The Amish are known mainly because of their unique lifestyle defined by strict rules and regulations ascribed by their faith. Even though the Amish reject many modern conveniences including electricity, their techniques for building furniture are not all manual. However, with the inclusion of some old-world techniques, the Amish create timeless heirloom quality pieces to be cherished throughout the home.

While most people are given the impression that the Amish rely only on hand tools to build furniture, the truth is that many of their tools are belt or air driven tools. In other words, they utilize the same technology that was used in the United States in the early part of the century. Behind an Amish furniture shops, one will usually find a diesel engine and fuel tank. With the help of a drive shaft running under the floor of a shop, there will also be a belt that powers their different equipment. Among the most typically used equipment there’s planers, drill presses, and table saws.

There are, however some Amish craftsmen that only use hand tools that are known as the Old Order Amish. Because of their limited technology, furniture created by the Old Order Amish is very hard to find in retail stores. The main reason being because long distance communication can only be conducted through the mail and the turnaround time would be too long.

Amish oak furniture is mainly constructed from solid oak whereas mass-produced furniture is often built from particle and sometimes rubberwood. While rubberwood has similar qualities to oak, it isn’t kiln dried as well. Mass production is based around producing items with speed as the main goal- as opposed to quality. The wood used in Amish made furniture is harvested with respect for the earth’s resources. Harvesting of lumber is carefully planned and controlled so as to affect the forests at the most minimum.

Besides oak, Amish craftsmen construct furniture from Cherry and maple. The oak used by Amish craftsmen is quarter sawn. The unique specks that make quarter sawn oak so valuable are actually protein that run perpendicular to growth rings on a lumber log. This protein makes the wood stronger as well as gives it a distinctive aesthetic. The Amish are considered the most productive craftsmen because after they hand pick the lumber to go into a unit, the parts that are left over are many times used for drawer sides.

Amish craftsmen employ several time-tested techniques such as tongue and grove glue joints, drawers constructed of ¾” material of the same wood type as the rest of the unit, dovetailed front and back and the backs are ship lap and made using ¾” boards of the same wood as the rest of the piece. Each piece of Amish made furniture is hand rubbed with oil stains and finishes that bring out the natural beauty of wood.

The result of all the hard work and detailing is beautiful, high quality pieces of furniture, whether it’s solid cherry dining tables or oak wood dressers, that can be proudly displayed for generations.