How your furniture is made
Our pieces are built from solid hardwood, combining precision machining with extensive hand-finishing.
Here’s a look at our process:
Hardwood Selection
At Hardman, it all starts with the material. Every piece in our collection is made with high-quality oak, walnut, and ash from sustainably managed forests. We cut the wood into boards, which are then carefully dried over an extended period. That drying time ensures the wood is ready for precise construction and a long life in daily use.
Solid Wood Construction
These slow-dried hardwood boards become the building blocks of your made-to-order piece. We mill the boards into clean, even parts, assemble the base components, and use specialized machinery to shape key details like curves and connection points. Your piece comes together through clean joinery and exacting hand assembly.
Meticulous Surface Prep
Once the form is built, we refine the surfaces. Our skilled craftspeople sand curved elements by hand, and use a machine sander on large areas like table tops to achieve a perfectly flat surface. This prep work is what makes your furniture feel refined to the touch and allows the finish to go on evenly.
Hardwax Finishing
From there, we finish your piece by hand with Osmo hardwax oil. This natural, plant-based oil-and-wax finish protects the wood while keeping the grain and tone visible. It’s low-VOC and doesn’t have the chemical smell common to synthetic coatings, making it a strong choice for furniture that lives in bedrooms, dining rooms, and everyday spaces.
Upholstery and Soft Materials
Upholstered seating and chairs are built on our solid wood frames, then finished with the same attention to detail throughout. We work primarily with natural Italian linen and leather, and offer a wide range of custom fabric options.
Final Quality Checks
Finally, before your piece leaves our workshop, it’s reviewed in-house by the same team responsible for building and finishing it. This is how we confirm the details are right, so the furniture you receive matches exactly what you ordered.
What changes for custom work
Because all Hardman furniture is made to order, customization is part of how we work. We can easily adjust dimensions, incorporate custom materials or finishes, combine elements from existing designs, or create fully bespoke pieces.
For each custom piece, you’ll work directly with our team to talk through ideas, review options, and confirm the details before we get to work on your furniture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read more frequently asked questions