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Welcome to our Blog FAQs section, where we address common questions clients have about carpentry services. Whether you're considering a custom furniture piece, home renovations, or repairs, we aim to provide clarity on our processes, pricing, and timelines. From understanding the types of wood we use to the benefits of hiring a professional carpenter, our FAQs are designed to help you make informed decisions. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to us directly for personalized assistance!

How Can Scratched Wooden Floors And Furniture Be Repaired?

Wooden floors and furniture alike can be beautiful and charming, with a timeless appeal that will never go out of fashion. Unfortunately, however, they can also be damaged more easily and noticeably than some other materials.

Among the worst examples of this are scratches. These show up because both the colour and texture become very obviously different, especially if the wood is darker and if a layer of varnish or lacquer has been gouged out.

However, you don’t have to shrug your shoulders and treat this like a ‘war wound’ or cover the damaged area up, as there are ways they can be fixed. The question you should ask, however, is whether the damage can be fixed in a DIY fashion or whether you need a carpentry expert to carry out a more extensive repair job.

Householders can often repair simple scratches quite easily. As Checkatrade notes, This involves using a wood treatment wax and a cloth, or a simple kit to repair. A wood patching kit can help with discolouration on surfaces like a table.

The advice given here is sound enough, but it comes with the important caveat that if it is a deep and severe scratch, it is likely to be beyond the typical householder's ability to do an adequate repair job. This is where you need to bring in a professional who knows exactly how to repair and restore wooden furniture.

Some online advice you might see to deal with scratches will have you using items ranging from steel wool to sandpaper, but unless you are very skilled with this, you could end up making matters worse, for example by accidentally sandpapering off lacquer from surrounding non-damaged areas.

In any case, not everyone is adept at carrying out DIY repairs. That’s OK; whether the job is a big or small one, we can help make sure that the damage is repaired and your furniture or floor looks as good as new.

How Did Skilled Carpentry Preserve The World’s Oldest Church?

Wood is one of the best natural building materials in the world, and the only one that is capable of constantly regrowing and refreshing.

Whilst natural materials tend to have an inevitable shelf life, skilled custom carpentry and careful care can ensure that wooden furniture can last an extremely long time. However, one church in Essex puts the capabilities of wood to its absolute limits and has lasted nearly a thousand years.

Based in the Essex countryside, Greensted Church was originally believed to have been constructed in 845 AD, by far the oldest wooden building in Europe. However, it is believed that the current church’s earliest origins date back to roughly 1053.

The oldest original part is the central nave, which is made of split oak tree trunks that reflect a traditional form of wooden carpentry used by the Anglo-Saxons.

The discrepancy with the dates comes from attempts to determine the age from the tree rings, which was originally dated from the oldest piece of wood, but was revised to be the youngest.

This part of the church is original and believed to be extremely small, but over the years, various rather unusual additions have been built alongside the original wooden nave.

These include a brick chancel in the 16th century, a white clapboard tower from the century after this, and some ornate decorations that emerged as part of a Victorian restoration.

Given that so many old wooden buildings have ended up in a state of disrepair, it is remarkable how well the wooden parts of Greensted have survived and avoided demolition or ill-conceived attempts to “improve” the original timber.

This longevity was the result of skilled carpentry in the first place and excellent preservation in the centuries following, a trait that is somewhat fitting given the longevity of the rural village it has called home for so long.

What Types Of Bespoke Furniture Is Needed For Tiny Houses?

In what can only be described as a delightful moment of irony, the tiny house movement has become exceptionally huge in recent years, in no small part thanks to the work of bespoke carpenters.

The movement, which relies on minimalism, a strict dedication to only taking and keeping what one needs and making the most of every square inch of space, often requires either a lot of compromises or some particularly clever tricks to make the most of the space.

A tiny house can vary in size, although the International Residential Code tends to set the maximum floor space as 400 square feet, slightly bigger than a 45ft standard shipping container, which provides some indication of just how small a tiny house can be.

However, as anyone who has converted a shipping container or has seen one up close can attest, there is more space than you might expect if you use it effectively.

Here are some tips for the types of bespoke furniture you are likely to need for a tiny house.

Everything Has Multiple Purposes

If a sofa can fold out to become a bed, tables have storage spaces or ottoman stools for additional seating without compromising storage, which can allow for many more options for keeping everything organised whilst avoiding the need to go for the smallest options you can physically use.

Whenever looking for furniture or getting in touch with a carpenter, ask yourself if there is a possible way it can be adapted for another purpose.

Everything Foldable

On that same subject, the best and most effective tiny houses rely on elaborate carpentry the most because they often have foldable solutions that can be moved or tucked away to provide as much floor space as possible.

Wall-Mounted Solutions

With floor space being at a premium, clever wall-mounted designs are important to keep the space tidy and beautiful at the same time, and this is something a skilled carpenter can help a lot with.

3 FAQs About Built-In Furniture

Furnishing your home will always be an exciting endeavour, but it’s one that requires a lot of thought and planning if you’re to avoid making potentially costly mistakes. The aim is to come up with interior design schemes that you’ll love for years to come, marrying both style and practicality to perfection.

When it comes to your furniture pieces, you have various options. You can either go for freestanding items that you source individually or as a set, or you can opt for built-in furniture in your living spaces, something that’s fast becoming a very popular option for all styles of property.

To help you decide if the built-in look is right for you, here are just some of the more frequently asked questions that we get here at The Olive Carpentree. And, as ever, if you’d like any further information or advice, just get in touch with the team today.

What are the benefits of built-in furniture?

Having bespoke carpentry designed with your unique home in mind means that you can get something made that fits perfectly into any spaces you have to work with, no matter how awkward, small or angular they may be. You’re able to maximise your living spaces and design efficient layouts to get the most out of your rooms. You’re also sure to appreciate the unique value that built-in pieces add to your home.

Can built-in furniture be used throughout the home?

Yes! Built-in home furnishings are incredibly versatile and can be installed anywhere you like, giving you everything you need to enjoy your home. Whether you want to use the space under the stairs for something, are looking for a custom pantry in the kitchen, want bespoke wardrobes in the bedroom, need extra storage in the bathroom or something else, built-in pieces can help you achieve what you have in mind.

Are there any cons to built-in furniture?

The only drawback to having built-in pieces installed is that once they’re in, they’re in. They can be difficult to remove, so it’s important that you give your interior design schemes due consideration to ensure you’re making the right decisions.

The Olive Carpentree