Every piece starts with the right material. Below is an overview of the main materials we use most often, to help you choose what best fits your project, budget and how the piece will be used. Not sure what's right for you? Get in touch and we'll advise based on your project.
Oak · Walnut · Ash · Beech · Pine
Real, single-piece timber with natural grain and character. The classic choice for furniture meant to last generations and to be repaired, refinished or passed down.
Maintenance: Oil or wax every 1–2 years; sensitive to prolonged moisture and direct sun.
Thin real-wood veneer over MDF or plywood core
A thin layer of real wood glued onto a stable panel core. Gives the warmth and grain of solid wood on large, flat surfaces, without the movement or cost of solid timber.
Maintenance: Dust and clean gently; avoid excess water at seams and edges.
Pressed and laminated bamboo strips
A fast-growing, renewable grass pressed into strong, stable panels. Distinctive linear grain, and one of the more sustainable options available.
Maintenance: Occasional oiling; keep out of direct sunlight to preserve color.
Birch plywood, visible layered edge
Many thin layers of wood glued cross-grain into a strong, stable panel. Its striped edge is often left visible as a design feature rather than covered up.
Maintenance: Low; occasional oil or lacquer top-up on exposed edges.
Oriented strand board
Compressed wood strands bonded under heat and pressure. Originally a structural/building material, increasingly chosen for its raw, industrial look in furniture and interiors.
Maintenance: Seal surface if used where it will be touched often; keep dry.
Chipboard (spaanplaat) with melamine coating
Compressed wood particles faced with a durable, easy-clean melamine coating in a wide range of colours and finishes. A practical, budget-friendly choice for everyday furniture.
Maintenance: Very low; wipe clean, avoid standing water on edges/joints.
Uncoated MDF, finished with paint
Smooth, uncoated MDF panels finished in a paint colour of your choice. Ideal when you want a clean, matte, fully custom colour rather than a wood-grain look.
Maintenance: Clean with a soft, damp cloth; occasional touch-up paint on worn edges.
