Solid hardwood, specified in full.
Furniture built to be kept for decades — with the timber, the joinery and the finish stated before we ask you to buy it.
Every page on this site is written like this block: stated, dated, checkable.
02 / the standard
What we hold ourselves to
Four commitments, each with a page that shows the working. Where a detail is still being finalised, it says so — we don't publish claims we can't stand behind.
STD-01
Solid timber throughout
No MDF, no particle board, no veneer over board — in tops, panels, drawers or backs. What "solid" means, precisely →
STD-02
Named joinery
Mortise-and-tenon frames, dovetailed drawers, floating panels, slotted-button tops — named and diagrammed per piece. How joints are made →
STD-03
A stated finish schedule
Natural hardwax oil — repairable at home, with the full schedule published per piece. Finishes →
STD-04
A written warranty
A 10-year structural warranty on frames and joinery, in plain English. Questions →
03 / materials index
The hardwoods worth knowing
The species most used in serious solid-wood furniture sold in NZ and AU, and how they differ. Hardness is Janka rating in newtons — higher resists dents better.
These three are the Oaknest range species. Every product names its species — no "hardwood", no "oak-style".
American white oak
- grain
- straight, open, rays
- hardness
- 6,000 N
- tone shift
- pale straw → warm honey
- suits
- tables, everyday casework
European ash
- grain
- bold cathedral figure
- hardness
- 5,900 N
- tone shift
- cream → light amber
- suits
- chairs, bent parts, frames
American black walnut
- grain
- fine, occasionally curled
- hardness
- 4,500 N
- tone shift
- chocolate → lighter, warmer
- suits
- statement pieces, bedroom
04 / what we're making
In development — not yet available
Design direction for the first ranges. Nothing here is for sale; specifications will be published piece by piece as they're locked.
Dining
Tables and seating built around real NZ/AU room sizes — solid tops, no aprons that steal knee room, chairs specified for daily use.
Bedroom
Beds and storage in NZ/AU sizes — stated slat spec, solid drawer boxes, no hidden board in the places you can't see.
Living
Armchairs, coffee tables and sideboards — frames you could inspect with the cushions off, and we'll invite you to.
05 / how to choose
Guides written for researchers
guide / flagship
How to choose solid wood furniture
Solid vs veneer vs MDF, species compared, moisture content, and the questions to ask any retailer — including us.
guide / sizing
Sizing for NZ and AU homes
Dining tables per seat count, room clearances, NZ/AU bed dimensions, and whether it fits through the door.
guide / care
Care by finish type
What damages each finish, what doesn't, and how repairs actually work on solid timber.
06 / who we are
A new brand, honest about it
Oaknest is a New Zealand-based furniture brand preparing its first shipment for NZ and Australia. We have no heritage story to sell you — what we have is a standard, published here before a single piece goes on sale, so you can hold us to it.