Buy Amish Oak Furniture

When the first Amish arrived in the United States, they primarily settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As populations grew, settlements spread and there are now major settlements in Holmes and adjoining counties in northeast Ohio, and in Elkhart and nearby counties in northeastern Indiana. All of these communities are surrounded by forests filled with White and Red Oak, as well as Cherry, Maple, Hickory, and Black Walnut. Always self-sufficient, the Amish have taken full advantage of this bounty of beautiful wood to build their own furniture.

During the past century, the primary occupation of farming has been supplemented by woodworking. At first, the general public could only purchase Amish furniture directly from an Amish shop or nearby retailer. But now Amish woodworkers cooperate with “English” businessmen who distribute their goods worldwide via the Internet and we can all enjoy the beauty of Amish craftsmanship in our own homes. First the wood is plain sawn or quartersawn in “English” or Amish mills. Not only is the plain-sawn technique faster, but it produces a wide and long open grain effect, accented by long dark lines that reveal the growth rings. Rough to the touch, these growth ring lines create a textured surface. You’ll find that most dining tables and wooden dressers are crafted from plain-sawn oak. Amish furniture makers prize quartersawn oak for its beautiful rayflake grain designs. It is also resistant to the effects of atmospheric moisture. When cut this way, white oak is very durable. If properly finished, it will not likely rot, decay, cup, twist, or crack.

The problem with the quartersawn milling technique is that it’s very labor intensive. The first step involves cutting a whole log lengthwise into quarter rounds. The quarter rounds are then cut perpendicular to the growth rings, rotating the length 90 degrees back and forth with each cut. The end result is a feathered or furry grain both beautiful and strong. In contemporary Amish mills, this cutting is now done using saws powered by diesel generators. The generators are an allowed form of electricity because the Amish retain control of the power source.

Once the wood is processed, the Amish craftsman carefully chooses the perfect piece of lumber from the mill offerings for each piece of furniture. With an artist’s eye, he will select complementary pieces to create a lasting masterpieces for any home. Generations-old techniques are employed in the construction of each custom piece from a dining table to oak dining room chair. Dovetail joints are used for drawers, and slats and support pieces are connected in the mortise and tenon fashion. Each piece is finished with exceptional care, following multiple sanding and finish-application steps. A properly cared for Amish furnishing will retain its original finish for its lifetime.

The traditional methods of handmade solid wood Amish furniture construction stand out in direct contrast to imitation mass-produced furniture imported from overseas, which is usually made of particle board and veneer. Be sure to carefully inspect any prospective furniture; there are many of these imitation Amish-style furniture items on the market, and you want to get what you’ve paid for. By purchasing a genuine Amish furniture item you are making an investment in an item of decorative utility that will last for generations.

The Elegance of Amish Bedroom Furniture

The bedroom is a place of rest and refuge, and its furniture should reflect peace and security. Well-made Amish furniture can provide just that. Amish furniture is crafted by hand using the best traditional furniture-making techniques known today. Fathers and sons work side by side, building furniture that will endure for generations. Only the best woods are used, selected for their superior quality and beautiful grain. You can trust that each piece of genuine Amish furniture is crafted of solid wood construction, with no particle board or veneers.

Amish furniture requires a substantial investment, but it will far exceed your expectations. When considering Amish furnishings, look for the highest quality construction materials and techniques. Make sure each piece is crafted of solid wood; this includes solid wood backs on upright pieces such as dressers. A variety of woods are available; most common are oak, quartersawn oak, cherry, maple, hickory, and sometimes pine. The best quality hardwoods are always kiln-dried. This insures proper moisture content, which helps to prevent splitting and cracking throughout the life of the piece.

If you are looking for an entire bedroom set or a single piece like wood dressers, be sure to carefully examine the construction. Using generations-old techniques to build solid and enduring works, the Amish are renowned for their handcrafted furniture. For pieces such as dressers, nightstands, chest of drawers, armoires, and chifferobes, check that they have quality drawers that will hold up under rigorous daily use. The dovetail joints holding the fronts and backs of the drawer boxes together should have very tight tolerances. Also keep in mind that French dovetail joints have less storage capacity than English ones. Don’t forget to inspect the drawer slides to make sure they ride smoothly in both directions.

