Westerman Woodworks Standards

Our Cosmetic Standard

What to expect from your solid wood furniture. Real wood is a living, breathing medium. Natural variations—including rich grain patterns, organic knots, and subtle mineral streaks—are not imperfections, but unique design signatures crafted by nature itself.

Please read through our cosmetic standards below before placing an order with us.

NOTE: By placing an order with us, you are agreeing that you understand and agree with the conditions of these cosmetic standards

WOOD & STAIN VARIATIONS

Every piece of furniture will have a unique grain pattern and slight color variation as a result of the grain pattern. We cannot guarantee exact stain matches to other tables we’ve done in the past. Wood does have a mind of it’s own and every piece of wood accepts stain differently. We cannot control it. We will use the correct stain or paint color that you requested for your order, but there is a chance the color will vary slightly from the table or picture you were thinking of when you placed the order. This is normal. We cannot rework the finishing on your table to get a perfect match.

MATCHING STAIN COLORS

We do NOT match stain colors off of photos. The only way we can do any type of custom stain color for you is if you bring us the stain yourself and tell us which type of wood to use. All wood types receive stain differently. Once you bring us the stain and tell us which wood to use, we will do what you’ve asked, however – we cannot rework staining that did not come out exactly as you had in mind. Why? Because – every piece of wood has a unique grain pattern and there will always be slight color variations.

SANDING & STAIN COLORS

The finer finish you would like your table, the lighter your stain will be. The more that your table is distressed, the darker your stain will be. Why? Because wood has pores and as wood is finely sanded, the pores shut off – allowing less stain into the wood – resulting in a lighter color. The more distressed a table is, generally it means that the pores of the wood are still open (since it hasn’t been finely sanded) and it will accept the stain darker. If you are ordering your finely finished table based off of a photo of a heavily distressed table and you want the same stain, please know that the stain is going to look different on your finely finished, non-distressed table.

BAND SAWN OAK

Please note that if you are ordering ‘band sawn oak’ that there will possibly be small waves in your table. If you are looking for a perfectly smooth/flat top, you will want to go with the “smooth oak” option vs the ‘band sawn’ option. Also, with ordering band sawn oak, there may be spots we needed to sand through to eliminate large waves in your table, meaning that we cannot guarantee every single spot on the table will be filled with band saw marks. band saw marks give it character, and there are unique challenges with working with it. Please be aware of this.

GENERAL VARIATIONS IN FURNITURE

Other characteristics of handcrafted, solid wood furniture include open knots, visible brush strokes, micro-imperfections and textural variations in the durable, hand brushed finishes, unique distress marks, exposed screws, wood filler marks, joint lines, and distinctive nicks, splits, cracks, and other imperfections. We allow up to approximately 1″ of variation across all measurements due to the custom nature of the handcrafted furniture we build.

Those who do not appreciate variations and imperfections should not purchase handcrafted furniture.

Solid wood may expand and contract due to changes in temperature and humidity. This means that the gaps between the boards of a traditional table top may get wider over time and will need to be cleaned. This natural movement enhances the one of a kind beauty of solid wood, handcrafted furniture. It does not affect structural integrity and is not considered defective. These

For customers that prefer to never have gaps between their table top boards, we recommend choosing our jointed top option, which eliminates cracks and spaces between the boards in the table tops. Jointed tops expand and contract as a whole.

You will still see the beautiful and natural open knots on jointed table tops. We do not offer machine manufactured perfection – no two pieces are exactly alike since Westerman Woodworks furniture is crafted to your order specifications.

We celebrate the true uniqueness of every piece of solid wood furniture that is built and finished by hand in our wood shop. It is our hope that you will as well.

LEAD TIMES

With your order you were given a lead time. With over 15+ orders in our queue at any given time, lead times are PURELY ESTIMATES. We have been known to get orders complete and to customers before the estimated lead time given and there have also been issues that have happened in production that delayed orders beyond lead times. The lead time that we have given you is our best guess at when your will get your table. It’s better to get it a few weeks later than quoted and it be up to quality standards since you plan to have it for years to come, than it is to get it on time and it fail quality standards. We cannot guarantee a specific delivery date. Please know this if you’re placing an order with us in hopes of getting it by a special occasion such as a party, birthday, holiday, etc… We will always do our best to accommodate, but we cannot guarantee anything in terms of delivery date. Please understand this before placing an order with us.

WOOD CHARACTER & EXPECTATIONS

Nature's Unique Signature

Why is every piece of wood unique?

Every tree tells a story. Variations in grain pattern, mineral streaks, knots, and color are natural characteristics of solid wood. These organic signatures ensure that your custom Westerman piece is completely one-of-a-kind and cannot be replicated.

Will my custom item look exactly like the design photo?

While we hand-select materials of the highest grade and closely match the structural design and proportions shown, natural differences in color tone and grain pattern are to be expected. This organic variation is the hallmark of genuine, premium woodwork.

How do temperature and humidity affect handcrafted wood?

Wood is a living, hygroscopic material that naturally responds to its environment. Handcrafted pieces may expand or contract slightly with seasonal humidity shifts. We seal and finish all items with professional oils and lacquers to minimize movement and protect their structural integrity.

Can I request specific grain patterns or characteristics?

Absolutely. If you have a specific aesthetic preference—such as highly figured grain, minimal knots, or a more rustic look—please mention it during your consultation. We strive to source and hand-select the lumber that aligns perfectly with your design goals.

Have Questions About Your Project?

Whether you are looking for custom sizing, specific lumber species, or want to discuss a completely bespoke furniture piece, our craftspeople are here to help bring your vision to life.