood. Timeless charm isn’t trendy; the style is ageless and uplifting. The handmade quality of log furniture is as honest as the day is long.

How To Care for Your Log Furniture

Log furniture is becoming more and more popular, not just in cabins and resorts but in homes and apartments as well.  The natural rustic look of log furniture is very popular because the look is soothing and relaxing.  Finishing log furniture can change the appearance slightly but it is still going to look like the same beautiful rustic log piece that it did before.  Finishing your log furniture will benefit you in the long run.

We recommend finishing your rustic furniture because wood is a porous material.  It will easily absorb the oils and dirt in our hands leaving stains on your furniture.  Hands get dirty very easily, no matter how many times a day they are washed.  Dresser handles, door handles, footboards, anything that comes in contact with your skin can stain requiring you to wash the unfinished log furniture regularly to keep the stains from becoming permanent.  A finish on the log furniture will prevent oils and dirt from absorbing into the wood.

Outdoor Log Furniture

Northern White Cedar (Outdoor Log Furniture) and Western Red Cedar (Arches & Arbors) are some one of the most sought-after woods for many outdoor uses.  It is a fine grained durable wood, naturally pitch-free and resistant to rot and insects.  These qualities combine to make cedar a top choice for carefree living.

Before you start in making a choice of finishes, decide what effect you wish to achieve.  One of the positive characteristics of cedar is its ability to accept a wide range of finishes.  Although it does not require finishing for protection, a properly applied finish will enhance the beauty and life of a cedar piece.

• Untreated Pine: Finish outdoor pine furniture as quickly as possible.


• Untreated Cedar: Left untreated, Both Western Red and Northern White Cedar will weather to a beautiful soft silver-gray color similar to driftwood.  See the following picture for an example of weathered Northern White Cedar.

Although untreated cedar is natural and pleasing, it must be understood that cedar wood is a porous material and, over the long term, will need care to minimize surface problems.  In many cases where untreated cedar sits in a damp or shaded area, the wood may become discolored with mildew.

How To Clean Your Unfinished Log Furniture

A 20 percent solution of household bleach in water with one ounce of detergent per gallon will usually remove the stain.  Even after years of exposure, cedar can be refinished to a bright, clean appearance with this solution.  A high pressure water sprayer will also help to remove the weathered color effects.

Finishing Your Log Furniture

• Stain Finishing: There are a wide variety of penetrating stains, many of which retain much of the wood's natural color and texture while adding a protective element.  For outdoor use we recommend the outdoor stains/finishes that include water repellent additives, mildew inhibitors (mildicides), and UV inhibitors.  Penetrating stains go into the wood without forming a surface barrier so avoid the problems of blistering and peeling of painted surfaces.  They work well on wood with knots and deep surface texture.

• Paints: Before deciding to paint cedar, it must be realized that the natural color and grain of the wood will be concealed.  If you choose to paint, apply the product according to the manufacturer's directions for the best protection and good service.  A good alternative to paint is a stain that has been pigmented with the color you want.  This will give the look of painted cedar log with the protection of an outdoor finish.

Outdoor Log Furniture Finish Options

You have the option of ordering the Contoured Comfort and Nature's Twist log furniture pieces with an outdoor finish on our website:  JHE's Log Furniture Place.  When you do so your pieces of log furniture will go through a multi-coat finishing process.  This in-depth process will insure that all parts of the logs are coated with our outdoor stain/finish.  Our outdoor stains will protect the wood against harmful UV rays and have an anti-mildew agent built in.  As with all outdoor stains and finishes, the outdoor stains will need to be reapplied over time.  Depending on the weather/climate the stain could last one year to five plus years – it varies with all the different climates the log furniture could be in.  You may use any type of outdoor sealant to refinish your furniture as desired.  The outdoor stain/finish that we use has been pigmented with a slight color to provide a finish that brings out the natural highlights of the cedar wood.  Here is an example of our Contoured Comfort 4 ft Love Seat, Coffee Table, and Rocking Chair made by our co-owned factory Lakeland Mills, Inc finished in our cedar tone finish:

Pine log outdoor furniture should be finished as soon as possible to ensure a long life out of the wood as pine does not have all of the characteristics that cedar has.