As the centerpiece of a bedroom set, beds should always be constructed with solid-wood side rails and slats. This will eliminate the need for metal mattress frames. The cross slats should always be tongue-and-grooved or doweled into the side rail. Beds that are constructed in this manner will be extremely sturdy with no swaying. For headboards and footboards, look to be sure they’re constructed with full mortise and tenon joinery, further providing superior strength. Although beds are available in many different styles, most common are Mission, Shaker, Sleigh, or Traditional. However, true Amish-made furniture can be custom-ordered to fit your exact needs.

Be sure to also consider the finish when selecting a quality piece of heirloom Amish wood bedroom furniture. The best craftsmen will ensure a smooth surface inside and out by sanding down the wood in several steps. Some shops follow a five-step process to finish each piece of furniture, using a top-grade catalyzed finish so strong it’ll stand up to acetone nail polish remover. Through this process, every surface—from top to side to underside—is finished and sealed to protect your investment for years to come.

The Amish Family and Dinner

One of the central elements of Amish culture is family. Amish couples generally have seven to ten children, and the family unit is often made larger by elderly members. As you can imagine, in an Amish household meal times are often quite lively. Since the fathers and older sons work nearby in fields or workshops, and mothers and older daughters work around the house, the entire family is able to gather together for daily meals. The Amish consider this to be a treasured time of family sharing and bonding, something we rarely see in our busy world. The Amish also maintain close ties with extended family and members of the local settlement community, and it is not uncommon for them to spend their free time visiting during meals. Weekly church gatherings are also held around the family dining table, as well as the large wedding celebrations held by the Amish.

Amish woodworkers labor long and hard to provide high quality and enduring oak tables, wooden dining chairs and dining furniture for their families, communities, and the “English” around them. The effort is worth it, as each craftsman gains great satisfaction in creating heirloom pieces that reflect Amish values of utility, simplicity, and excellence. Not only are they built in the Amish tradition from the finest wood, but these superior pieces become centerpieces in the home, complementing the family meal-time tradition. In the interim, they live with the bride’s family and seek out foundational pieces to build upon, including a dining table. They know that their dining table will become a treasured, long-lasting heirloom as it proves its worth over and over again as a centerpiece for family bonding.

While large family gatherings to celebrate special events and holidays have always been part of American culture, many families today have rediscovered the value of regular family meal times. More and more people are actively striving to reinstate this crucial time of family bonding in their own daily routines. As more and more gather round the table, many families are choosing to add significance to traditional meals and special family gatherings with a durable Amish-made dining set or oak dining table.



Farming has traditionally been the mainstay of the Amish economy, but high land prices and a growing population have forced many young men to pursue a craft such as furniture building. Outbuildings are often converted to woodshops, or otherwise new buildings are built to house new woodworking businesses. With a growing number of craftsmen, a thriving market for handcrafted Amish furniture has developed. With so many woodworking shops, a wide variety of furniture has become available in many styles. Amish furniture can even be custom-ordered according to preferences in wood type, leg style, skirting, dimensions, and finish. Traditionally, Amish craftsmen sell their creations directly from their own shops, but many have now partnered with local “English” businessmen to distribute their goods in nearby stores or over the Internet.

Amish dining sets are available in a wide variety of styles, including Mission, Shaker, Windsor, Queen Anne, French Country, Hoosier, sheaf-backed, Franklin, Malibu, Portland, and more contemporary designs. Amish craftsmanship dictates that you will never find imitations or laminates. Rather every piece is crafted from the highest quality woods, such as solid oak, cherry, walnut, maple, and pine. In selecting a dining table, you need to consider the leg supports, which might be the basic four legs, trestle or pedestal. Likewise, table tops can be circular, oval, square, rectangular, or octagonal, and leaf styles come in side drop, separate center, or stowleaf.

