The Janka scale is a simple way to see how tough a wood really is. It measures how much force it takes to press a small steel ball into the wood. The higher the number, the harder the wood.
Red oak comes in around 1,290 pounds of force which makes it a popular choice for furniture and flooring. Hickory is even harder, perfect if you want something that can take a lot of use. Softer woods like elm can still be great but on something like a dining room table might need extra protection like a polyurethane finish.
The actual Janka test is done by pushing an 11.28 millimeter steel ball halfway into a piece of wood and recording how much force it takes. While the results are helpful for comparing woods, it is not the only thing to consider. Grain direction, finish, and how the wood is used all affect how it will perform over time.
Knowing the Janka rating can help you pick the right wood for your home. If you have kids or pets you might go for something higher on the scale. If you love a softer rustic look you might choose something a little lower and embrace the natural wear over time.
Bibliography
Wikipedia, Janka Hardness Test
K-Timber, Understanding the Janka Wood Hardness Scale
Superior Hardwoods, The Janka Hardness Scale — Testing Flooring Durability
The room in your house with the guest bed could be doing a whole lot more than just collecting dust. If you’re working with limited space, or if you’ve got a bedroom that’s basically just a big mattress with walls around it, this article is for you. Square footage is a luxury these days, and if you’ve got it, you want to make the most of it. But when guests stay the night, you still want to be able to offer them something comfortable, clean, and easy.
Let’s be honest. The old sofa bed isn’t cutting it. Neither is that bulky pullout or the oversized bed that takes up the entire room but barely gets used.
That’s why one of our favorite solutions is our Murphy hide-a-bed. At first glance, it looks like any other piece of beautiful furniture in your home. You get to choose the wood, the stain, the size, and the finish so it matches your style. But inside, there’s a real, high-quality mattress tucked away, ready to go when guests arrive.
Each unit is available in twin, full, queen, or king size. And yes, it’s a real mattress, not a glorified cushion. It’s just as comfortable as the one you sleep on every night. This means you’re not giving up comfort, you’re gaining space. A lot of it.
So if you’re ready to reclaim your guest room without sacrificing hospitality, reach out to us. We’d love to help you find the perfect sleeping setup for your space.
In a world full of fast furniture and mass production, it’s easy to overlook the value of something truly built to last. But when it comes to furnishing your home, does quality really make a difference? Let’s explore why Amish-built furniture stands apart from the rest—and why it’s an investment worth making. One of the biggest issues plaguing the furniture industry today is engineered materials. Many popular stores can mass-produce cheap furniture using particle board. Particleboard, also known as chipboard, is made by mixing wood particles (like sawdust, shavings, or chips) with a resin, forming the mixture into a sheet, and then pressing it under heat and pressure[1].
At Swiss valley furniture all of our wood is grown and harvested right here in the USA. We only use real solid hardwood that was grown in the USA. For example, one of our most used hardwoods is red oak. Oak is a popular hardwood known for its durability and striking grain patterns, making it an excellent choice for furniture. Its natural resistance to wear and tear, combined with its ability to take stains and finishes well, makes it both versatile and long-lasting—perfect for pieces that need to withstand daily use while maintaining a beautiful appearance for years.
Our builders take careful time to build your piece strong and durable. With mass produced furniture their goal is output, and efficiency. Our goal is durability and quality. Shopping at Swiss valley furniture you can ensure you are getting the piece that will last a lifetime. When you choose Amish-built furniture, you’re investing in more than just a piece for your home—you’re choosing craftsmanship, quality, and values that endure. Visit us at Swiss Valley Furniture to discover furniture that’s built to stand the test of time.
[1] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1995). Particleboard manufacturing process (AP-42, Chapter 10, Section 6.2). Retrieved from https://www3.epa.gov
At Swiss Valley Furniture, we are proud of our Ohio heritage. We are now in our third generation of designing and building solid hardwood furniture, following the same values of integrity and accountability to deliver beautiful, lasting furniture pieces.
Shop Our Showroom
Our 24,000 square foot showroom is the perfect place to check out our hard work for yourself. Conveniently located one mile outside Walnut Creek, our showroom gives you a great opportunity to see and feel before you buy. A showroom visit also makes it easy to place a custom order or plan a dining room table build with one of our expert craftspeople.
Follow Us on Social Media
Even if you’re not close enough for a showroom visit, you can still follow us on social media for news and info. We’re active on Facebook and Instagram, where we’re always posting videos and other content highlighting our latest home furniture creations.
Talk to Our Experienced Team
We have a large team of craftspeople dedicated to bringing heirloom quality furniture to life. Whether you prefer a custom piece or a modified item from one of our collections, our friendly team members are always open to help you figure out which options would work best for your family.
Whether you want to stop by our showroom or discuss a project online, we’re always ready to help bring your dream hardwood furniture piece to life. Contact us today to learn more about our amazing selection of quality products!
At Swiss Valley Furniture, a big part of our customization comes in the wide variety of finishes available for our wood furniture products. Our finish options include stains, paints, and distressing, all of which can work together to complete the look of your furniture set.
Stain Options
A stain finish is a traditional choice for wood furniture, helping the characteristics of the wood to show through in the finished piece. Stains are available in a wide variety of shades for brown maple, cherry, oak, and other woods, ensuring that the rich grains give each piece a one of a kind look.
Paint Options
Paint finishes provide a more modern look that will bring a splash of color into your home. Wood is a more affordable building material, making it a great choice even if you don’t like the look of natural wood grain. A painted finish gives you the best of both worlds — a modern look with classic durability.
Glazing
Glazing has become quite popular in recent years, and offers a unique way to paint a finished furniture piece. Glazing gives a flat, one-color paint finish a more distressed or weathered look. This is a great way to give contemporary paint styles an antique feel.
No matter what type of finish you prefer for your wood furniture, our team can make it happen. Visit us today so you can discuss your plans with one of our design specialists, and we’ll help create a one of a kind piece.
To make the most of your home, it is important to use your available space well. Quality shelving will help you organize your home so it doesn’t feel cluttered. This won’t just help your rooms look nicer — it will also help them feel bigger. At Swiss Valley Furniture, our custom shelving will help you maximize your space like never before.
Custom Consultation
Each home is different — and so is each family. The shelving installation that works in one space may be too small or too big for another family. Because of this, the best way to get results that work for you is to visit the Swiss Valley Furniture showroom to talk to a design specialist. Together, we can talk through all the options and determine what will work best for your home’s needs.
Built-Ins or Standalones
Our team can craft a wide variety of wood shelving products to meet your storage needs. This includes standalone furniture like bookshelves, hutches, and dressers, as well as built-in shelving options like lockers and other custom modifications. Visiting our showroom to discuss the details is a great way to determine which of these many options will be the best fit for your space and what you plan to store.
No matter what type of shelving solution you have in mind, you can count on Swiss Valley Furniture’s expert craftsmen to come up with something that looks and performs great. Visit us today to learn more about how we can help you make the most of your space.
At Swiss Valley Furniture, we are proud of our Ohio heritage. We are now in our third generation of designing and building solid hardwood furniture, following the same values of integrity and accountability to deliver beautiful, lasting furniture pieces.
