Log Furniture Information

Our white cedar log furniture is made from northern white cedar that grows in Northern Minnesota. The logs that we use are the branches and tips of very large trees that are cut down by logging companies which are made into telephone poles, construction beams and logs to build log homes. These branches and tips were at one time ground up and made into mulch or burned as scrap, but now are used instead to create pieces of furniture that are built to last a life time

Vienna Woodworks does not cut down any live trees for our furniture as we are able to obtain all of our materials by using the "scraps" that logging companies sell to us. 

All logs that we build with are dry, and moisture content on each one is carefully checked by our builders prior to starting each project. Depending on the project, we either leave the bark on, or hand peel the log to expose the beautiful wood beneath. Although we also buff our logs once they have been peeled, often we will leave a bit of the bark membrane on in order to allow for even more character. Buffing smooths the logs out and still allows knots to appear where they naturally occur. The knots are smoothed as well yet they also maintain a very natural looking appearance. Peeled northern white cedar logs have beautiul variations of color and natural characteristics, and also beetle tracks made when the tree was a log in the forest. 

The hickory log furniture that we build is made from hickory that originates in Tennessee. The logs are kiln dried to remove moisture and the potential for insects. Our hickory furniture is all bark on and available finished or unfinished. We will be adding many more pieces to our hickory collection in the near future. Currently we also build several pieces that combine hickory with other species of wood such as barnwood, reclaimed cedar and oak. 

Juniper is another specie of log that makes beautiful looking furniture with a great deal of rich, colorful character. If you are interested in seeing what this looks like, see our juniper log mantle and our juniper log beds, dressers and night stands. We combine these juniper pieces with red cedar which compliments it very well. Juniper furniture is a great option for your cabin or log home. It's always appealing to "mix and match" rustic furniture so that it is not all one specie. Another factor to consider is that if the interior of your log home or cabin is made from cedar log or pine log, you might appreciate having the darker color variations that juniper and red cedar will provide. These peices will "pop" or stand out when placed in cedar or pine log backgrounds. 

We use mortise and tenon construction on all of our log furniture, and we also reinforce this by using very strong furniture glue and hidden screws. 

The finish that is applied to our pieces is a high quality non-yellowing clear lacquer that not only protects the wood, but also brings out more of the natural characteristics of the logs. We use several coats on every piece giving is a smooth and beautiful finish

If you have questions about our products, please do not hesitate to contact us!