Honesty in Material

Each commission is constructed using the finest of materials sourced from reputable, and well-maintained wood yards. An extensive understanding of many fine timbers and their characteristics ensures that your HB furniture will delight the senses and continue to do so for generations.
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Choice for all
Styles and Budgets

From grain pattern and colour:  to strength and durability, combining timbers can create great contrast, be it subtle or bold.

HB designs always celebrate traditional jointing and the different properties each wood inherits.

Ash

Ash

A pale-coloured wood, cream to light brown, with a bold, straight grain.

It is suitable for high-class cabinet making, possesses good resistance to splitting and takes stains well.

Wider grain and uniform oatmeal colour, consistent in texture, density and colour.

Sapele

Sapele is characterised by a marked and regular stripe, particularly pronounced on quarter-sawn surfaces. Occasionally mottle figure is present, It is fairly close textured, and the grain is interlocked. It is harder and heavier than African mahogany. 

Sapele

Walnut

Walnut

Varying from a light greyish brown to a deep chocolate, American black walnut offers good resistance to insect and fungal attack.

In addition, turning and boring qualities are both good and it’s a popular wood for decorative veneer.

A tall tree up to 50m high and 1.2m in diameter.

Heartwood is a rich brown, darkening over time, with darker bands and stripes.

Sapwood is light grey brown.

Grain is generally straight but some wavy or curly grain may be present.

A tough timber with rather coarse texture.

Dries slowly with a tendency to honeycomb.

A farmed timber cropped young.

Maple

A light coloured wood of fine, even texture.

The creamy white sapwood is not sharply defined from the heart wood, which generally has a more reddish tinge.

Occasionally large trees have a dark brown heart.

Fine brown lines marking the growth rings are apparent on longitudinal surfaces and give rise to a distinctive figure on plain sawn surfaces. The grain is usually straight, but wavy or curly grain occasionally occurs.

Maple

Cherry

Cherry

American cherry is suitable for a range of uses such as boat building, cabinet making, can be turned easily, and is ideal for carving.

A medium to large tree, up to 35m high and 1m in diameter.

Heart wood is pinkish to mid brown with distinct growth rings.

Grain is straight with even, fine texture.

A favourite timber for quality in cabinet making.

Oak

Oak has a light tan to dark brown colour with the wood structure and quality dependent upon growth conditions.

A rich brown in colour, it is very hard and strong.

Usually straight grained but irregular or crossed grained material can sometimes occur.

Large medullary rays can give an attractive silvery grain figure when quarter sawn.

Hardens and darkens with age.

Oak

Premium Timbers

Macassar Ebony

Zebrano

Yew

Wenge

Sycamore

Elm

Rosewood

Purple Heart

Mahogany

Birdseye Maple

Highlighting Quality

Contrasting joints have become a signature feature of many HB pieces. All handcrafted joints can be accented, drawing attention to the texture and grain in adjoining panels.