Frequently Asked Questions: Custom Furniture, Slabs, Lumber & Pergolas

Oak City Customs is a tree-to-finish shop in Zebulon, NC, about 30 minutes east of downtown Raleigh. We run a sawmill, dehumidification kilns, a woodshop built around a 52 inch planer, two CNC routers, a spray booth and a metal fabrication shop under one roof, From Tree to Table®. Here are the questions we get most from customers across the Triangle and around the country. Don't see yours? Email info@oakcitycustoms.com or book a free consultation.

Visiting our shop and showroom

Where is Oak City Customs located?

501 Mack Todd Road, Suite 109, Zebulon, North Carolina 27597, east of Raleigh off US-64. Directions are on our contact page.

What are your hours?

Saturday, 9am to 5pm, is our walk-in day for the showroom, shop tours, lumber and shop services. Wednesday through Friday, 5pm to 6pm, we're open for woodshop services, lumber and offcuts. Other weekdays are by appointment. We're closed Sundays.

Do I need an appointment to visit?

No appointment is needed on Saturdays or during Wednesday to Friday shop hours. For a weekday visit at another time, book a consultation and we'll have someone ready for you.

Can I see slabs, lumber and finished furniture in person?

Yes. The showroom has finished tables and pre-built tops for sale, the racks hold kiln-dried dimensional lumber and offcuts you can pick through, and every live edge slab has its own page with photos in our slab library if you want to shop first.

Do you have tables I can buy right now, without waiting on a custom build?

Yes. Our pre-built tabletops collection is finished stock, usually white oak, walnut and hickory live edge tops, each listed with its exact size and thickness. Pair one with a stock steel base and it can leave the shop in days, not weeks. Finished tables in the showroom are for sale too.

Are consultations free? In person or online?

Consultations are free and include a shop tour. Book one at oakcitycustoms.com/pages/consultation. If you're out of the area, we'll do a video call instead.

Can you come to my home or job site?

Yes. For pergolas, shelving and commercial work we visit the site, including once before any concrete is poured. For residential furniture, start with photos and measurements by email; a site visit is available and quoted per visit.

Can I bring in a piece I already own for advice, matching or a repair?

Yes. Bring it on a Saturday, or email photos first. We'll tell you what's practical and give you a number before any work starts. For matching an old finish, send photos and we'll make a couple of stain samples you can take home and check in your own light.

Can a group or class tour the shop?

Yes. We've hosted classes, design groups and university crews. Email info@oakcitycustoms.com with your group size and a couple of dates. Anyone working on the floor with us wears steel toes and PPE.

Do you ever host events at the shop?

Occasionally. Our Instagram and Facebook announce open shop days and events.

Getting a quote and how custom work happens

How do I get a quote for a custom table or project?

Email info@oakcitycustoms.com with what you want, rough dimensions, wood species, finish, your delivery ZIP code, a budget range and a target date. Photos, sketches, CAD or DXF files help. Once we have that, a PDF proposal usually goes out within a day or two. Quotes list tax and shipping separately unless we say otherwise.

What will you ask me before you can price it?

The same six things every time: delivery ZIP code, final size, species, finish, edge detail (square with a light ease, a small chamfer, or live edge) and the date you need it in place. For a river table we also ask how wide you want the river and whether the outside edges are live or straight. For a logo table we ask for vector art. Answer those and you'll get a firm number instead of a range.

How does a custom furniture project work from start to finish?

Five steps. You approve the quote and pay a deposit, which starts drafting. We send 3D renderings to scale and revise until they're right. You approve full shop drawings; nothing gets cut before you sign. We build, and send finish samples on your actual wood for sign-off. Then we deliver, install locally, or crate it for freight.

Can you design it, or do I need my own design?

Either. Bring a finished design, bring ideas and photos for us to design around, or start from scratch with us in a consultation. We work from templates, sketches, renderings, CAD, DXF and STEP files, and we'll show you 2 or 3 build options around your budget.

Do you charge for design?

For custom furniture and pergolas, drafting and renderings are covered by your deposit. Stand-alone design work, shop drawings for someone else to build from, and pergola engineering are billed separately; design time is $150 per hour.

Can I get a rough number before I commit to a full design?

Yes. Send photos, a size and a ZIP code and we'll give you a planning range, the same way we give architects, designers and general contractors planning-grade estimates for budgeting. It's a temperature check, not a bid; the firm number comes after drawings.

Will I see it before you build it?

Yes. You get scaled renderings, then shop drawings to approve, and on stained or logo pieces you get a physical sample on your own wood. Solid wood varies, so the rendering shows shape and proportion; the sample shows color.

