Frequently asked questions

Whilst the name of each is a give-away, it is important to choose your board based on what you want to do with it.  A serving or charcuterie board is for just that, serving food.  Serving boards are often a blend of materials and have surface treatments that are tough so long as nothing sharp is used on them. 

Cutting boards are for cutting and chopping.  Often they are nice to look at, but utility is their main purpose.  A chopping board is usually hard wood (like Jarrah or Mountain Gum), preferably end grain, and treated with an oil that is easy to replenish. 

We offer a range of options for both cutting boards and serving board and have multiple varieties of timber in stock for your consideration.

From a simple polished board with a basic handle, through to a multi piece end grain board out of a variety of timbers.

Cost is an important factor when buying any piece of furniture.

If you’re on a budget, then something you can put together with an Allen key is handy, albeit with questionable longevity.

But those pieces rarely have any special features and you can be sure there are 1000’s more exactly the same.  And often these offerings are not significantly cheaper than a ‘one off’ piece.

Custom made furniture on the other hand, gives you a unique piece that can be handed down to the next generation without the need to decipher instructions.

And it doesn’t have to be expensive.

A simple custom-made piece can be both beautiful and affordable.

And because most of our indoor pieces are predominantly timber, they are all unique.

Real timber is of course a tactile material and will elicit a much deeper response than particle or fibre board.

It is difficult to say definitively which material is best, however to help you make a decision here are some things to consider.

Metal sculptures tend to last longer in extreme outdoor environments, maintaining their initial appearance for longer. Couple that with the current generation of paints and finishes and the ‘as new’ look can be had for a long time.  Conversely a rusting piece has a natural beauty that many prefer.

Timber on the other hand will age and move. Even with oil or polyurethane treatments.  Epoxy and fiberglass can be used to make timber look fresh for a long time, however this is an option that adds time and expense.  The soft grey of exposed timber is a nice addition to any garden, however with a little maintenance any timber can be kept looking its best.

My personal preference is for timber because it is beautiful and warm.  But for an outdoor sculpture this has challenges as noted. Certainly an indoor art piece made of well treated timber will last for ages and hold its warmth and beauty.

Ultimately we will work with you for indoor sculpture or outdoor sculpture design and material choice.  And there are some timbers, like Brazilian Teak, that are very tough in extreme outdoor situations.

For stands and legs I like the ability of metal to be fine and strong.  It offers fine lines that are sometimes not possible with timber without compromising strength.

As such our custom-made tables and furniture are often a blend of timber and metal.  Usually wood (or a blend of wood and epoxy) for the working surface and a metal frame or legs.

Of course, we would prefer to make you something special in the way of legs, but we also understand that there are options from the ‘big green shed’ that offer remarkable value.  As such we are happy to offer a custom made top with the option of you arranging a suitable set of legs.  This also keeps shipping cost more reasonable.

We offer competitive options for unique custom-made furniture and sculptures without the overheads and costs often involved with large companies. 

Also, you get to talk directly to the maker in charge of your project. 

This we believe is a big part of making the process as trouble free as possible.

Whether it is an outdoor sculpture designed by you, or a table of our design to meet your interior design scheme, we can offer direct progress updates if you desire to see the various stages of your piece come to life.

And we have an interior design service coming to our business in the near future.

Epoxy or resin is often referred to as UV resistant.  Manufacturers add UV inhibitors to prevent or slow the ‘yellowing effect’ however in an extreme situation, these inhibitors may only last a few days in direct exposure.  As such we do not recommend using epoxy for outdoor pieces that have little or no protection from the elements. If, however, you do want a river table or similar for an outdoor application there are options we can discuss that will have better life in high exposure situations.

Having said that, there are some new products new to the market that may offer the best of both worlds.

As with any epoxy product we will test to see how it behaves and to see whether the manufacturers claims are for real.  These tests have revealed the truth of the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’.  As such options for epoxy table with higher levels of exposure come at a premium.  Ultimately, epoxy is a plastic and is not really suitable for outdoors.

We have a variety of brands and products from those brands that we use. 

These products have proven to offer consistent results for us over more than a decade of use.  But this does not mean we are not open to new products because we understand that technology grows and moves.

Brands we use include, Feast Watson, Bondall, Odies Oil, Boatcraft  & Rubio. 

For serving boards we use Rubio MonoCoat.  This is, as the name implies, a single application that offers a food safe and tough surface that brings out the colours of timber & epoxy with a lovely satin finish.

For cutting or chopping boards, we use Feast Watson Kitchen oil, Orange oil and Goat Oil.  Fit for purpose and tried and tested by many makers over decades these products are excellent. Also, they are easy and inexpensive for you to get later when you want to re treat your board, which is an important consideration.  And the Orange oil smells divine.

For high use tables/surfaces there are multiple options, and will discuss with you what is best with a focus on low maintenance.  A custom piece of furniture should not make more work for you.  And there are so many options regarding the final look that most people can get exactly what they want. However, we will discuss with you your preferred style of finish prior to starting your project so you get exactly what you want.

For timber sculptures, bowls and the like with indoor application we prefer polyurethane.  This is a very low maintenance option with a variety of sheen levels from Ultra Gloss down to Matte.

For outdoor sculptures there are many options, but we typically go for raw steel (or Corten) and then let it rust.  This finish is low maintenance and has a beautiful natural look.  Having siad that, there are a multitude of heavy duty finishes available for metal that will hold up to Australian conditions without any worries

Over many years we have tried various products from a multitude of brands, and as a result there are a few brands that keep showing up in our cupboards. 

For adhesives and/or sealants Selleys and Gorilla branded products have consistently proven to be fit for purpose and reliable.  And their ease of availability at the local hardware store is helpful. We also use Titebond adhesives.

For abrasives and cutting tools we regularly use Diablo and Irwin products with Mirka making an appearance as well.

WIth regards surface finishes, there are a variety of options depending on what the application is.  Rubio Moncoat is a favourite, but Bondall Polyurethane offers Aussie made finishes at a decent price as well.  For heavy duty applications products from Boatcraft offer great life in harsh situations, and also AUssie made.

For power tools we use a variety of brands including Carbatec, Makita, Ryobi, HafCo, Triton, Festool and many others.

For epoxies we have found products from the following brands reliable and consistent; Luci Clear, Oakfield Clear, (both Aussie made brands with excellent customer service) as well as International brands like ResinIt, and Ice Epoxy.