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Custom Made Furniture | FAQ

What Is The Process Of Ordering Custom Made Furniture From Hardman Design?
What Is The Lead Time On A Custom Made Piece Of Furniture?
Which Pieces Of Furniture Can Hardman Design Custom Build?
Which materials can be used in a Hardman Design Custom Build Piece Of Furniture?
What type of oil is used to finish off a Hardman Design piece?
Does My Custom Built Piece Come With A Warranty?
Does my custom made piece come flat packed or ready built?

Size Guide:

So, you want to buy a dining table. It might sound obvious, but one of the most important things to consider is the size of your desired piece, and how it will look in your room.

There are numerous factors which can shape your decision, such as the size of your space, the positioning of your table, how much space the legs take up and where they are positioned, and how you plan to use your table - from small family meals to large social gatherings.

It’s certainly not a decision which should be taken lightly; picking the right dimensions is fundamental to creating the best visual and practical balance for your room.

Hardman Design can custom build tables to provide you with a bespoke piece for your needs. 

This guide will provide you with some key information to help you pick the right sized table.

The Size Of Your Dining Table: Number Of Seats

One of the biggest considerations is knowing how many people will generally be sitting around your table, and how many seats you want to accommodate.

As a general rule of thumb, these are the rough sizes depending on the number of seats:

2

Seater

4

Seater

6

Seater

8

Seater

10

Seater

12

Seater

Minimum
60 x 70cm

Minimum 120 x 70cm

Minimum 180 x 80cm Minimum 220 x 90cm

Minimum 270 x 90cm Minimum 330 x 90cm

These dimensions are based on rectangular tables. Hardman Design’s dining tables are hand built in this shape, but we can custom-build tables for a bespoke shape, size and finish.

Rectangular tables have multiple benefits; great for their practicality, functionality and comfort.

A rectangle table generally fits well into the design of a room, and can typically accommodate more people and more space for dishes - especially compared to a circular table.

Benches, too, work well with a rectangular table and are a great idea to maximise this space, as they enable people to squeeze up, if necessary.

A rectangular table can also be a versatile solution within a room, looking great against a wall or window, or taking pride of place in the centre of a room.

Rectangular tables tend to have their legs positioned on the four corners - instead of in the middle like many circular tables - helping to give each diner more comfortable leg room underneath the table.

Generally speaking, a standard table is 71 to 76cm in height, so when it comes to seating, opt for a chair or bench from around 43 to 58cm from floor to seat.

Hardman Design handcrafts a range of dining benches and chairs. Visit our seating collection to find your perfect seat for your table.

Choosing The Right Size Table For Your Room

Knowing how the table will fit in in your room is another key consideration. For instance, how it will work in relation to other pieces of furniture, its proximity to doorways and walls, and allowing enough passing space.

As a general rule of thumb, you will need a minimum of 30 to 36 inches (76cm) for clearance space, measured from the nearest obstruction - whether it be a wall, door, window or furniture - to your chairs.

Where relevant, allow 120cm square for an entrance or doorway. If you’re putting your table into an open-plan area, this isn’t something to factor in.

To ensure you do not choose a dining table size that is too small, don’t leave more than 6ft (183cm) from the edge of the room, at least on one side.

How To Estimate The Size Of Your Dining Table

Perhaps one of the best ways of selecting the most appropriate-sized dining table for your room is mocking up how your furniture will look. This will really help you experience the feel of your table and how it will work in your space.

There are a number of ways that this can be done, including using masking tape or cardboard to replicate the size of your desired table.

For a more complete picture, you can even fill this space with books/newspaper to gauge the height and mass of the table.

Aside from recreating the look and size of your table, you can also map out the room to scale on paper, including walls, walkways and other furniture.

It is important that you don’t just measure the size of your table; instead, think about how it will work in practice. Questions you need to be asking include, have I left enough room for doorways and drawers to open? Have people got enough space to push their chairs out? Can they walk behind pushed-out chairs?

