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Live edge furniture is unique, stylish, and beautiful. But how is it made and what do you need to know before selecting it for your furniture? Let’s take a look.
What is Live Edge Furniture?
Live edge furniture draws its character from nature. This style grew out of the arts and crafts movement of the early 1900s that valued traditional craftsmanship and natural beauty. It radiates warmth, with one-of-a-kind raw beauty that only the natural world can provide.
Comparing Manufacturing Techniques
Full Live Edge Slab
The most unique and exotic form of live edge is a full live edge slab. Live edge slabs are cut lengthwise from the tree and usually have a live edge on both sides. After planing and sanding, this beautiful product will display unblemished woodgrain with no cut lines. This premium option carries the highest price.
Genuine Live Edge with a Glue-up Panel
Many live edge panels are built not from a full slab, but with traditional lumber. In this method, lumber is glued together into a panel, but the outside pieces are live edge lumber! The panel is then planed and sanded before being cut to length and finished. This is the most common form of live edge furniture we sell at DutchCrafters. This genuine live edge option results in a high-end look and a beautiful display.
Imitation Live Edge
The last form of live edge that you may find as you shop is fabricated imitation live edge. In this economical form of production, a wood panel is made with traditional lumber and then the edge is cut, warped, and sanded to produce an edge piece that looks like live edge.
So, what kind of furniture employs live edge?
Live edge is most common in dining tables, kitchen islands, and desktops. However, it can also be found in bedroom sets, accent tables, and décor items like cutting boards.
Coffee tables can also be created using live edge slices, or “tree rounds,” which are cut horizontally from the tree and will have a live edge all the way around.
Common Live Edge Wood Types
Live edge can be made with any type of wood, but we often see it on cherry and walnut wood. It is often left unstained or stained a blonde color to maintain a natural look.
What Design Style is Live Edge?
Though live edge is often considered to be its own style, it can fit in a home with Rustic, Contemporary, Transitional, or even Mid-Century Modern design—depending on how it’s finished.
Truly Unique Furniture, Every Time
Live edge is special because each piece is unique. Live edge style often includes knots and holes, along with the edge’s natural scars, warps, and growth pattern—so you can be sure that the piece you add to your home will be unique to you. Although bark is typically removed in the production of live edge furniture, you can also keep bark on the edge if you prefer to maximize the rustic character of your furniture.
Is live edge furniture the right choice for your home?
For a stunning one-of-a-kind centerpiece built just for you, you can’t do better than genuine live-edge furniture, grown and built in America.
Thanks for watching, and good luck with your furniture-shopping journey.