Oak is oak... or is it? Modern technologies make it possible to build furniture using one species of wood and give it a finish in a color consistent with entirely different wood. So the name oak, walnut, fruitwood or whatever is on the furniture's tag may refer to the color of the finish rather than the species of the wood used.

More reasons to buy Stanley Furniture: How Furniture is Made Construction Features Color Coordination How to Do a Floor Plan Signs of Quality Glossary of Furniture Terms

Stanley Furniture's 30-Step Finishing Process
Even in our state-of-the-art finishing plants, hand finishing is still the prime source of the beauty of our durable finishes. Here's the journey our furniture takes on its way to a superior finish.

• After the piece is hand sanded, an undertone stain is applied.
• Next, a washcoat seals the stain. It is hand sanded, before a filler is applied and packed into the wood pores for a smooth, even surface.
• Excess filler is wiped off by hand and a sealer coat is applied.
• The piece is again hand sanded to provide the proper surface for succeeding operations.
• Next it is hand padded to mellow the tone.
• A specially prepared luster glaze is applied liberally and rubbed in by hand on both flat and carved areas to highlight and subdue the prime color.
• Antiquing or distressing follows the glaze operation and is done by hand.
• It is then ready for protective coatings.
• After drying, it is hand waxed and hand rubbed prior to a final inspection before shipping.

Our Color Finishes Don't Chip Like Paint Because our color finishes are created by the same 30-step process as the wood tone finishes, you can see the beauty of the grain pattern through them. Just like its wood tones, Stanley Furniture colors penetrate deeply beneath the wood surface.