This type of planning will create a clearer picture and help ensure you select the right-sized table for both the look and functionality of your space.  

Extendable Dining Tables

Extendable dining tables are a great option.

In fact, this type of furniture has enjoyed something of a revival in recent times.

And when looking at the benefits, it is easy to understand why extendable dining tables are en vogue.

Highlights include:

  • Dynamic Use Of Space: One of the biggest advantages of an extendable dining table is its dynamic change in size, starting in a smaller form before easily increasing in size, when needed. This functionality is a big space saver and means that a larger dining table does not dominate your room; but can be expanded, when needed, and can be easily put back to its original form. Of course, take the size of the extension into consideration when deciding which option to go for, and factor this into any measurements pre-purchase.
  • Plenty of space: Hosting a social gathering or entertaining extra family members? Then extend your table for extra space. And that’s the great thing about this type of furniture, extending dining tables enable you to expand the table when you need a couple of extra seats. And the dynamic increase in space isn’t only beneficial for meal times or gatherings. It can also be useful for other functions, such as if you require your table to double up as a desk as part of a home office, or if the kids need extra space for homework/hobbies.
  • Available in different sizes: Hardman Design’s extendable tables are available in a range of sizes, providing you with plenty of versatility. When picking the size, consider how many you want to seat and how often you are likely to extend the table. For instance, our Mira Dining Table can have extension leaves of 60cm or 70cm - or can be custom built - so the size of the extension depends on your needs and your space.
  • Beauty: Extendable Dining Tables are attractive additions to the house. Typically, the leaves or extension panels are either hidden within the fabric of the table, or can be added by sliding the leaves into place at each end of the table. This is certainly the case with Hardman Design’s extendable dining tables. What’s more, our signature collection tables can be built to convert into an extendable table, ensuring you benefit from the aesthetic beauty of our handcrafted, best-selling pieces, as well as the functionality of an extending dining table.

How To Choose The Right Sized Dining Table - Summary

Selecting the best-sized table takes some well thought-out planning, considering how you plan to use it and the space you wish to place it in.

But with some quick calculations before purchase, you can ensure you choose the correct piece which really sets off your room and becomes an important focal point of your house.

View Hardman Design’sdining table collection, with all pieces handcrafted from locally-sourced and sustainable materials. Each item can also becustom madeto provide you with a bespoke solution for your needs.

Alternatively,contact usto speak to our team for some advice.

Best Wood For Dining Tables

At Hardman Design, we take pride in building handmade quality dining tables from locally-sourced and sustainable wood. 

Our furniture is most commonly crafted from oak, walnut, and ash, although we do custom-made pieces, too.

These three natural wood types are quality choices in their own right - combining strength with gorgeous aesthetics - but which one is best suited to your needs?

It is an important question. After all, a dining table is a big purchase: a long-term investment, a focal point of your dining room or kitchen, and a gathering spot for your family and friends.

To help you decide, this blog explores the unique characteristics of oak, walnut and Ash.  

Oak

Classic, strong, versatile, and naturally beautiful - you can’t go wrong with oak.

This renowned wood has long been associated with use around the home, dating back many centuries, and is just as popular today.

As such, oak’s timeless nature looks as comfortable in contemporary settings as it does in traditional décor.

Durability

One of oak’s most distinguishing features is its durability; renowned for its strength and resistance to decay, liquids, heat, and surface blemishes. These characteristics make it a firm favourite, especially for people looking for a long-term investment. Oak is also a particularly good choice for families, and ensures maintenance is minimal.

Oak’s durability is a result of the trees’ slow growth, making the wood extremely dense, adding to its quality. 

In fact, oak performs well in the Janka hardness test, which charts the resistance of different wood types to denting and wear. Or to be more specific, it measures the force required to partially embed a small steel ball into the sample of wood. 

The results of this test show that oak is more resistant than woods such as walnut, teak, and cherry.  

Colour

Natural oak can take on virtually any hue, from light beige and yellow through brown and red. This colour diversity makes it easier to match the colour palette of your dining room and kitchen.

