Learn how the genuine Vermont snowshoe furniture is made from the beginning to the end! This fascinating process is broken down into 5 basic steps starting with the cutting of the tree and ending with boxing it up and shipping it out. Take your own tour of the Vermont Snowshoe Furniture shop now. Call for details.
The process begins with native Ash from Brookline. It is milled and put into storage until needed. Once removed from storage, it is cut and planed.
The next step in the process is to take the appropriate pieces and size them accordingly. Once sized, the bend-able parts are collected and are steamed for 45 minutes in a chamber. When they are steamed to the required flexibility, they are bent and clamped with stainless steel bands and left to dry for 3-6 weeks.
When the pieces are dry they are sanded until smooth, and shaped to perfection. Every detail is done with care and attention since all the pieces have to fit together like a puzzle. When finished, they are stained for protection.
A piece of furniture is not complete without lacing. Rolls of rawhide are soaked for 8 hours until they are pliable. Then they are run through a slicer where they are cut into spaghetti-like pieces. Once cut, they are hung to dry until use. When it comes time to lace the furniture, the rawhide is again soaked for flexibility.
The last step is to assemble the furniture to ensure that all the pieces fit like a puzzle. It is then sprayed three times with a water-based lacquer and left to dry. The furniture is then specially unassembled and put in a box and ready to ship!
