Our Process

Eric Johnson’s Furniture specializes in handcrafting 17th and 18th century reproduction furniture. We primarily use tiger maple and cherry; however walnut and mahogany are also options. We use solid wood in all our pieces. There is no plywood or veneer of any type in our furniture. Each board is chosen for figure and color. In keeping with tradition, we use high-quality pine as a secondary wood. It is used for drawer sides and bottoms and the backs of many of our case pieces. Traditional joinery is very important. Most of the joints crafted in the 17th and 18th centuries cannot be improved upon. The proof of this is all of the excellent 250+ year-old antiques. Therefore, all of our dovetails are cut by hand (no jigs or dovetail machines). This is a very time-consuming detail, but an extremely important one. Hand-cut dovetails are not only stronger, they have finer, more delicate details.
 
Pegged mortise and tenon joints are used in all face frames and door frames. This is a locking joint that is just about impossible to break. The finish is an aniline dye stain for color. You can choose from several colors. Several coats of lacquer are then applied and hand-rubbed to a rich luster.