Over time, oak pieces have a tendency to change colour, adopting more darker, amber tones. This is caused by exposure to oxygen and UV light. However, this shift is subtle, and can, in fact add to the character of the piece and even enhance its appearance over time. Depending on your preference, we can apply a UV protection finish to our oak tables, when requested.

Hardman Design also builds smoked oak tables, such as the Carolina Smoked Oak dining table. We use a special manufacturing process to fume the oak; causing it to darken and draw out the rich detail of the grain.

Finish

Thanks to its natural beauty and hard-wearing nature, oak is gorgeous in its natural state, especially with character pieces filled with knots.

However, oak’s light tones make it great for adding a variety of finishes; whether that is stained or with a clear, natural finish. This makes it ideal for both modern and traditional furniture. 

Grain And Detailing

Oak has a swirling or striped grain. It also rates as open-pored, as it has wide, large cells, and many pores.

Oak can vary in detailing, with wild oak, for instance, having plenty of knots in varying sizes.

Eco-friendly

Oak trees grow in abundance, with around 450 species worldwide. Oak wood is generally considered to be an eco-friendly furniture choice because it is durable and long-lasting, helping to prolong its usability and keeping it out of landfills.

Hardman Design has also committed to a tree planting campaign, to ensure sustainability, and we use locally-sourced wood, where possible.

View the Hardman Design oak dining table range.

Walnut

Walnut is one of the most highly-sought after types of wood; prized by woodworkers and revered by fine furniture lovers.

Indeed, walnut adds a touch of class and style to any décor, and as such, it generally comes with a higher price tag.

Its strength, grain, and rich tapestry of colours make it a popular choice.  

Hardman Design handcrafts its furniture from two types of walnut, European walnut and American walnut. 

Durability

Walnut is a strong, hard and durable wood that carves well and holds a good shape for much longer. This makes it ideal for statement furniture that requires a high level of craftsmanship. 

Both North American Walnut and European walnut are more durable than cherry, but not quite as resistant to denting and wear and tear as hard ash or white oak, for instance.

Colour

One of the most distinguishing features of walnut is its vast and textured colour palette, stretching from light brown to dark chocolate. American walnut tends to have a darker, richer colour, while European walnut is lighter in tone, sometimes interspersed with wisps of delicious blonde, cream, or yellow, and the occasional note of red.

The middle of the walnut tree (known as the heartwood) produces the darker wood and the outer layer of the tree, just beneath the bark and known as the sapwood, produces the lighter wood.

The distinctive tones of walnut is perfect for making a statement and is ideal for a modern and contemporary look.

Finish

Walnut polishes to a very smooth finish.

A natural walnut piece is rarely stained, as this process tends to wash out the grain and remove bits of character. However, walnut furniture is more likely to receive a clear coat finish; such as a wax or oil.

The walnut tables handcrafted by Hardman Design tend to be finished with a matt hard wax oil. This enhances the natural colour of the wood, intensifying the walnut tones and drawing out the grain detail and the varying shades of brown.

Grain And Detailing

Walnut wood can be straight grained, but can also have waves or curls, helping to enhance the character of the piece and creating a lively, textured look. Our walnut tables tend to be handcrafted from wavey-grained wood. 

This beautiful grain pattern can be further enhanced by pairing it with furniture with clean lines or unique details. 

The grain pattern makes this the perfect choice for a room where the furniture can take the centre stage.

Eco-friendly

Walnut is ideal for investment pieces and furniture you want to stay in your family for generations; therefore reducing the burden on landfill.

That said, while not endangered, the number of walnut trees around the world has certainly reduced and they can take a century to mature. That’s why we select our walnut from local and sustainable sources.   

View the Hardman Design walnut dining table range.

Summary

Oak, walnut and elm are all great choices for a dining table, offering the perfect mix of durability and beauty. 

As all three for quality options, the type of wood you choose will likely come down to preference.

