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Live Edge Furniture cannot be compared to other solid wood furniture products. This type of furniture is organic and manufactured by hand to showcase inconsistencies, natural blemishes, and irregularities that are part of the unique nature of raw slabs. No two slabs are ever alike. In

fact, we love to say each piece is 100% unique, just like you.

Why should you choose to have a custom live edge product built? Our customers are drawn to the natural beauty of wood. They appreciate the raw characteristics and handmade process that makes each slab customized to their liking. They enjoy watching a raw slab – that they picked from the sawmill – go through each step of production. They are looking to not only add a piece of furniture to their home, but a piece that they can say they had a hand in designing and that no other piece in the world is the same.

At AgainstTheGrain, it is our mission to create cherished pieces of heirloom quality, We also want to let you know they are made from organic materials that are not indestructible. Signs of use are normal as time passes - much like a wrinkle is to aging, especially if well-loved.

Take a look at our labor-intensive craftsmanship that goes into each our products, which makes us different from the rest.

• Wood: Our products are constructed from raw slabs that have been professionally milled, air dried, and kiln dried to 10% moisture or below, which is considered the optimal moisture level for beauty, usability, and stability of live edge furniture. We don’t use slabs from anywhere – our sawmills are vetted, experienced, and trusted. During sourcing, we will spend hours looking for the perfect slab(s) for your project.

• Epoxy: Voids (i.e., bug holes, cracks, etc.) are filled and artistic rivers are created using the highest quality of epoxy resins that are formulated non-toxic and non-hazardous, ensuring integrity and food safety for dining and serving board surfaces.

• Finish: We use a durable, high-quality hard-wax oil finish that is a 0% VOC food-safe product in combination with a Nano Ceramics coating (cutting board oil and wax are used on food-related items. This finish process allows for easy maintenance by you, the client, without the need for tools and highlights the natural beauty of the slab.

• Wood Movement Precautions: We take pride in our craftsmanship and execute numerous precautions when crafting your one-of-a kind custom product to limit excessive wood movement. Our slabs are put through a rigorous drying process and we allow the wood to acclimate to our shop conditions prior to production. During production, we install stabilizers (i.e., bow ties and c-channels) when appropriate, use steel bases to enhance the stability which are installed using a tried and true method of enlarged holes, threaded inserts, and bolts, and then finish the job by treating both the underside and top surfaces. When your product arrives in its' new home, there may be a period of adjustment. Live edge slabs in a sense “breathe” as the wood acclimates to the temperature and humidity causing expansion and contraction, as known as “wood movement”. This may or may not cause cracks, movement around knots, and other natural imperfections which is a normal balance of nature. As a manufacturer, we do everything possible to prevent excessive wood movement from happening, but we want you to know that there are factors outside of our control that will influence what your product does once it leaves our hands. This is the nature of organic materials and the environment they are placed in.

As our client, we guarantee that we will deliver a product of the highest quality backed best industry practices, we will provide you with proper care and maintenance instructions to prolong the lifespan of your product, and we will be here to answer questions you have along the way.

Yes — live-edge slabs are generally more prone to cracking than dimensional lumber, and there are a few reasons why:

Thickness and shape: Live-edge slabs are often much thicker and irregularly shaped compared to standard dimensional lumber. Thicker wood holds more internal stresses, which can lead to cracking as it dries or responds to humidity changes. Natural edges: The “live edge” is the natural, uncut bark or irregular edge of the tree. These areas are less uniform and more likely to check (split) because they don’t have the consistent grain structure of milled lumber. Moisture content and drying: Live-edge slabs are often milled from larger, older logs and may have higher moisture content initially. As the wood equilibrates to indoor humidity over time, it can expand and contract unevenly, which can lead to cracks. Less control over grain: Dimensional lumber is typically quarter- or plain-sawn and planed, making the grain more uniform. Slabs have mixed grain directions, knots, and other irregularities that increase movement and the likelihood of cracks.

Well, it depends! If any material is already purchased, changes cannot be guaranteed without an additional charge.

Not necessarily. We like to caution our customers by saying the shade of the coloring may be several shades above or below the chosen color that is represented by an online photo.

Less than a day! We take much pride in our ability to be as responsive as possible. When you first contact us, we will provide a ballpark range for your order. Once a few additional design details are narrowed down, we will provide a more accurate quote - typically within the same day.

It depends on the size and complexity of the build, but generally speaking, our lead times range between 8-20 weeks. Smaller products (i.e. coffee tables, shelves, home décor pieces, etc.) may only take 2-4 weeks depending on current projects at hand and availability of wood.

While there are certain limitations on the amount of time it takes to build a piece of Live Edge furniture, we may be able to accomodate expedited timelines. Expedited timelines are at the sole discretion of AgainstTheGrain Woodworking and will result in additional costs.

Due to the high cost of materials used when building a Live Edge product, we do require a 50% down deposit before production begins. This deposit is applied to your overall balance and is non-refundable once materials are purchased and/or production begins. The remaining balance is due at completion when the order is picked up or delivered.

Unfortunately, no. Slabs are available at a first come, first serve basis. If a quote is put together with a particular slab in mind, the availability of the slab is not guaranteed until payment is received and the slab is picked up.

Of course! Once payment is received and the sourcing process begins, photos of the slabs are sent for review and approval. We do not take clients onsite while purchasing the slab, but you have the option to view the photos live to choose which slab you prefer. It's okay too if you don't want to choose the slab - we can take care of it. If you are not available when the slab chosing process is being held, we will also make an executive decision on which slab to go with.