Amish Furniture & Craftsmanship

The Amish name is synonymous with beautiful and high-quality solid wood furniture. Amish creations are made exclusively of solid wood and thus are strong and durable, built to last for many generations. This quality wood is rendered beautiful by superior workmanship that is unequaled in a modern world where nearly every product on the market is mass-produced. Furniture making has become an art form in Amish culture, crafted not so much due to personal pride but as a special form of worshipping their God through action.

Always Amish craftsmen take great care in selecting the right wood for their project. Oak and quartersawn oak are the predominant woods used in the construction of most pieces, but sometimes projects call for other woods such as cherry, maple, hickory, black walnut, cedar, and even pine. Prized for its beautiful grain lines and honey coloration, oak is widely distributed in the United States and Canada. But other types of wood fit other styles, such as cherry for Queen Anne pieces. Cedar makes a great wood for storage chests, in that its lovely scent is perfect for storing clothing and other linens. Another popular choice is either hickory or maple, which are both light colored and extremely hard.

The most recognizable styles of Amish furniture are Mission, Shaker, and Queen Anne, but designs range from artfully simple to ornately curved. Pieces come in a variety of other styles, including Traditional/Heritage, Contemporary, Bavarian, Bunker Hill, Carlisle, Hampton, McCoy, Modesto, Slat Mission, Shaker Hill, Spring Hill, Rio Grande, Royal Mission, West Lake, Southwestern, Rustic, Cottage, and Beachfront. Mission and Shaker designs feature simple square designs; other styles have much more curve and ornamentation, such as Queen Anne and Bunker Hill. Most Amish furniture available today is made by Amish woodworkers from the Lancaster and Indiana communities, but styles can vary from area to area. Each woodworker adds his own individual touch to his work, so any Amish piece you acquire will be unlike any other.

Whether you are looking to furnish your bedroom, living room, kitchen, dining room, or home
wood office furniture, there are Amish pieces available. It seems that the most popular pieces, however, are beds, dressers, and oak dining sets. Acquiring a matching set for any room will help create a distinctive room décor. There are also heirloom-quality baby cribs and rocking chairs available if you’re looking for a more distinctive piece. For the newest trend in Amish furniture, look for outdoor pieces for your patio or deck. No matter what you have in mind, there is definitely something for everyone.

To this day the Amish remain free from electricity. However, they do take advantage of diesel generators to power pneumatic or hydraulic tools to mill and construct their fine furniture pieces. The use of these generators doesn’t contradict Amish belief systems, because they remain in Amish control whereas electricity is supplied and controlled by the outside world. The generators are nice, because they allow more time for the final finish detail work to still be done by hand. The craftsman also spends time carefully selecting each piece of wood, so that the colors and wood grains work together to create a harmonious effect. Once an older son completes his formal schooling, his father will then train him in all the particulars of woodworking, passing his expertise on to the next generation.

In years past, you could only find Amish furniture in antique shops and local stores. But today a large number of these local shops offer online shopping and Amish furniture has become accessible to the world. Online availability is set up by “English” intermediate businessmen who either buy directly from the Amish or work with them to establish and manage an online storefront.

Amish Mission Furniture Keeps Old-World Traditions Alive

By the 19th century, the British aesthetic Arts & Crafts movement made its way to the United States. The movement was at its height in Britain between 1880 and 1910, then traveled and became popular in the United States between 1910 and 1920. The ideals that fueled the movement revolved around the denunciation of the Industrial Revolution and all the mundane and repetitive production to come out of it. The Arts & Crafts movement sought to return to handcraft, where items like furniture were simple and authentic. The lifestyle and the crafts of the Amish are based around similar ideals.

The Amish lead very unique lives with strict rules and regulations that prevent them from consuming many of the innovations presented by the Industrial Revolution, therefore Amish furniture is all hand-crafted. Amish Mission furniture features all the aesthetic qualities inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement including the clean, even lines and exposed joinery. While mass production manufacturers may be able to reproduce some of these characteristics, a true Mission inspired piece is handcrafted as the pioneers of the Arts & Crafts movement intended it to be.