Indoor Rustic Furniture Care

Indoor log furniture that has been finished needs virtually no extra care. Just a dusting as needed.  If you would like to keep your rustic furniture unfinished we recommend washing the wood regularly with a mild wood soap to keep dirt and oils from the skin from permanently staining the logs and wood.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.  Our toll free number is (877) LOG FURN (564-3876).

This article has been written for JHE's Log Furniture Place and for my blog.  It is not authorized to be copied and used on any competitor website without a link back to us.

Understand Checking - Cracking - in Logs

We have all seen the checking that occurs in round logs, heavy timbers, utility poles, and log furniture.  Checking is a natural occurrence in wood components that contain the pith, or center of a tree. But what is the cause?  Checking, or the process of the logs cracking, happens as wood releases moisture, and normally occurs across or through the annual growth rings. It is the usual result of wood seasoning.   Wood shrinks twice as much in the tangential direction as it does in the radial direction. This can be observed in the amount of shrinkage that occurs in individual pieces of wood cut from trees. But, whenever concentric circles (continuous growth rings) occur in wood, the circumference of those circles (tangential orientation) shrinks twice as much as does the diameter (radial direction). Since the circumference is shrinking at twice the rate as the diameter, something has to give.

One way to visualize how the difference between tangential and radial shrinkage causes checking in logs is to consider the concentric growth rings. The line formed by each growth ring is basically a series of tangent lines, or, one continuous tangent line (in a manner of speaking). As a log dries, the length of each growth ring will shorten by a proportionate amount (tangential shrinkage). But even though the growth rings are shortening, the overall log diameter shrinks at a lesser rate (radial shrinkage). Stresses build up, and checks occur.

How big will the checks become? It depends on the location within the log. The larger diameter outer rings shrink more than the inner rings, since they all lose a percentage of their overall length. Thus, the checks in smaller logs are narrower than the checks in larger diameter logs, just as checks are narrower the closer one gets to the pith.  Whenever continuous growth rings exist, the tangential versus radial shrinkage stresses will cause checking. Can checking be prevented in round wood?  Not really.

So why do boards not check while logs do?  Well, individual boards cut from logs usually do not contain the pith, so these boards will not check during drying. Those boards that do contain the pith will typically check only on one side.

It is important to know that we dry our wood in a large heated room for months to ensure that 99% of all “checking” is already done.  All logs are stress tested before they enter production to ensure that they will hold up to the test of weight and time.  This way when we package your log furniture you will know that you will not have to worry about the durability of the log furniture.  Not all companies do this, but you can rest assured that all rustic furniture found on our site goes through this rigorous testing process.  Your safety and satisfaction is of most importance to us.

Checking occurs mainly on the surface of the wood and does not affect the structural performance or integrity of the wood. This natural process adds to the uniqueness of the pieces and lends it that certain rustic appeal that has become so popular in home and garden decor. The degree of checking will vary from product to product and from log to log.  Checking can range from very slight slivers of cracks to larger cracks running the full length of the log to the pith (middle of the log) of the wood. In either case this checking is completely normal and in no way affects the integrity of the wood or the strength of the furniture.

Information above provided by our knowledge and by Merrimac Quality Log Homes.  Pictures below are of a couple pieces of my outdoor log furniture

Rustic Furniture, Perfect for any Home

Rustic furniture is a classification of log furniture, which is made up of constructed pieces of select  timber. It is specially designed to have a ‘pioneer’ appearance as every piece is slightly different. Log furniture in general is long lasting and very durable. In the olden days, log furniture was much more common as people used it to decorate both their homes and work places. Even though modern furniture pieces are more common in homes today, the durability of log furniture is still unrivaled.

Due to the durability, the timeless look, and the eco-friendly construction of log furniture, more and more people are decorating their homes with rustic furniture.  You don't have to own or live in a log cabin to enjoy rustic log furniture.  It is very easy to turn a room into a relaxing back to nature retreat with just a few pieces of rustic furniture.  A bedroom, for example, can become your nightly escape.  With the sweet smell of cedar or the unique twists and burl design of juniper or Aspen, there is nothing quite like being surrounded by the soothing sight and smell of nature and rustic furniture.

