Custom Stains, Finishes,& Woods
All of our products can be customized and we will work with customers to design and create one-of-a-kind custom wood items. This page is here to help you understand the common stain, finish, and wood options we have readily available for custom projects. Looking for something that's not listed here? No problem, let us know and we're sure we can make it happen!
Stains & Colors
We use a variety of stains to create unique one-of-a-kind products. We believe that stains and finishes should be used to enhance the natural beauty of wood, not hide it.
Common stain colors and finishes we use in our products are pictured below. While we take care to select and use only high-quality wood in our products, however, each piece of wood is unique. Grain patterns and wood colors can affect how stains are absorbed by the wood and ultimately how a finished product looks. These colors should simply be used as a guide.
Au Naturel
Golden Lake Oak
Hollow Pecan
1776 American
Nemahbin Chestnut
Fresh Snow
Lannon Stone
Stone Bank Grey
Ridgeview Grey
Delafield Woodstock
Lapham Green
Nashotah Green
Naga-Waukee Green
Pewaukee Mist
Menomonee Green
Lapham Green
Nashotah Green
Naga-Waukee Green
Pewaukee Mist
Menomonee Green
Finishes
A clear finish helps seal the wood grains protecting a project from moisture, dirt, and germs, and also helps to harden a wood surface adding an additional layer of protection from physical damage. A finish also helps highlight grain patterns and emphasizing stain colors.
​
The type of finish used on a project will depend on many factors including the environment where the project will be located, how the item will be used, and personal taste. For example, an item that will be located outside must use a different finish from one located inside. Also, every finish has varying sheens, which can give a project a shiny or muted appearance - this is where your personal taste comes in.
​
Generally, speaking, most of our items are finished with a semi-gloss interior finish because we feel it strikes a good balance of ascetics and durability for most items we produce, but, we have the ability to finish any item to customer specifications.
Matte Finish
Matte finishes have no shine to them. They impart of rustic and more distressed look. Matte finishes do a better job of hiding imperfections in a project.
Satin Finish
Satin finishes have a very slight sheen to them, but will reflect some light giving the wood a soft glow. Satin finishes also do a good job of hiding imperfections.
Semi-Gloss Finish
Semi-gloss finishes offer a nice balance between a high glare gloss finish and a low glare satin finish. Semi-gloss finishes also make a wood surface harder providing added protection.
Gloss Finish
Gloss finishes have a high glare appearance and reflective qualities. While they help emphasize wood colors and gain patterns, they also make dust, cleaning spots and streaks, and scratches more visible.
Wood Species
There are many species of wood used in wood working. What species used depends on a number of factors. The things we look at when selecting wood for our products are wood grain pattern, wood color, hardness, and price.
​
While most projects can be made with any wood species, some are better suited for specific wood species. For example, cedar is often preferred for outdoor projects as it is naturally weather and insect resistant. Harder woods like maple and oak are great for furniture.
​
The cost of wood, and ultimately the cost of a custom project, varies greatly and fluctuates. Some wood species, like oak, maple, and hickory, are also harder to work with, which requires more time spent on a project.
Wood Species
Pine $
A softwood cut from pine, fir, and spruce trees. White to yellow color sapwood that may have reddish brown heartwood. Commonly contains knots and has a course grain pattern, though it can also be fine grained and clear of knots.
Cedar $$
Harvested from Eastern and Western Red Cedar, which is naturally weather and insect resistant. Its contrasting sapwood and heartwood is aesthetically attractive to look at. Colors range from white and yellow to dark brown and red.
Maple $$$
A very hard and durable wood with a fine grain pattern and white to pink hues. Commonly used for furniture and cabinets because of its durability. Most maple used in wood working comes from Sugar Maple Trees.
Oak $$$
A very hard and durable wood with a fine grain pattern and white to pink hues. Commonly used for furniture and cabinets because of its durability. Most maple used in wood working comes from Sugar Maple Trees.
Aspen $$
A very hard and durable wood with a fine grain pattern and white to pink hues. Commonly used for furniture and cabinets because of its durability. Most maple used in wood working comes from Sugar Maple Trees.
Poplar $$
A softwood cut from pine, fir, and spruce trees. White to yellow color sapwood that may have reddish brown heartwood. Commonly contains knots and has a course grain pattern, though it can also be fine grained and clear of knots.
Hickory $$$
Harvested from Eastern and Western Red Cedar, which is naturally weather and insect resistant. Its contrasting sapwood and heartwood is aesthetically attractive to look at. Colors range from white and yellow to dark brown and red.
Cherry $$$
Harvested from Eastern and Western Red Cedar, which is naturally weather and insect resistant. Its contrasting sapwood and heartwood is aesthetically attractive to look at. Colors range from white and yellow to dark brown and red.
Walnut $$$$
A very hard and durable wood with a fine grain pattern and white to pink hues. Commonly used for furniture and cabinets because of its durability. Most maple used in wood working comes from Sugar Maple Trees.
Mahogony $$$
A very hard and durable wood with a fine grain pattern and white to pink hues. Commonly used for furniture and cabinets because of its durability. Most maple used in wood working comes from Sugar Maple Trees.