Amish built furniture does not contain any toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, flame-retardants, or composite woods that will off-gas (release substances) into the air in your home. Their items contain no adhesives or synthetic bonding materials that could be harmful to your health. Relying on traditional methods, master Amish craftsmen create timeless furniture out of raw material without the aid of the energy-draining factories or machines. The solid wood used is hand-selected, making each unit a unique heirloom-quality piece.
Inspired by their beliefs, Amish craftsmen are keeping the old-world traditions of furniture making alive. Their work is all done by hand and the only tools involved are powered hydraulically and pneumatically. The detailing and staining of Amish furniture is also done by hand. Much like the Mission style furniture created during the Arts & Crafts movement, there is much patience and attention given to each piece of furniture and this is something that cannot be replicated by a factory.

Amish Mission furniture is inspired by the same organic elements of nature that sparked the Arts & Crafts movement. Arts & Crafts pioneers William Morris and Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes and furnishings that were based on the fundamental principals of honesty, simplicity and usefulness. Their designs were a drastic shift from the excess of the Victorian Age and by the time the Arts & Crafts movement made its way to America, when cities were thriving and farm-life was diminishing, the simple designs of these innovators were a breath of fresh air.

Lately, people are feeling the effects of excess once more and instead of adding to the destruction of our environment are looking for eco-friendly alternatives. Amish Mission Furniture is the perfect alternative to polluting, dangerous mass-produced furniture and is becoming more easily obtainable through retailers. Amish solid wood furniture is created for all rooms of the house and will remain valuable, cherished additions to your home

The Advantages of Amish Furniture

Amish made furniture offer several advantages not available from furniture that is mass-produced. With Amish made furniture becoming more accessible through furniture retailers, you can own your very own Amish crafted pieces tailored to your needs.

The most unique feature about Amish furniture is its heirloom quality construction. Amish craftsmen use traditional methods for construction, which means that their products are handcrafted, durable, and feature great attention to detail. The Amish follow a set of beliefs that does not allow them the use of electricity; therefore most of their furniture-building techniques involve tools that are powered hydraulically and pneumatically.

Amish oak furniture features hand-selected pieces of lumber, ensuring that your piece will contain only the most beautiful parts of the tree that are the most durable and that it will be one of a kind. Besides solid oak, Amish crafted furniture is also available in cherry and maple. Detailing and staining of furniture is most often done by hand as well. Mass-produced furniture is often disposable and made with dangerous materials including particleboard and even formaldehyde. This type of manufacturing often results in nicked veneers and unsteady construction.

While energy-consuming, polluting furniture manufacturing plants harm our environment, the Amish people rely on eco-friendly methods of producing furniture that reduce energy consumption, does not lead to deforestation, and reduces the toxic off-gassing typical of mass-produced furniture. Using only man-power, Amish craftsmen create lasting wood furniture created from sustainably harvested forests. Amish built furniture does not contain any toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, flame-retardants, composite woods, or adhesive and synthetic bonding materials that will off-gas (release substances) into the air in your home. Because Amish furniture is so durable, it will last your family years or can be passed down or sold to members of your family or community instead of ending up as garbage in a landfill.

While mass-produced furniture often represents ever-changing trendy styles that are here today, gone tomorrow, Amish crafted furniture is created in timeless looks that will always be cherished. These styles include Mission style, which has clean, even lines and exposed joinery. Their Shaker style is known for its simplicity, innovative joinery, and functionality. The most ornate of Amish styles is the Queen Anne style, which features ornate carvings and detailing. The Amish are inspired by nature and so are many of their designs. They also incorporate many geometric patterns like circles and triangles. The Amish create furniture for all rooms in the home including bedroom sets, dining room sets and living room furniture that includes occasional tables and TV stands. Several of these units can be custom-built to perfectly suit your home.

The Amish people live in various states of the United States with the largest groups residing in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They lead very unique lives with strict rules and regulations that prevent them from consuming many modern conveniences like electricity, cars and telephones that so many people take for granted. Their lifestyle gives way to their creativity and hard work that allows them to create such stunning products that leave many people in awe. Because the Amish are not concerned with leading frugal lives, most of their furniture is sold at very low prices. It is their furniture selling that provides the financial stability for many Amish communities.