At Hardman Design, we involve you throughout the production process, including sending you samples of your preferred wood, to help ensure we build you the perfect table. For more information, contact us.

Order a sample

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5 Tips on how to care for your wood dining set

Wood is a timeless material that adds warmth and character to any home. From hardwood floors to wooden furniture, there's no denying the beauty of wood. However, to ensure that your wood remains in good condition for years to come, it's important to know how to properly clean and care for it.

At Hardman Design, we understand the importance of quality craftsmanship and sustainable practices when it comes to designing and building wood furniture, including mid century modern dining table sets. That's why our team of experts uses only the finest materials and techniques to create beautiful, long-lasting pieces that you'll love for years to come.

image

In this article, we'll cover some essential tips on how to clean and maintain handcrafted furniture, including mid century modern dining table sets, and how to avoid stains and blemishes. We'll also share some general do's and don'ts for owning a wood dining set.

Tips on how to clean wood.

Clean Away Spills -

  1. One of the most important tips for cleaning wood is to clean away spills as soon as possible. Spills can cause stains or damage to the wood if they are left to sit for too long. To clean up spills, use a soft cloth or paper towel to blot the area gently. Avoid rubbing the spill, as this can cause it to spread or become more deeply ingrained in the wood.

Dust Regularly -

  1. Regular dusting is also essential for keeping wood clean. Dust can scratch the surface of the wood, and it can also attract and hold onto dirt and other debris. To dust wood, use a soft cloth or dusting tool and gently wipe down the surface of the wood.

Remove Heavy Grime -

  1. If your wood furniture has heavy grime buildup, you may need to use a specialized cleaner to remove it. Look for a cleaner that is designed specifically for use on wood furniture, and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

Deep Cleaning of Wood Furniture -

  1. Periodically, you may need to deep clean your wood furniture to remove dirt, stains, or other buildup. Here are two ways you can deep clean your wood furniture:

a. Make Black Tea Solution -

aTo make a black tea solution for cleaning wood, steep several tea bags in a pot of hot water for several minutes. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, then dip a soft cloth in the tea and use it to wipe down the surface of the wood. The tannins in the tea can help to remove dirt and grime, and it can also help to bring out the natural beauty of the wood.

b. Clean With Mineral Spirits -

Mineral spirits are a type of solvent that can be used to clean and restore wood furniture. To use mineral spirits to clean wood, apply a small amount of the solvent to a soft cloth and gently wipe down the surface of the wood. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully, as mineral spirits can be flammable and should be used in a well-ventilated area.

  1. To help maintain the natural lustre and beauty of wood, consider using natural oils to polish the surface. These oils can help nourish and protect the wood, and give it a beautiful, natural shine. Popular natural oils for polishing wood include olive oil, coconut oil, and beeswax.

Cleaning and caring for wood is essential to maintaining its beauty and longevity. By following these tips, you can ensure that your wood furniture and floors stay in top condition for years to come.

wood

How to maintain the wood

Maintaining the wood of your furniture is essential to ensure its longevity and durability. Here are some key points to consider for maintaining the wood of your furniture:

  1. Apply Furniture Polish: Applying furniture polish helps to keep the wood looking shiny and new. This also helps to protect the wood from scratches and stains.
  2. Cover Your Furniture: Using furniture covers can protect your furniture from dust, dirt, and other debris that can scratch or damage the surface. This is especially important for outdoor furniture.
  3. Handle Carefully: When moving or rearranging furniture, handle it carefully to avoid damaging the wood. Use protective padding or covers to avoid scratches.
  4. Oil as Needed: To keep your wooden dining set looking its best, it's important to maintain it with regular care. One important tip is to apply oil as needed to prevent the wood from drying out and developing cracks. Protect your wooden dining set from damage and keep it looking new with Osmo Polyx Oil - a high-quality blend of natural oils and waxes that penetrates deep into the wood to provide maximum protection and maintain its natural beauty.
  5. Keep Wood Smelling Fresh: Wood furniture can develop musty or stale odors over time. Using a wood cleaner with a pleasant scent or placing cedar chips in drawers and cabinets can help to keep the wood smelling fresh.

