Copper Furniture

Why is our Copper Furniture the highest quality? Old World craftsmanship is used to hammer and form copper using methods developed centuries before the Spanish conquerors arrived in Mexico. The fire is stoked, and copper scrap is recycled by melting it into a disk, or ingot, and allowed to cool, then alternatively heated red-hot and hammered in rapid harmony by skilled coppersmiths using nothing more than fire, hammers, and an anvil. This process is repeated, and the copper is flattened into the proper size, and then cut into proper shape. A very specific temperature range is used for heating the copper, which results in the rich colors our copper is known for (no paints and no chemicals are applied to our copper). It is an incredibly labor-intensive process practiced only by the coppersmiths high up in the Sierra Madre Mountains of south-central Mexico.

The copper is hammered in a tight shallow pattern which has been optimized for enhancing how the copper wears over time, while at the same time also allowing the copper to be used as a suitable writing surface. The way copper is hammered is very important as to how the copper surface evolves with use -- the “hilltops” tend to wear and not the “valleys” which highlights the hammer marks which enhances the appearance of the copper surface over time with use. Be aware of copper furniture not optimally hammered, or not hammered at all, as it will scratch and abrade across the entire surface leaving ugly scars, whereas our copper furniture has the benefit of looking better over the years as it is used.

The rich colors of red, brown, orange, and black in the copper are a function of the approximately 3% impurities in the recycled copper, and the temperature at which the copper is fired. All copper tops are similar, but different. There are no two copper tops exactly alike. It’s important that our customers understand this. We have no control over how the colors emerge on each piece of copper. This is one of the reasons why copper furniture is so popular; it never looks the same, yet each is unique a work of art. Customers may request more or less black, etc.; however, we have very little control, and there are no guarantees of colors. In certain angles of light, the surface of the copper may appear to be glossy in some areas, and slightly opaque in other areas. This is also a function of the impurities in the recycled copper, and how the different textures in the copper take the wax sealer. Continued waxing of the copper, as part of normal maintenance, will help to make the glossiness of the copper more uniform over time. Copper tops larger than 36” will have seams where the copper sheets are joined together. The craftsman is very good at hiding these seams, and their quality control criteria is that the colors must be consistent across the seams, so they are not so visible.

The wood is "Pinero Montero"; a high-altitude pine which is denser and heavier compared to other types of pine. The wood has been used for the past 400 years for big roof beams in the adobe/tile roof building construction prevalent throughout parts of Old Mexico; about 7,500 ft. above sea level in the south-central Sierra Madre Mountains. Pátzcuaro, high in the Sierra Madre Mountains of south-central Mexico was established in 1530, and it was one of the very first settlements established by the Spaniards in the New World. With a plentiful supply of very old buildings in the area, the craftsman salvages old roof beams and logs from old cabins in this area. This very old wood is sawed into lumber and used to build our copper furniture. Woodland Creek Furniture has sold thousands of pieces of copper furniture to customers across the U.S. and Canada. Many of these customers have become life-long customer. Some customers made their first purchase with us 10-20 years ago. We have received reports that their copper furniture looks as good as the day they received it. With proper maintenance, this furniture will last decades.