What Goes Into a Handmade Wood Product? A Look Behind the Scenes

When you purchase a handmade wood product, you're buying much more than the finished piece sitting on a shelf.

What many people don't see is everything that happens before that product arrives at your door. From selecting the wood and sanding each surface to applying finishes and carefully packaging your order, every piece represents hours of work, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.

At Rustic & Renewed Decor, every made-to-order piece is handcrafted in Southwestern Ontario using locally sourced wood whenever possible. Here's a look behind the scenes at what goes into creating a handmade wood product.

It Starts With the Wood

One of the biggest factors affecting a project's cost and appearance is the type of wood used. Not all wood is created equal, and not all wood costs the same.

The most common woods I use include:

• Pine

• Maple

• Oak

• Walnut

• Cherry

• Poplar

• Curly Maple

• Reclaimed Wood

  
  

Pine is typically the most affordable option because it is a softwood. However, lumber prices have increased significantly over the past several years, and even pine is much more expensive today than it was before COVID.

Hardwoods vary considerably in price. For example, walnut can cost nearly twice as much as maple. Specialty woods, such as curly maple, are also more expensive due to their unique grain patterns and limited availability.

Reclaimed wood is another interesting category. While many people assume reclaimed wood is always cheaper, that isn't necessarily true. Depending on availability and preparation, reclaimed wood can sometimes cost more than pine.

All reclaimed pallet wood used by Rustic & Renewed Decor has been heat-treated and contains no chemical treatments, making it safe for use in your home.

All non-reclaimed wood is sourced from suppliers located within approximately two hours of Sarnia and is kiln dried to help ensure stability and quality.

Every Piece Starts as Raw Lumber

A finished product doesn't begin as a beautiful tray, riser, lantern, or wine rack. It starts as individual boards. The wood is measured, cut, assembled, and prepared for finishing. Depending on the project, this may involve glue-ups, dowels, screws, nails, specialty joinery, or custom components. Even unfinished products require the same amount of cutting, assembly, and preparation as finished products. While unfinished options cost less because they don't require staining or painting, they still include the cost of the wood, assembly materials, and labour to build the piece.

Sanding Takes Time

One of the most important steps in woodworking is sanding. A smooth, professional finish doesn't happen by accident. Most projects are sanded through multiple grits:

• 80 grit

• 120 grit

• 180 grit

• 240 grit

Cutting boards and charcuterie boards are often sanded even further, up to 400 grit, to create a smooth surface that feels great to the touch.

Sanding is time-consuming, but it is one of the most important factors in creating a quality product.

Finishing Requires Patience

Many people assume that once a project is assembled, it's finished. In reality, the finishing process often takes several days. Whether a piece is stained, painted, or finished with food-safe oil and wax, drying time is critical. Stains and paints typically require approximately 24 hours to dry before the next step can begin.

Protective finishes such as Varathane also require drying time between coats. Most stained products receive three coats of protective finish to help protect them from everyday wear and tear. Food-safe products require multiple applications of oil and wax, with drying time between coats.

A project may only take a few hours to build, but the finishing process often extends production over several days.

Custom Details Add Character

One of the biggest advantages of handmade products is customization. Made-to-order products often allow customers to choose:

• Wood species

• Stain colour

• Paint colour

• Hardware

• Certain dimensions
  

Custom projects offer even more flexibility but are based on true cost, determined by the individual design. Additional details such as stencilling, personalization, inlays, and epoxy work require specialized tools, materials, and time. Stencils require graphic design or design purchase, paint, preparation, and finishing.

• Inlays require precision cutting and specialized tools

• Epoxy itself is expensive and requires additional curing time before a project can be completed.
  

Made-to-Order Means Choice

When you purchase a product from a large retailer, what you see is usually what you get.

Made-to-order is a very different story. Most of Rustic & Renewed Decor products allow you to select the wood, finish, and other options that best suit your home.

If you'd like a small change to an existing made-to-order product, it can often be accommodated without significantly increasing the price.

Custom projects provide even greater flexibility, allowing you to create something truly unique for your space.

Communication Matters

One of the things customers often tell me they appreciate most is communication.

When you place an order, you're dealing directly with the person building your piece.

I communicate with customers throughout the process and provide progress photos along the way. Questions can be answered quickly, details can be confirmed, and customers know exactly where their project stands.

That's a very different experience from ordering a mass-produced product from a warehouse.

Packaging and Shipping

Wood products require careful packaging as wood can be heavy.. Every order is packed using a combination of:

• Bubble wrap

• Shipping paper

• Eco-friendly packing peanuts

Photos are taken before the box is sealed to document the condition of the item and packaging. All shipments include tracking. Through Ontario Made and ClickShip, I am able to access competitive shipping rates across Canada.

While wood is heavy, most made-to-order items ship throughout Ontario for around $15, with shipping costs increasing modestly for more distant provinces. Everyone loves "free shipping," but what is not understood is that the product price is then usually highly inflated to cover the cost.

Built to Last

Wood is a natural material. Like all wood products, whether handmade or store-bought, it can be affected by excessive moisture or extreme dryness. With proper care, however, a quality handmade wood piece can last a lifetime.

The Value of Handmade

When you purchase a handmade wood product, you're not simply buying wood.

You're investing in:

• Quality materials

• Skilled craftsmanship

• Customization options

• Personal service

• Careful finishing

• Secure packaging

• Canadian-made craftsmanship
  

Most made-to-order products at Rustic & Renewed Decor range between $20 and $100, making handmade décor more accessible than many people realize. Every piece is built one at a time, with the goal of creating something you'll be proud to display and enjoy for years to come.