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Mahogany Furniture
I don't quite understand your question. Mohogany furniture is inexpensive in the DR and a lot cheaper than pine since pine is imported. Don't know anything about Indonesian furniture in SD.
Since we have excellent furniture artisans, we have several very good furniture manufacturers here. You show them a picture of what you want and they will make it.
A case in point: ALL high quality wood is imported; mahogany, pine or the exotics from Central America and Brazil.
So, pine furniture is less expensivive. If you want Indonesian furniture, you'd have to import it. Several people here have very good business contacts in Indonesia, since we import tons of Indonesian tobaccos...
HB
A case in point: ALL high quality wood is imported; mahogany, pine or the exotics from Central America and Brazil.
So, pine furniture is less expensivive. If you want Indonesian furniture, you'd have to import it. Several people here have very good business contacts in Indonesia, since we import tons of Indonesian tobaccos...
HB
Last week a friend of mine who is Dominican took me to a wood furniture manufacturer in Puerto Plata right across from the dock at the cargo terminal and showed me what he was having made. He explained to me that pine was more expensive than mahogany for the reasons I stated above.
My friend is a Dominican if I failed to mention that. He supplied the boards. I will ask him about it next time down.
Scotty
Did he tell you how much hes paying per foot,Ive never seen mahogany cheaper than pine either and if the price is right I need some new kitchen cabinets.
J.H.
Did he tell you how much hes paying per foot,Ive never seen mahogany cheaper than pine either and if the price is right I need some new kitchen cabinets.
J.H.
Thanks.
Jazzcom I have been reading many interestings posts from you about your financial investments in DR and other topics.
Quite obviously you are more familiar with CD's than with furniture, be it from mahogany or whatever.
Hillbilly, although I am quite new in this forum, I have been more than impressed by the knowledge you have of the life in RD. Let me thank you first for your answers on my thread 'building with stone'. Also I like your 'take it easy' way.
About the prices you quote, I am not sure you can buy pine in SD for 16/bf right now, and what kind of mahogany can you buy now at 32? with a peso at 22 it must be closer to 45 or 50, no? Maybe the prices in Santiago are a bit different?
The wood is poor quality, if you are not an expert you buy unproperly dried wood. If you rely on the taller to buy the wood, you pay it twice the price and get very nice yellowish sapwood.
But maybe the main point is the quality of workmanship. As for the furniture you can buy in Frank muebles or that kind of Rossy's, I am sure you will not call that 'quality'. If you go in Santo Domingo in a high end furniture dealer, you have to be prepared for 'un golpe'.. And the furniture is imported, mainly from Asia, sometimes via the US.
About having your furniture tailor-made, the 'talleres' are very flexible, that's for sure. But the finishings are..humm.... In ten years coming to the RD, I have not seen very good work from dominican workers. I have seen sometimes good work, most of the times poor and even ugly stuff.
On Internet I have seen the "nouel" factory in Santiago. Where do they sell?
Any good adress would be welcome. Maybe Andy B can help?
Jazzcom I have been reading many interestings posts from you about your financial investments in DR and other topics.
Quite obviously you are more familiar with CD's than with furniture, be it from mahogany or whatever.
Hillbilly, although I am quite new in this forum, I have been more than impressed by the knowledge you have of the life in RD. Let me thank you first for your answers on my thread 'building with stone'. Also I like your 'take it easy' way.
About the prices you quote, I am not sure you can buy pine in SD for 16/bf right now, and what kind of mahogany can you buy now at 32? with a peso at 22 it must be closer to 45 or 50, no? Maybe the prices in Santiago are a bit different?
The wood is poor quality, if you are not an expert you buy unproperly dried wood. If you rely on the taller to buy the wood, you pay it twice the price and get very nice yellowish sapwood.
But maybe the main point is the quality of workmanship. As for the furniture you can buy in Frank muebles or that kind of Rossy's, I am sure you will not call that 'quality'. If you go in Santo Domingo in a high end furniture dealer, you have to be prepared for 'un golpe'.. And the furniture is imported, mainly from Asia, sometimes via the US.
About having your furniture tailor-made, the 'talleres' are very flexible, that's for sure. But the finishings are..humm.... In ten years coming to the RD, I have not seen very good work from dominican workers. I have seen sometimes good work, most of the times poor and even ugly stuff.
On Internet I have seen the "nouel" factory in Santiago. Where do they sell?
Any good adress would be welcome. Maybe Andy B can help?
Nouel Nacional, Av. Bartolom? Colon, Santiago. Numbers int he book.
I buy my wood from Ochoa, and you are right, that RD$16 a b/f is about 6 months old...However, you can go to the plant in Las Lavas and see the wood before you buy it.
Madesol is one of the larger importers of exotics. Also in the book. I would look around in this part of the country. For example, there is a little place up in the hills, going to POP, that makes pretty impressive stuff.
If a lot of furniture is on your agenda, a couple of thousand spent travelling around might be a good investment..
