Interested in designing and building a custom piece of furniture with Element Furniture? Check out our FAQ below for answers to all of your questions and to learn more about us, our process, and the custom wood furniture we create!
FAQ
What do you build?
In short, everything! However, we’re most known for easy-to-live-with, solid wood tables. If you’ve browsed our site, you’ll see we also offer hutches/buffets, coffee/side/console tables, floating shelves, island tops, chairs, desks, mantels, bedroom furniture, office furniture, commercial pieces, and more!
Do you deliver outside of IL?
Yes, we do! We have established relationships with a few different white-glove services that will essentially ship anywhere in the country.
We estimate shipping can take roughly a month between pick up and delivery. This timeframe can vary. It is dependent on the shipper’s routes and where we/you land in them. Once the items have been picked up, the shipper will contact you directly with the delivery information.
When requesting a quote, please include a home address along with product dimensions and all items included in the order. Cost will vary with location and delivery size.
Do you charge for delivery?
Yes, we do charge for delivery. Pricing is typically between $250-$300 for our white-glove service. This applies to select Chicagoland-areas. Price is subject to vary depending on details. This means a completely hands-off process for you. We deliver on Saturdays only between 8am-5pm. All furniture will be brought into the spot you request. Felt pads are installed upon setup. Our tables are not light so we encourage customers to go with the delivery option and ask the area is cleared prior to delivery.
Can I pick up my furniture?
You are more than welcome to pick up your order. Just be prepared for some heavy lifting! You will receive an e-mail letting you know when your order is done and ready for pickup. Pick up is from Tuesday-Saturday from 8am-3pm. We will help wrap and load your furniture, but require customers to bring their own blankets, straps, etc. when picking up your furniture. Please call or email first to ensure we’ll have your items ready for you.
When can we expect delivery?
Our lead time is roughly 14 working weeks. If we can get your order to you earlier, we will try our best, but we ask our customers to factor for up to 14 weeks. Currently we deliver only on Saturdays using an 8am-5pm window. The week of your scheduled delivery you will receive a confirmation email of completion. This email will also include details regarding delivery time, balance due, an order and care form. We don’t typically have much wiggle room in our routes, so if the specified Saturday does not work for you, we’ll reschedule for the following Saturday.
What kind of wood do you use to build your tables?
We stick to the harder of the hardwoods: hickory, ash, hard maple, walnut, and quarter sawn white oak. Often the color choice will influence the wood species as we select the best wood for the desired color. The stain essentially enhances the natural characteristics of the wood and then we finish it off by applying a clear top coat, providing a very durable surface. The wear occurs on the clear coat vs. surfaces that are prone to chipping, clouding, and wearing poorly in appearance due to soft wood/faux wood/painted-type finish that is often found in most furniture stores.
What kind of finish and care is used?
We pride ourselves on the easy-to-live-with usability and durability of our custom wood tables. Each of our tables are coated using a high-end commercial grade finish imported from Italy. It is very tough and adds to the durability of our tables. What does that actually mean? No white ring from cups! No haze from heat! No stains from common household spills. Our furniture will stand up to the harshest of chemicals including nail polish remover, bleach, wine, and household cleaners. Having said that, they are not indestructible. You must take proper care to ensure they stay in top shape for decades to come. We use the hardest, highest quality wood available, take the time to build them the right way, and apply the best finish available. When you purchase a piece of furniture from Element Furniture, you know you’re getting furniture you can count on.
For more details on care and cleaning, click here for our “Care Guide.”
Can I see some of your work in person?
Yes! You are more than welcome to visit our showroom in Joliet, Illinois and see the many examples of our custom furniture. Our showroom hosts a variety of ready-made pieces, along with samples, and other furniture selections to choose from. We’re more than happy to speak with you about what you’re looking for and toss around ideas! Feel free to stop in or make an appointment to walk through details for pricing.
Where can I find a price list?
Considering the nature of our business, we build to suit your needs. Therefore, detailed pricing is difficult. For our pieces, we have listed a rough price-range which you can find, categorized per table shape under tab "Our Work." If you would like specific pricing, walk through the steps and make the selections under our “Design Your Table" page. This will give you a more accurate estimate. Please don’t hesitate to contact us in regards to something specific. We are happy to give you an estimate/talk through options.
Do you require a deposit?
This is dependent on the nature of the order. For some of the more custom work we will ask for a 50% deposit when the order is placed and the final balance paid prior to or at the time of delivery.
For more standard orders, we ask for a credit card as a retainer. The card is not charged unless there is a cancellation in which case we will charge a minimum of 50%. No cancellation means full payment is due upon delivery. You can pay by credit card or check. Credit cards do carry a 3% processing fee.
How do I start the ordering process?
You are more than welcome to stop by our shop or set up an appointment to walk through details, get a quote, and place your order. Our showroom hosts a variety of examples, stain colors, etc.
If you’d like to start the process online, walk through our “Design Your Table" page to get an estimate. Orders can be placed via email or over the phone.
You have several weeks to make changes after your order is placed. Once the order is placed, you will receive an order form outlining all the selections and price breakdown as discussed.
Typically how long does an order take once placed?
Our production time is 14 working weeks. Please keep in mind the nature of our work. Each piece is handmade and therefore takes time to create. In the rare instance that this time frame runs longer, we ask that you be understanding. We are not willing to sacrifice quality for quantity.
What payment options do you offer?
At Element Furniture, we accept both credit cards and personal/cashier’s checks. If you write a check, please be sure to make it out to Element Furniture. If you choose to pay with a credit card, please be advised that a 3% processing fee will be charged.
Do you warranty your pieces?
Our warranty covers structural issues only. Wear and tear is not covered, so be sure to take special care of your table and avoiding dragging rough, sharp objects across your table. Humidity and/or moisture issues aren’t covered. We build our furniture using large solid wood planks. Since we are using solid wood, it is more susceptible to moisture and temperature changes. This means the table tops will move slightly and very minor cracks could develop. We use techniques to keep this to a minimum and give the table room to adjust. However, the wood can expand and contract depending on the temperature. So, it’s important to keep your custom wood table in a stable environment and avoid these issues with proper humidity control. Drastic changes in temperature and humidity levels could cause damage that isn’t covered under our warranty.
Do you ever have pieces available for immediate purchase?
Yes! We offer a wide selection of ready-made furniture listed under our “Showroom Inventory.” We understand that some are more pressed for a quicker solution so we have pieces of furniture available for immediate purchase. This handcrafted wood furniture is on display in our Joliet, IL showroom. These are NEW pieces, not returns. We build them to display our work and give an example for customers who are unsure of exactly what they want. Feel free to stop by our furniture shop to see if anything on the floor catches your eye! If one of our ready-made pieces fits your needs, you are more than welcome to purchase! Typically we can deliver these within one to two weeks locally.