Lock & Grain Blog

Organic Minimalism and Solid Hardwood Furniture
Organic Minimalism and Solid Hardwood Furniture
Organic minimalism favors natural materials, quiet forms, and fewer better pieces. See how solid American hardwood furniture fits the trend without becoming disposable decor. Read more...
How We Make Affordable Real Wood and Steel Furniture in the USA
How We Make Affordable Real Wood and Steel Furniture in the USA
Real hardwood and steel furniture can be built affordably in the USA when the supply chain is short and the people doing the work know what they are doing. Read more...
A Lock and Grain wood coffee table sitting in a room with daylight from a window and warm lamplight on one side.
How Lighting Affects the Way Wood Furniture Looks
Wood color is not a fixed thing. Daylight and bulbs change how a wood table reads from morning to night. Pick wood and finish in the room they will actually... Read more...
A Lock and Grain wood coffee table with a clear tempered glass top and a polished edge.
How to Choose a Glass Top for a Table
A glass top can protect a wood table and lighten a room. Buy it from a local glass shop first, then pick thickness, edge style, tint and fit. Read more...
A Lock and Grain wood coffee table with small hardwood sample blocks in oak, maple, cherry and walnut.
How to Choose a Real Wood Table: Oak, Maple, Cherry or Walnut?
Oak, Maple, Cherry and Walnut all make a good solid wood table. The right one depends on the room, the finish, and how you want the piece to age. Read more...
Where the Wood Comes From: Pennsylvania's Family Forests
Where the Wood Comes From: Pennsylvania's Family Forests
Our hardwood comes from Pennsylvania forests that grow more wood every year than the state harvests, worked by family landowners. No tropical species, no engineered panels. Read more...
How to Use Green Guides and Certifications to Choose Better Stains and Finishes
How to Use Green Guides and Certifications to Choose Better Stains and Finishes
Eco-friendly and non-toxic on a label do not mean what you think. Here is how to read real certifications, the FTC Green Guides and ingredient lists to pick a finish... Read more...
How Synthetic Surfaces and Glues Can Affect Your Air Quality
How Synthetic Surfaces and Glues Can Affect Your Air Quality
Particleboard, MDF, laminate and factory finishes can off-gas for months after you bring them home. Here is what is actually in your furniture and why it matters. Read more...
How to Stain and Finish DIY Furniture
How to Stain and Finish DIY Furniture
A practical walkthrough for staining and finishing solid hardwood furniture at home. Tools, steps, and the small details that separate a good job from a great one. Read more...
Why Choose Unfinished Furniture?
Why Choose Unfinished Furniture?
Unfinished solid hardwood furniture lets you pick the color, the finish, and what ends up in your home. Here is what you get and what the trade-offs are. Read more...