Amish Heirloom Furniture vs Mass-Produced Furniture

When you’re strolling the aisles of your local furniture store, IKEA, or even Walmart, you likely see many styles and types of furniture. Most of this furniture is mass-produced in factories overseas and can be unreliable in construction. Amish furniture is a great alternative to this mass-produced furniture and is often looked at as an heirloom furniture piece. So what are the critical differences between Amish furniture and mass-produced furniture? Keep reading to learn more about differences in craftsmanship, history, longevity, quality, and design!

Hand-Made Craftsmanship

The craftsmanship of mass-produced furniture is in its name. It is produced overseas by machines following a code. Alternatively, Amish furniture is hand-crafted by skilled American woodworkers. These Amish woodworkers dedicate their lives to their craft. The Amish largely reject the use of electric power tools. Instead, they opt for classic hand tools or air-compressed power tools. These tools allow them to be more precise and take their time crafting each piece of furniture.

History of Amish Furniture

Amish furniture has a far richer history than mass-produced furniture. The Amish began making furniture to furnish their own homes since their contact with the outside world is very limited. This skill became a necessity in these communities. The Amish began selling their furniture to the general public in the early 1900s. This furniture grew in popularity as its style reflected the American value of hard work. The simplicity of this furniture was a sharp change from the ornate Victorian style of the 1800s.  Since their initial debut to the general public, Amish furniture pieces have been a staple in many homes across the United States.

High-Quality Construction

While you can likely find some high-quality furniture items in a mass-produced furniture store, they will not compare to the quality of Amish furniture. Most mass-produced furniture is made using particle board and laminate. These materials are plastic-based and will break down with time. This can cause the furniture to be dangerous to use. Additionally, when these materials break down, they can release toxic chemicals into the environment.

Alternatively, Amish furniture is made using high-quality solid wood. Woods like quarter-sawn white oak, maple, and cherry are common choices. For example, the Aspen Brown Maple Chair is crafted using maple hardwood.

Heirloom-Quality Longevity

Amish furniture is built to withstand generations of use. Its solid wood construction makes it sturdy enough to survive use, moving, and rearranging. Additionally, Amish woodworkers use traditional wood joinery techniques instead of modern nails, screws, and staples. These traditional techniques are a marker of heirloom quality furniture. These techniques, like dovetail joints, make the furniture sturdier and more resilient to weather and humidity changes.

Beautiful and Timeless Design

Most mass-produced furniture is trendy and can fall in and out of style very quickly. Alternatively, Amish furniture is timeless and classic and perfect as heirloom furniture. Known for its simplicity, this type of furniture can easily blend into any decor and home style. Amish furniture features very little ornamentation, instead focusing on simple lines and sturdy construction. Additionally, this type of furniture features natural wood tones that can quickly go with any color scheme. This Empire Media Chest features the classic simple lines and natural wood tones familiar in Amish furniture pieces.

Amish furniture is a high-quality, smart alternative to standard mass-produced furniture. E-Amish Furniture is an online retailer of high-quality Amish furniture. Browse our online catalog to find the right furniture pieces and get them delivered to your front door!