It depends. If you compare it to cheap and cheerful mass manufactured furniture then the upfront cost is indeed much higher. However, as many people will have experienced, such mass manufactured furniture is designed to fail or at the very least does not stand the test of time due to inferior materials, poor workmanship and lacking design. Naturally, it needs to be replaced more often and is treated by many with a ‘fast fashion’ mindset.

In contrast, if you buy a skél piece of furniture, it is designed properly, made of premium materials and painstakingly made by skilled craftspeople. It will last decades into the future and become a part of your home along with most treasured possessions. A beautifully designed piece of furniture that is longer lasting and actually works well over time means you will want to keep it and pass it down to your children! Buy once, buy well.

Skel furniture is heirloom quality and designed to last for decades into the future. If you take good care of your furniture, it should last 10-20 years before it needs anything done to it whatsoever. Premium timber, materials and durable protective polishes are used on all skél furniture.

There are several factors that affect how your piece of furniture fairs over time.

The first is whether it is all solid timber or is timber veneer. In most, but certainly not all cases, solid timber will be more durable as it is generally stronger than timber veneer. This is particularly the case for dining tables, coffee tables, chairs, stools and benches. Timber veneer is a thin (0.6mm) layer of timber which is then glued to a substrate panel of man made board being a more economical material which is much softer than natural timber. That softer materials needs to be carefully ‘wrapped’ in very thin slices of real timber (veneer) so can be more fragile, particularly on corners and edges. Timber veneer absolutely has its place in the appropriate circumstances and in some applications is actually preferred to solid timber due to the fact that it does not have any discernible expansion or contraction due to atmospheric humidity (door panels, drawer bottoms, back panels of cabinets, complex curved assemblies). Many internal cabinet components are made from timber veneer as it is economical and those components are not at risk of being banged, scratched or exposed to sunlight.

The second factor is how much physical use the piece of furniture receives. Naturally, a piece of furniture that is touched more, exposed to more bright sunlight or is used by boisterous children (eg, dining table or chairs) will require a refresh earlier than a more decorative piece (eg, display cabinet, hall table). The brilliant thing about solid timber is that it can be easily resurfaced and repolished to extend its life well into the future. Additionally, dents, scratches, stains or other unfortunate battle scars that are a part of life can be repaired in all but the rarest of cases. Timber veneer can still be given a light sand and polish but this can only be done perhaps once in its life before the very thin veneer disappears.

The third factor is how hard the timber itself is. Hardness differs dramatically between timber species. For the higher use items like tables, seating and the like, a hard timber will be recommended. For more decorative items the selection of species for durability is not such a concern.

Almost all skél furniture is made from completely solid timber. The exception is drawer bottoms, cabinet back panels and cabinet door fronts, which are by default timber veneer.

There are several simple things you can do to keep your furniture looking great and prolong its life. Avoid placing in direct sunlight. Avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals or abrasive cleaning cloths as this can damage the surface finish and the timber. Do not leave liquids to pool on surfaces as this will hasten deterioration of the surface finish. Dust and wipe down the timber surface from time to time with a soft cloth slightly damp with water. For stubborn marks or debris, apply a diluted dish detergent solution in warm water and apply sparingly with a soft cloth, wiping with the grain to reduce any visible micro scratches in the surface finish. For severe dents and scratches, contact us.

Predominantly, the type of polish used is two-pack lacquer in a 10% gloss which translates to a nice matt level sheen. Some pieces have a hard wax oil finish (OSMO PolyX) in a satin level sheen.

For lacquer finished pieces, the piece must be professionally refinished by skél or a professional polisher and should not be undertaken by the owner.

For oil finished pieces, the owner may reapply the finish by hand with a soft rag or non-abrasive pad, following the product instructions by the manufacturer. Depending on the nature of the piece, re-application is unlikely to be necessary for 7 years or more. Any re-application by the owner is at the owner’s risk and skél takes no responsibility for the end result.

You are welcome to collect your furniture from our workshop / showroom yourself, or arrange your own transport. For anything larger than a chair, we recommend a professional furniture mover and can arrange this for you. They know their onions when it comes to blanket wrapping the furniture, securely transporting it so it is not dented or scratched, unloading and lifting into place be that ground floor or multi level. Crucially they are insured. Prices vary depending on the piece, access and so forth, but are about $200 within the Perth Metro Region. For many pieces we will attend the delivery to ensure everything goes smoothly as we want nothing more than to see our hard work arrive safe and sound.

For products, our lead time is 4-6 weeks. For custom work, we will provide you with a lead time at the earliest possible stage but is generally more like 8-10 weeks. Occasionally, leads times may be extended due to material shortages outside of our control.