Amish made furniture are so unique that it is impossible to replicate in any factory. The patience and attention paid to each piece of furniture makes every piece they create a special and unique item that will stand out in any room. The time and effort that goes into their work is ensures that their products will last a lifetime.

The Amish People & Culture

The history of the Amish people can be traced back hundreds of years and unlike most cultures that evolve to adapt to the ever-changing world, the Amish have stayed true to their roots. The Amish religion originated from the Mennonite religion, which encourages nonviolence, nonviolent resistance, and pacifism. The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations whose roots began in central Europe. When Swiss-German Mennonite leader, Jacob Amman insisted on the practice of Meidung, which is the strict shunning of excluded members, this brought about a division in the Swiss Mennonite movement in 1693 and led to the establishment of the Amish. Amman felt the Mennonites were drifting away from their beliefs. Nevertheless, the two groups are still very closely related and many times may live right next to each other. Their roots and standards for a simple life and diligent work are very closely aligned and have remained much the same throughout the centuries past.

The Amish separate themselves into as many as eight different orders, but the majority are affiliated with one of five religious orders: Old Order Amish, New Order Amish, Andy Weaver Amish, Beachy Amish, and Swartzentruber Amish. Of these groups, the Old Order Amish are the largest group and the Swartzentruber Amish are considered the most conservative.

The Amish follow the Christian faith as any other person of the Christian faith. The Bible is the main study book. The Ordnung, a list of rules dictates all aspects of their life from their way of dress and hair length to buggy style and farming techniques. This list of rules varies from among the different orders and communities. Some of their beliefs do not allow them to pose for photographs because they feel it violates the biblical teaching against making graven images. They also don’t believe in photographs for fear that it will promote self-pride. Many will put their hands or hats over their faces, look away or take evasive action to avoid having their picture taken.

There are approximately 150,000 Amish in North America, with the largest group residing in Ohio and other large populations in Pennsylvania, northern Indiana and Iowa. They are known as the plain people because of the plain colored clothing they wear. As a symbol of their faith, Amish clothing styles encourage humility and disconnection from the world. Their clothing is homemade of plain, dark fabrics. Amish men are not allowed to wear belts, sweaters, neckties and gloves, while Amish women are not allowed patterned clothing or jewelry. The Ordnung of the specific Amish order may also provide other strict orders regarding dress, even dictating the length of a skirt or the width of a seam. The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch among themselves and live within highly personalized relationships, and avoid anything more than casual contact with strangers. They are happy living without the conveniences of the 21st century such as electricity, cars and telephones.

The Amish are disapproving of technology because they feel it weakens the family structure. Modern conveniences such as television, automobiles, and even tractors are considered to be a temptation that causes vanity, inequality and can create a disbanding of their close-knit communities. Most Amish rely on horse-drawn machinery and get around on horse-drawn buggies. While the Amish aren’t allowed a phone in the home, many still have access to one that is usually kept in a wooden shanty between farms. Electricity is sometimes utilized, usually for the use of electric cattle fences, flashing lights on buggies or heating home. Nevertheless, they rely on windmills as their source of naturally generated electric power. Other modern devices such as disposable diapers and barbecue grills may also be allowed because the Ordnung does not specifically prohibit them.

The Amish do not believe in education beyond the eighth grade because they believe that the knowledge offered up to that point is sufficient to prepare for the Amish lifestyle. Amish schools are usually one-room schoolhouses with young unmarried women from the Amish community as teachers. These schools educate children in many crafts and can be considered vocational education.

Among the crafts that the Amish specialize in, their quilts have become very popular and profitable. Their quilts also reflect the Amish way of life in the way that they mirror their religious philosophy that forbids them from being too “flashy” or “worldly.” Only solid colors are used and sometimes the church may restrict the use of certain colors that are considered too flashy. Like their clothing, quilts usually use a lot of dark colors like black and blue with most of the attention being paid to the stitching forms and patterns.

