Can anyone explain what makes a simple log table more appealing to many of us than a finely carved mahogany table? Is it merely a matter of style or taste? To be certain, some log or rustic furniture pieces do not blend well with every decorating theme, and few of us would place an Adirondack chair with a Chippendale kneehole desk, but in many settings log furniture has no equal.
In the traditional sense, most furniture is made from wood (which is nothing more than logs that have been “tamed”). However, log furniture is the antithesis of most conventional furniture. Traditional furniture makers favor pristine wood planks without knots or blemishes, while log furniture builders emphasize knots, diseased patches and even tree bark.
Oftentimes conventional furniture will feature graceful lines and delicate legs, while log designs boast thick, powerful verticals and cross members. Log furniture makers often rely on hand tools more than machines. The drawknife and spokeshave are essential tools used to peel logs and make tenons. Handsaws, chisels, hatchets and other hand tools are found in every log furniture crafter’s workshop.
Log furniture...