HB
I buy my wood from Ochoa, and you are right, that RD$16 a b/f is about 6 months old...However, you can go to the plant in Las Lavas and see the wood before you buy it.
Madesol is one of the larger importers of exotics. Also in the book. I would look around in this part of the country. For example, there is a little place up in the hills, going to POP, that makes pretty impressive stuff.
If a lot of furniture is on your agenda, a couple of thousand spent travelling around might be a good investment..
HB
Barnabe,
I was in the furniture business for over 20 years in the states being both in manufacturing and retail. I had showrooms in Highpoint NC, Hickory NC, NY and Atlanta from time to time. My father and grandfather were in the business before me. My grandfather was a cabinate maker in Germany before he emmigrated to the US.
I know a little bit about furniture. I was just quoting what a Dominican friend told me when we were at a small wood furniture manufacturing company in POP about 2 weeks ago. Sorry if you don't think his info was accurate. I had no need to confirm what he told me.
Regards,
Scott
I was in the furniture business for over 20 years in the states being both in manufacturing and retail. I had showrooms in Highpoint NC, Hickory NC, NY and Atlanta from time to time. My father and grandfather were in the business before me. My grandfather was a cabinate maker in Germany before he emmigrated to the US.
I know a little bit about furniture. I was just quoting what a Dominican friend told me when we were at a small wood furniture manufacturing company in POP about 2 weeks ago. Sorry if you don't think his info was accurate. I had no need to confirm what he told me.
Regards,
Scott
Jazzcom
I am also very familiar with woods, being that I have designed wood furniture, as seen in pictures provided before in DR1. Another friend of mine in this board from N.J. also knows a lot about wood and is a cabinet maker, maybe he will get into this too. But here is my two cents.
There is absolutely no way that even the best American pine can be more expensive than mahogany, here or anywhere in the world. Pine has always been the poor peoples wood. In fact, every single apartment or house built in Santo Domingo can be qualified according to its cabinetry in the kitchen, doors, frames, and other wood parts. The expensive homes are built with mahogany. The cheap one with pine, which is mostly imported.
Obviously, there are fine quality pines which are treated and mostly used for outdoor porches and other applications. If you go to Jarabacoa, for instance, you will note that expensive mountain villas are built with lots of magohany and the cheaper ones with treated pine, which is a must because of "comejen".
As for Dominican artisans, it is true that there are a few good masters in cabinetry and furniture making, but 95% or more are the most irresponsible of all contractors in DR. In fact, I would trust a plummer or electrician faster than a Dominican furniture maker. They take your initial payment for materials and the rest has to be solved in a court of law or gun duel. I would rather import antiques or buy furniture from a famous label in DR, which has every type of import you can find, than have furniture made by a local and end up having treated by a shrink after the ordeal.
Is it possible that Bombay deals with Indonesian furniture?
Personally speaking, I dont like mahogany. My favorite wood is Brazilian Rosewood. It is difficult to work with but it is worth it. Oak much better and practical than mahogany.
TW
I am also very familiar with woods, being that I have designed wood furniture, as seen in pictures provided before in DR1. Another friend of mine in this board from N.J. also knows a lot about wood and is a cabinet maker, maybe he will get into this too. But here is my two cents.
There is absolutely no way that even the best American pine can be more expensive than mahogany, here or anywhere in the world. Pine has always been the poor peoples wood. In fact, every single apartment or house built in Santo Domingo can be qualified according to its cabinetry in the kitchen, doors, frames, and other wood parts. The expensive homes are built with mahogany. The cheap one with pine, which is mostly imported.
Obviously, there are fine quality pines which are treated and mostly used for outdoor porches and other applications. If you go to Jarabacoa, for instance, you will note that expensive mountain villas are built with lots of magohany and the cheaper ones with treated pine, which is a must because of "comejen".
As for Dominican artisans, it is true that there are a few good masters in cabinetry and furniture making, but 95% or more are the most irresponsible of all contractors in DR. In fact, I would trust a plummer or electrician faster than a Dominican furniture maker. They take your initial payment for materials and the rest has to be solved in a court of law or gun duel. I would rather import antiques or buy furniture from a famous label in DR, which has every type of import you can find, than have furniture made by a local and end up having treated by a shrink after the ordeal.
Is it possible that Bombay deals with Indonesian furniture?
Personally speaking, I dont like mahogany. My favorite wood is Brazilian Rosewood. It is difficult to work with but it is worth it. Oak much better and practical than mahogany.
TW
I had all the furniture in my house made in Santo Domingo!