Read - How To Choose The Best Wood For Dining Tables

Stains and blemishes on furniture can be unsightly and difficult to remove. Here are 10 tips on how to avoid stains and blemishes on your furniture:

How to avoid stains and blemishes

  1. Use coasters: Place coasters under glasses and cups to prevent rings from forming on wood surfaces.
  2. Avoid direct contact with hot items: Use trivets or hot pads under hot dishes and pans to avoid heat marks on the wood.
  3. Wipe up spills immediately: Accidents happen, but it's important to clean up spills quickly to prevent them from seeping into the wood and causing stains.
  4. Use placemats: Placemats can protect wood surfaces from scratches and other damage caused by plates, utensils, and other items.
  5. Avoid direct sunlight: Direct sunlight can cause wood to fade or discolor over time. To avoid this, position furniture away from direct sunlight or use curtains or blinds to block the sunlight.
  6. Use tablecloths: Tablecloths can protect wood surfaces from scratches and other damage caused by dishes and utensils.
  7. Avoid harsh cleaners: Harsh cleaners can damage the wood's finish, causing it to fade or discolor. Instead, use mild cleaners that are specifically designed for wood furniture.
  8. Test cleaning products first: Before using a new cleaning product, test it on a small, inconspicuous area of the furniture to make sure it doesn't cause damage.
  9. Use furniture covers: Furniture covers can protect wood furniture from dust, dirt, and other debris that can scratch the surface. This is especially important for outdoor furniture.
  10. Handle furniture with care: When moving or rearranging furniture, handle it carefully to avoid damaging the wood. Use protective padding or covers to avoid scratches.

General do's and don'ts of having a wood dining set

By following these tips, you can help avoid stains and blemishes on your furniture, keeping it looking beautiful for years to come.

  1. Clean the table regularly with a soft, damp cloth to avoid the buildup of dirt and grime.
  2. Use coasters or placemats to protect the surface of the table from scratches, water rings, and other damage.
  3. Use a tablecloth or table runner to protect the table during meals or when entertaining guests.
  4. Keep the table away from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture to avoid damage to the wood.
  5. Apply furniture polish or wax to the table periodically to maintain the finish and protect the wood.
  6. Use mild soap and water to clean spills immediately to avoid staining the wood.
  7. Dust the table regularly to remove any dirt or debris that has accumulated.

Don'ts:

  1. Don't use abrasive cleaners, chemicals, or solvents on the table as they can damage the wood's finish.
  2. Don't place hot items directly on the table, as this can cause heat damage to the wood.
  3. Don't use rough or scratchy materials to clean the table, as this can scratch the wood's surface.
  4. Don't use vinegar or lemon juice to clean the table, as these can cause damage to the wood's finish.
  5. Don't expose the table to extreme temperatures or humidity, as this can cause the wood to warp or crack.
  6. Don't allow spills to sit on the table for extended periods of time, as this can cause staining or damage to the wood.
  7. Don't use oil or oil-based products on the table, as they can attract dirt and dust and cause buildup over time.

In conclusion, maintaining the beauty and durability of your wood furniture requires some effort and knowledge on how to clean and care for it properly. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can keep your wood dining set looking its best for years to come. Remember to dust regularly, use a gentle cleaner, wipe in the direction of the grain, keep your furniture out of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures, use coasters and placemats, and clean up spills immediately. By following these simple steps, you can avoid stains and blemishes and prevent damage to your wood furniture.

If you're in the market for a new wood dining set or other wood furniture, consider checking out Hardman Design.

new wood dining set

Our high-quality, handcrafted wood furniture is designed to last for generations and is made with sustainable materials and practices. We offer a range of styles and finishes to fit any decor, and our team of experts can help you choose the perfect size piece for your home. Plus, with our commitment to customer satisfaction and exceptional service, you can shop with confidence. Visit our website today to browse our selection and start planning your perfect dining set.