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Handcrafted Furniture
Passionately created to exceed all expectations
We make beautiful, custom, handmade furniture for clients looking to elevate their living spaces and create more modernized functionality.
Whether it’s a stunning dining room table for your growing family, a kitchen remodel full of elegant and modernized kitchen cabinets, a functional mudroom bench system, or even a live-edge slab bar top for your entertainment area, the list of possibilities is absolutely endless! We help bring your dream “pins” and saved photos to life by talking, designing, and fabricating right alongside you.
Our operation here is very unique and rare compared to anyone else in the area or even in the state. We do every step of the process right here in our workshop. We not only build specialty furniture pieces but we actually take the logs that were harvested and saw them up into lumber right here onsite with our sawmill, which then go into our state-of-the-art vacuum kiln to dry, and then be used for building and custom fabrication.
Having our own sawmill, kiln, and then lumber inventory allows us to customize and enhance your projects well beyond normal capabilities. It gives us, and you as the client, the opportunity to find the exact pieces you would want or cut to detailed specifications based on what’s needed. It also allows us to control the quality to ensure that you’re getting the absolute best. We encourage our clients to visit our shop so that they can help hand-select the wood they want for their projects. There’s something very transformative and personal about seeing it all in person and physically getting your hands on it.
If you've been dreaming about upgrading your furniture and want something handmade that will last you a lifetime, we are here for you and ready to walk you through every step.
WHY CHOOSE US
We're a nerdy group of guys that build amazing furniture and tell even better dad jokes.
Expertise
Our professional team here might be small but we are blessed with a wide range of valuable skill sets and backgrounds that make us a well-balanced machine. Specialized carpentry, engineering, product design, lumber production, quality assurance, and communications are just a few examples of what our group provides.
Friendly Customer Experience
We take genuine pride in providing the happiest, most positive customer service with every person that interacts with our shop. We want to make sure that you feel like family the first instance you meet us so get ready to laugh and become best friends. You deserve to be treated like a VIP client and we're here to support you however you need.
Local Sourcing & Sustainability
We source almost our entire inventory of logs and lumber from local properties and businesses as part of our community support. We also try our best to utilize local artisans and skilled laborers for different supplies and products that we use here in our building procedures.
OUR PROCESS
How We Work With You
01. Brainstorm Meeting
We want to hear what you're thinking and dreaming about! Let's chat via phone, email, or in-person visit to discover what possibilities are before us. This is the perfect time to show off your Pinterest collection. We'll discuss different options, cost ideas, and timeframes.
02. Planning & Commitment
In this phase, we'll finalize all plans and details, propose final designs, agree on total costs and payment options, and then discuss expected timelines. Once all items are agreeable, we'll review and sign an official contract together. Congratulations! Now it's time to party!
03. Building Process
04. Finished Product
Time to get to work! Our team will start masterfully crafting your special piece and will patiently look ahead toward completion. We will periodically send you updates and pictures. As we near the end of the build, we'll be in contact about delivery/pickup, remaining payments, and other final steps.
The best part! Whether we're delivering, shipping, or arranging pickup, we'll ensure a smooth ending process. All final details will be crossed off the list and wrapped up. It's now time for you to see and start experiencing your custom piece!
COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS
Transform your work space and business environment into a functional and stunning experience.
Business furniture doesn't have to be boring, clunky, and predictable. Make your company stand out with a sleek and unique style that better represents your brand and vision. Show your employees and customers that you take your business seriously and can offer trendy, modern designs and more efficient functionality.
We build furniture and decor that make people stop in their tracks and say "Holy smokes, this is beautiful! Where did you get this?!" Most customers don't just come in for a product or service; it's about creating an entire experience that transplants them to another time and place. Let us help you create that incredible Wow-Factor and masterfully elevate your physical space.
COMMON BUSINESS INDUSTRIES & OPPORTUNITIES
Food Service
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Live-edge bar top
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Full custom bar
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Specialty dining tables
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Wooden bench seating
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Functional storage solutions
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Floating shelves
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Custom logo wall sign
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Faux beams and mantles
Corporate Office
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Custom executive desks
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Modernized reception desk
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Large live-edge slab conference table
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Waiting room coffee tables
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Functional storage solutions
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Floating shelves
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Employee Room Kitchenette
Hospitality
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Modernized reception desk
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Wooden seating options
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Waiting room end tables
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Custom bedroom furniture
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Upscale kitchens
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Functional storage solutions
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Bathroom vanities
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Custom logo wall sign
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the average lead time for a custom piece of furniture? For smaller projects, such as bar tops, end tables, floating shelves, etc. the usual lead time is around 4-6 weeks. For larger projects, such as dining tables, entertainment centers, bunk beds, etc. the usual lead time is around 8-12 weeks. For kitchen builds, it can vary quite a bit depending on size, inclusions, etc. so we handle those projects more on a situation by situation basis. Usually around 12-16 weeks for average number sake. The same goes for commercial projects as well. *Please note that lead times for any project can certainly vary depending on project list, season, install work, and much more.