A great attribute of rustic furniture is that each piece is handcrafted to give a beautiful and welcoming appearance to any home or workplace. Additionally, this type of furniture can be designed to your liking, if you choose to take the custom route. As part of the process, the carpenter making the furniture must procure fine pieces of logs in order to achieve the best results. Rustic furniture is made using different methodologies. In most cases, it is custom made and therefore it would take a lot of time to prepare a piece of furniture if you were to do it yourself.

Moreover, it is not cost-effective for most people to make their own log furniture. It is an expensive process without the right tools and expertise. The mortise and tenon method is commonly used to provide strength to each piece of furniture. Log beds, for example, are some of the strongest bed frames you can find to date. They are made using the finest pieces of logs. Even kings and other officials used to have log beds in their homes. This was when rustic furniture was considered a symbol of wealth. However, since then, with improvements to efficiency of construction, rustic furniture can be affordable through the right supplier.

There are many websites online which sell a vast assortment of log furniture at an affordable rate. Compare pricing, style, and overall customer service when choosing your rustic furniture. Then order your soon-to-be new favorite piece of furniture. Any piece of rustic furniture can be shipped directly to your home, thus allowing for a fine piece of craftsmanship without much effort.

Rustic beds are a popular choice of log furniture. There are different types of rustic beds out there, in different shapes and sizes. They are truly beautiful and will catch the attention of any person who visits your home. They are strong and will sustain the weight of a person without difficulty.

Cedar vs Pine, Which is Better?

For indoor rustic furniture cedar and pine are both a fine choice.  In fact we mix pine and cedar in many of our rustic dressers, chests, nightstands, desks, bookcases, etc. Pine will be used for the framing while Cedar is used as trim and handles. The cedar (Northern White Cedar) and pine (White Pine) that we use are extremely similar in color allowing this mixing of wood types. The main difference between the two is Cedar will tend to have more knots and streaks of color in the grain.

All of the log beds from JHE's Log Furniture Place whether they are made of White Cedar, Red Cedar, Pine, Aspen, Hickory, or Barn Wood all are extremely strong. So pick out the bed whose style you like the most and rest assured that any log or rustic bed you purchase from JHE's will last a lifetime.

For outdoor log furniture, unfinished Cedar will last longer than unfinished Pine. Cedar is known for being naturally resistant to decay and most insects and thus is one of the best woods to use outdoors. When left unfinished Cedar will weather to a silvery gray color.  Pine, when regularly treated with an outdoor protective sealant, will also last for quite a few years outdoors. So again, choose the style that you like with the upkeep of the furniture in mind.   One of the reasons we carry so many different styles of rustic furniture is so that you will find the style that fits your tastes.

Differences in our Log Furniture Collections

A question we are asked quite often is what are the differences in our log furniture collections and why do some take longer to receive than others.  Today I am going to explain the differences in the logs that are used in these rustic collections.  This will give you an idea as to why some collections take longer than others.

On our site we feature various log furniture collections and styles.  These styles range from simple log styles to intricate gnarly log styles.

The simple log furniture styles (like our Hidden Lake, Ozark and Rustic Natural Cedar collections) use logs that have been machine doweled.  This process involves placing a log into a machine which sands it down until it is smooth and uniform in size.  From here the furniture making process can be automated fairly quickly since all the parts will be the same size.

We then move a step up to our Rustic Lakeland and North Woods collections. In the Rustic Lakeland collection logs are German peeled.  The German peeling process is the process of rotating the logs against a wheel of spinning blades.  The blades will peel off the bark and it leaves the logs relatively smooth - yet the knife marks in the logs are visible and the log retains it's natural shape.  In the North Woods line the logs are hand draw knifed.  The draw knife process is done by hand using a drawknife tool.  The craftsmen will draw a the knife down the log removing the bark.  This process leaves a very clean looking log with a unique knife pattern.  Once the logs are peeled the log furniture is then able to manufactured pretty easily and quickly.