Ninety percent was made from my drawings,or from pictures in magazines.The company is Pefer Muebles.They have a showroom on C/ La Luperon,but I go to the factory where the owner can be found,on C/Pepillo Salcedo.It is all hand made,and hand finished.I like the "Centenario" finish. If you get a scratch or a mark,they do a spot refinish that looks like new.It is all in "Caoba" which the termites apparently don't have a "taste" for.A carpenter replaced all the wood in the house,pine, which was totally eaten by termites when I bought the house.Again I used caoba.It looks just beautiful!!to paraphrase the old saying about diamonds,If you don't know wood,know your carpenter!!!Pine furniture made in the DR is garbage for use in the poor barios!and the termites will eat it out from under your ass!CRIS
Ninety percent was made from my drawings,or from pictures in magazines.The company is Pefer Muebles.They have a showroom on C/ La Luperon,but I go to the factory where the owner can be found,on C/Pepillo Salcedo.It is all hand made,and hand finished.I like the "Centenario" finish. If you get a scratch or a mark,they do a spot refinish that looks like new.It is all in "Caoba" which the termites apparently don't have a "taste" for.A carpenter replaced all the wood in the house,pine, which was totally eaten by termites when I bought the house.Again I used caoba.It looks just beautiful!!to paraphrase the old saying about diamonds,If you don't know wood,know your carpenter!!!Pine furniture made in the DR is garbage for use in the poor barios!and the termites will eat it out from under your ass!CRIS
I have to go with golo here. Never heard of pine coming close to the price of mahogany.
While I have seen some very nice dominican pieces, My experience has been that the vast majority of the work i see is contructed poorly and improperly. Properly designed furniture will not tear itself apart with changes in temperature and humidity.
If you want to buy dominican furniture, I would definately not have it built on commission.. Go find a piece that is already built where you can inspect it for quality with no $$ commitment.
Finally, you should consider the environmental damage caused by irresponsible mahogany logging, especailly in the DR. Please consider using alternate woods.
While I have seen some very nice dominican pieces, My experience has been that the vast majority of the work i see is contructed poorly and improperly. Properly designed furniture will not tear itself apart with changes in temperature and humidity.
If you want to buy dominican furniture, I would definately not have it built on commission.. Go find a piece that is already built where you can inspect it for quality with no $$ commitment.
Finally, you should consider the environmental damage caused by irresponsible mahogany logging, especailly in the DR. Please consider using alternate woods.
Mahogany is more expensive than pine here.
We recently had some desks made for the office.
Went to a local wood yard, picked out the wood and had
a local wood guy make them up.
We specified exactly what we wanted and he did a great job.
They are made of a very hard wood from Brazil, maybe Brazilian Rosewood?
120"x28"x2" solid slabs, way a ton and took 6 people to get them up the stairs
Some of the best furniture I have seen here is made by "Von", simple and well made. Famous for their rocking chairs, they export them all over the world. Their show room is 2 mins from my place and has some very nice furniture.
We recently had some desks made for the office.
Went to a local wood yard, picked out the wood and had
a local wood guy make them up.
We specified exactly what we wanted and he did a great job.
They are made of a very hard wood from Brazil, maybe Brazilian Rosewood?
120"x28"x2" solid slabs, way a ton and took 6 people to get them up the stairs
Some of the best furniture I have seen here is made by "Von", simple and well made. Famous for their rocking chairs, they export them all over the world. Their show room is 2 mins from my place and has some very nice furniture.
I have a Dominican friend who hauls boards from Santiago to various carpenters countrywide. I know little about furniture, but I have seen his cargo - very impressive. The boards are a lot straighter and flatter than the pine or hardwood ones that I have seen in the US - apparently unbent by heat or moisture. He also doesn't seem to worry about it getting scratched by putting other freight on top of it.
I believe that he calls the wood "cajoba" (as Chris says) and says that it comes from Brazil. He also mentioned Brazilian Rosewood that I remember, but I think he said that it is for applications requiring wood slightly softer and less expensive than cajoba.
I think he also said that cajoba is indiginous to the DR, but is protected - with extremely stiff penalties (jail time) for cutting them.
I'm not familiar with mahogany. Maybe it's the same.
I believe that he calls the wood "cajoba" (as Chris says) and says that it comes from Brazil. He also mentioned Brazilian Rosewood that I remember, but I think he said that it is for applications requiring wood slightly softer and less expensive than cajoba.
I think he also said that cajoba is indiginous to the DR, but is protected - with extremely stiff penalties (jail time) for cutting them.
I'm not familiar with mahogany. Maybe it's the same.
Again guys, the statement I made about pine being more expensive than mahogany came from a Dominican friend and not out of my thoughts. He said that they grew the wood there and it was cheaper for him than pine. I frankly didn't know what was native and what was not. Sorry if I repeated info that wasn't correct.
Regards,
Scott
Regards,
Scott
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"Jazzcom" it takes a great man to admit it when he is wrong!!
I may have to do it myself someday,is it painful? Cris
I may have to do it myself someday,is it painful? Cris
Not in the slightest. I feel no pain whatsoever.
Just one comment, Pine kitchen cabinets can be just as dear as oak or maple hardwoods. FWIW.
Just one comment, Pine kitchen cabinets can be just as dear as oak or maple hardwoods. FWIW.
At some point the labor becomes more valuable than the wood... I am a big fan of pine furniture myself.