2) Do you offer delivery or shipping? Yes! We can ship nationally anywhere in the U.S. and our standard delivery range is within 4 hours driving distance of Bellwood, PA. Although, we handle each project separately, so that distance may increase or decrease depending on various factors. Both options require additional fees and will be discussed up front when navigating ideas and contract discussions.
3) What species of wood do you build with? This is a great question and one that can certainly vary. Every project is different and every design brings different options. We use a wide variety of wood, such as white oak, walnut, cherry, red oak, hickory, or other common hardwoods. We even use certain exotic woods depending on vision and possibilities. This is a step we carefully discuss with each client during the initial phases and walk you through some of the best options based on your specific project.
4) How do you handle payments for custom projects? Our standard operating procedure for custom building is to collect 50% of your total at the signing of contract and the remaining 50% upon completion. For larger projects, particularly full kitchen builds and larger commercial projects, we offer customizable, tiered payment plans based on a number of factors.
5) Can I visit your workshop before or during a project? Absolutely! We encourage every client to visit with us at our shop. It's a great opportunity to see the operation in person, experience the wood products that we are using, and if the visit is timed during a custom build for you specifically, then you'll be able to see the progress first hand. We've found that visits like that only enhance the client experience as it gives a much deeper connection to the piece itself as well as the entire process. Schedule a visit with us!
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Is a vacuum kiln really more efficient than other conventional kilns? We can't say YES enough to this question! Wildly superior and more efficient, it's not even a question. This specific vacuum and heating method dries wood up to 10 times faster than conventional methods. The resulting product is beautiful and prestine, free from much warping, cupping, pests, rot, decay and even discoloration often found in dehumidification and strictly air-drying methods. Vacuum kiln drying is the new and modernized science!
2) What kind of wood can you dry in a kiln? Just about every species and option you can think of! Hardwoods, softwoods, slabs, dimensional lumber, cookies, etc., we have you covered!
3) What exactly is a board foot? A board foot is different than a traditional linear foot that we measure everything else with. A board foot is 12" long x 12" wide x 1" thick. It's a commonly used measurement in the lumber and woodworking world but one that's very easy to calculate. Here's a simple equation for a specific board: Take the feet in inches x width in inches x thickness in inches, divided by 144. Example: Let's say you have a board that's 8' long, 24" wide, and 2.5" thick. We'll mutiply 96" x 24" x 2.5 and then /144 to get 40 board feet.
4) What is moisture content and how is it accurately measured? Moisture content in wood is simply referring to how much water is in a piece of wood, both in the sapwood (outer part) and in the heartwood (middle core part). There are a lot of different moisture meters out there, some being much more accurate than others. We use a meter that has a pin hammer, allowing us to test deeper in the wood, giving us a super accurate reading. Our goal with the kiln is to obviously reduce the moisture content to help keep your boards straight and even, while preserving the characteristics and adding more protection from decay, pests, etc.
5) Does my wood need to air dry before being kiln dried? It certainly depends. We typically air dry most of the wood we cut and mill ourselves but we've also put wood directly into our kiln after cutting it down. Ideally, we like to get the moisture content below 25% before putting it in the kiln. It's not technically necessary to air dry but it can definitely help the kiln process and lowering the risk of any negative movement or wood reaction. An general rule for air drying is that it will take on average 1 year per 1 inch board thickness. If you are air drying, your wood should be symmetrically stacked with stickers in between each level, raised off the ground, and weighted down for even pressure.
6) What is the ideal moisture content for woodworking projects? A general goal for lower moisture content is 8-12%. For fine woodworking and premium furniture making, the moisture content should be around 6-8%. In our kiln drying process here at Timber Bear, we try to get our average moisture content to 7% when drying, unless previously discussed with clients. Every region, town, and house are going to have different environments that will allow or not allow for certain moisture percentages. Wherever your wood ends up, it will equalize based on the surroundings. It's recommended that your kiln dried wood should be stored in a climate controlled area to ensure moisture stability and protection.
7) How can I get my wood to and from your facility? Great question! You can either bring the wood to our facility yourself, when scheduled, or we can potentially come pick up and re-deliver your wood for an additional fee.
8) What should I do with my wood once it's properly kiln dried? This is such an important question to plan for. As soon as you get your lumber back, you're ready to start making things with it! If you plan on using the wood for furniture making or premium projects, you'll want to make sure to keep it stored indoors and in a more climate controlled environment, particlarly with lower humidity. The moisture content of the wood will eventually stabilize based on its surrounding environment so the more regulated that is, the better! Keeping it neatly and symmetrically stacked will help maintain shape and prevent unwanted movement. Storing somewhere away from bugs and unnecessary moisture is always recommended whenever possible, as well. Good luck with your projects!