Moving another step forward we come to the Montana and Wilderness collections.  These rustic furniture collections are skip peeled.  Skip-peeling does not remove all of the inner bark.  A skip-peeled log will show patches of the interior bark producing a more rustic look.  Skip peeling can be viewed as an art.  It sounds simple just removing some bark, but the skip peeler or 'log artist' must visualize each log to envision where the patches will accentuate the furniture the most.  Once the skip peeling is complete the construction of the furniture can again move fairly quickly.

Stepping further into the rustic realm we come to our Cedar Lake, Aspen, Red Cedar, Cottage, Cabin Creek, Nature's Twist and Heritage collections.   These lines will take longer due to all the extra labor and time that goes into the manufacturing process.  The logs that are used in these collections are hand peeled aged dead standing trees and/or logs that have aged in barns for multiple years.  The hand peeling process is done by physically taking the outer bark in hand and pulling/peeling it off of the log.  This labor intensive process leaves the logs completely natural looking with their unique shapes - gnarls from tree limbs, burls and beetle tracks all remain visible.  The logs will be very rustic looking with patches of cambium (the inner bark) left from the peeling process, the beetle trails and occasional surface rot from the aging.  From here the rustic furniture is made piece by piece.  Since all the logs are all vastly different this process cannot be automated.   In this process the 'artists' are the specialized builders who sort through the logs while envisioning the final piece, creating it in their mind, then finding the complementing pieces that will make your finished rustic furniture truly one of a kind.  Bends, beetle tracks, twigs, splits, forks, arches, burls and knots - all of these natural markings on the logs - come into consideration in the placement and construction on your piece of log furniture.

Is Log Furniture Green?

Today I'm going to talk about the conception that the makers of log furniture and rustic furniture are hurting the environment.  In all actuality this is the furthest from the truth.  Our factory and the manufacturers that we work with are in my opinion some of the 'greenest' people in the rustic furniture business.   I would even go so far to say that we/they are the 'greenest' people in the whole furniture business - rustic and modern.

How can I say such a thing?  Well let's look and see where our logs come from.  At our factory we use the leftover logs from the log cabin industry.  They use the larger lower parts of the trees and we use the tops that are too small for them to use.  The logs that would normally go to waste.  For our more rustic line of log furniture - our Cedar Lake collection - we use dead standing trees and aged logs.  Our friends and associates also practice the same techniques as us.  Those who create the beautiful reclaimed barn wood you see on our site gather their wood from old barns - usually 100+ years old - reusing what would have gone to waste.  I don't believe modern furniture companies can claim the same.

You can't go through a day without hearing something about the environment.  If the earth friendly activists would stop for a moment and really look into what furniture is actually eco-friendly I believe that you would see a lot more log furniture out in the world.  I can only imagine how word would spread.  Log Benches in waiting rooms and in foyers of large companies.  Log dining tables in your workplace break room and in restaurants.  Rustic vanities in bathrooms.  Log beds and rustic dressers in hotels and motels.  The list would go on and on.  It would create a demand for rustic furniture that would send prices soaring!

Rustic Furniture Showroom

We get asked quite often if we have a showroom.  The answer is yes, we do!  Our showroom is located by our factory in Edmore, MI.  We have on display (when we keep it in stock) our Contoured Comfort collection outdoor cedar log furniture line and our indoor rustic furniture lines Rustic Lakeland (featuring log beds - including low post beds, canopy beds, daybeds and futons - and rustic log living room furniture), Lakeland Cabin (featuring rustic bedroom furniture - including dressers, nightstands and chests), and our newest Cedar Lake and premium Cedar Lake Logger lines (featuring very rustic cedar log beds, dressers and bedroom casegoods, bathroom vanities, dining tables and chairs, sofas, chairs and loveseats and so much more!).  We also have prototypes, seconds, and some miscellaneous furniture on sale as well.

Our showroom is open Monday through Friday 9am - 5pm and on Sundays with an appointment.