Among their lasting traditions, their dedication to the production of heirloom quality furniture has remained true. Amish furniture making is mostly known for being constructed from solid wood, using no particle board or laminate, and the great attention paid to the details of the wood. Each piece of wood is hand selected and special attention is paid to the grain. Amish furniture is valued for its heirloom quality that can be passed down and valued by different generations. It first gained attention in the 1920’s when early folk art was becoming popularized.

The techniques used by Amish woodworkers do not require electricity; their tools are hydraulically and pneumatically powered by running on diesel generators. However, the detail and finish are applied by hand, therefore ensuring the finest quality. A common characteristic of Amish furniture is the five-piece English dovetail joints on drawers and steel ball bearing drawer glides. Amish craftsmen acquire their skills from generations before them. Starting early in their life, many Amish dedicate their lives to helping in the family shop where if they are woodworkers, they pick up specific design details.

Among many other styles, the Amish create Mission and Shaker styles. The Mission style features classic, straight lines, exposed joinery and features a clean design; similarly, the Shaker style is very simple and is designed with functionality and durability in mind.

Amish Furniture and Tradition

There are approximately 150,000 Amish in North America, with the largest group residing in Ohio and other large populations in Pennsylvania, northern Indiana and Iowa. They are known as the plain people because of the plain colored clothing they wear. The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch among themselves and live within highly personalized relationships, and avoid anything more than casual contact with strangers. They are happy living without the conveniences of the 21st century such as electricity, cars and telephones.

The Amish follow the Christian faith as any other person of the Christian faith. The Bible is the main study book. Their beliefs do not allow them to pose for photographs because they feel it violates the biblical teaching against making graven images. They also don't believe in photographs for fear that it will promote self-pride. Many will put their hands or hats over their faces, look away or take evasive action to avoid having their picture taken.

The history of these people can be traced back hundreds of years and unlike most cultures that evolve to adapt to the ever-changing world, the Amish have stayed true to their roots. The Amish religion originated from the Mennonite religion, which encourages nonviolence, nonviolent resistance, and pacifism. The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations whose roots began in central Europe. When Swiss-German Mennonite leader, Jacob Amman insisted on the practice of Meidung, which is the strict shunning of excluded members, this brought about a division in the Swiss Mennonite movement in 1693 and led to the establishment of the Amish.

Amman felt the Mennonites were drifting away from their beliefs. Nevertheless, the two groups are still very closely related and the two groups may many times live right next to each other. Their roots and standards for a simple life and diligent work are very closely aligned and have remained much the same throughout the centuries. Among their lasting traditions, their dedication to the production of heirloom quality furniture has remained true.

Amish furniture making is mostly known for being constructed from solid wood, using no particle board or laminate, and the great attention paid to the details of the wood. Each piece of wood is hand selected and special attention is paid to the grain of the wood. Amish furniture is valued for its heirloom quality that can be passed down and valued by different generations. It first gained attention in the 1920's when early folk art was becoming popularized.

The techniques used by Amish woodworkers do not require electricity; their tools are hydraulically and pneumatically powered by running on diesel generators. However, the detail and finish are applied by hand, therefore ensuring the finest quality. A common characteristic of Amish furniture is the five-piece English dovetail joints on drawers and steel ball bearing drawer glides.

Among many other styles, the Amish create Mission and Shaker styles. The Mission style features classic, straight lines, exposed joinery and features a clean design; similarly, the Shaker style is very simple and is designed with functionality and durability in mind.

Amish craftsmen acquire their skills from generations before them. Starting early in their life, many Amish dedicate their lives to helping in the family shop where if they are woodworkers, they pick up specific design details.

Because the Amish don't use the Internet themselves personally or for business, they rely on entrepreneurs that sell the crafts and furniture that the Amish create. Retailers , like Barn Furniture Mart, often attend Amish furniture expositions in middle-America to develop relationships with the Amish craftsmen and then become facilitators between the Amish and the buyer. This makes it possible for people world-wide to enjoy high-quality Amish woodworking.