With the striking and instantly recognisable hues of orange, green and blue; the Appalachian Mountains is a system of rolling hills and mountains in eastern North America, and is one of most naturally beautiful landscapes in the Western hemisphere. Having provided the very best raw materials over the course of ninety years, it has become renowned for the gorgeous but robust timber it produces.
The story of the Appalachian Mountains begins over four-hundred-and-fifty million years ago, growing as tall as the Alps and the Rocky Mountains before they were eroded. However, the most important part of its history was just thousands of years ago when a glacier covered the majority of the north-eastern part of the United States, but left the southern Appalachian mountain chain relatively uncovered. As global temperatures began to rise, the glacier receded, and a boom in plant growth began thanks to the large amount of nutrients left by the ice sheet. Due to the mountain ranges seasons, the hardwood that grew was a fantastic building material for the ever-rising population. Appalachian Mountain hardwood soon got its famous reputation for reliable strength and for its beautiful and tight grain-pattern; as furniture makers soon found out.
Although the growth of the trees is slower compared to European Oak, Appalachian hardwoods are much harder, stronger and denser, with a perfect grain structure. This is the result of the diverse and rich forests containing moist, montane soils that are the main factors of why Appalachian Mountain hardwood is superior.
The soil is composed of a special mix of nutrients that is continuously renewed via rainfall, which reaches adequate levels every year but not so much that it doesnโt allow unneeded moisture to drain away from the roots of the trees. It is perfect for feeding the trees with just the right amount of nutrients.
With cool autumns, chilly winters, green springs, and warm summers; the mountain regionโs seasons provide the optimum climate for hardwoods to grow. A good growth development pace is the reason why Appalachian Mountain hardwood has tight growth rings, with strong fibres and regular grains that give these hardwoods their durability and robustness, but also their attractiveness.
All of this means that hardwoods from the Appalachian Mountains exude quality and beauty, setting the standard for hardwoods over the past ninety years. These reasons are why we source our Oak, Walnut, Ash, Maple and Cherry from this area to craft our bespokeย worktops and furniture.