Can I see my piece while it's being built?

Yes. We send photos at milestones, and you're welcome to stop by on a Saturday.

How long is a quote good for?

30 days. Lumber and freight move, so after that we'll refresh the number before you pay a deposit.

I sent a message and haven't heard back. What should I do?

Reply to your original email with your name and the address you used, and we'll answer the same day. Web chat and forms both route to our sales team, but email is the surest path for anything custom.

Who am I working with?

A sales lead handles your quote and stays your contact through delivery. Standard work such as tops, slabs, lumber and shop services goes to our sales team; large custom and commercial projects go to the owner. Designers and drafters join once a deposit is in.

Deposits, payment, sales tax and trade pricing

What does the deposit and payment schedule look like?

Custom work starts with a 50% deposit. Larger furniture and pergola projects are usually billed 50% at the start, 25% at the midpoint (drawing approval or epoxy pour) and 25% before delivery or shipping. Sawmill and kiln jobs are quoted as one price and paid up front. Slabs, lumber, pre-built tops and shop services are paid at purchase.

How do I pay?

Invoices and deposit requests come by email through QuickBooks and can be paid by bank transfer or ACH, by check, or by card. We take Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, and all card payments add 3%. Website orders go through Shopify checkout.

Can I pay in person at the shop?

Yes. We take cards at the counter for lumber, slabs and shop services, including Saturdays.

Is the deposit refundable if I cancel?

Custom work is built to order, so once drafting starts the deposit covers the design time and any material we've committed. Before that, email us and we'll settle up fairly. Materials we've cut, glued or poured for you are not returnable.

Can I make changes after I order?

Freely, until you approve shop drawings. After that, changes are written up as a change order you sign before we cut, and they may move your date. Once you approve drawings and pay the deposit, the price is locked unless the scope changes.

Do you charge sales tax? Can we buy tax-exempt?

NC sales tax applies to in-state orders. Tax-exempt buyers send their exemption certificate and we'll reissue the invoice without tax.

Do you offer trade or contractor pricing?

Yes. Contractors, landscape architects, designers and builders get contractor pricing, especially on pergolas, shelving and commercial furniture. Proposals show it next to the retail equivalent. Slabs carry a 15% trade discount. Email info@oakcitycustoms.com with your company name to get set up.

Do you offer military, first responder or teacher discounts?

Ask. We've built for fire departments, universities and the military and we price institutional work to the job rather than off a coupon.

Do you offer volume or wholesale pricing?

Yes on lumber, slabs, panels and production parts. Sawmill and kiln rates drop at 1,000 board feet, CNC parts cost less each in quantity, and repeat CNC runs skip most of the setup charge. Send the quantity and we'll price the lot.

Do you accept purchase orders? Can you send a W-9 and certificate of insurance?

Yes. We accept POs, provide a W-9 and certificate of insurance on request, and can invoice through GC pay applications with lien waivers. Payment terms are set per account.

Do you offer financing or payment plans?

Not in-house. The 50/25/25 schedule on larger projects spreads payments over the build.

Custom furniture: tables, tops, bases and more

Do you build custom dining tables and conference tables?

Yes, every one to order: size, species, base and finish. That includes extendable dining tables, U-shaped and 10 to 20 foot conference tables, round tops, waterfall tables at counter or bar height, and tops with routed or inlaid logos. Conference tables can get brush grommets or flush pop-up power and data modules; your electrician runs the feed. Start on the custom epoxy river table page or email us. See finished projects in our portfolio.

What's the difference between a live edge slab table, a classic cut table and a butcher block table?

A slab table is one wide plank, or a bookmatched pair, with the tree's natural edge left on. A classic cut table is made from several boards edge-glued into a panel with straight edges, so it costs less, moves less with the seasons and comes in any size. Butcher block is narrower strips glued on edge (or in a herringbone pattern), the most stable of the three and the usual choice for countertops and islands. All three come from our own kiln-dried lumber.

What size table do I need?

Dining and desk height is 30 inches, counter height 36 and bar height 42. Allow about 24 inches of edge per seat and 36 inches from the table edge to the wall. Leave about 12 inches of overhang at ends where people sit, 10 to 12 at a counter and 12 to 15 at a bar, with the base set back so knees and chair legs clear it. We'll sketch it to your room.

Do you build epoxy river tables? What do I need to decide?

Yes. We rip one slab down the middle and flip the halves so the live edges face each other across the river, then crop the top to your finished size. You choose the river width, the epoxy color (clear, tinted or opaque), whether the outside edges stay live or get cut straight, and the base. The resin tables page shows a live estimate for your size, and our river tables for sale show finished examples.

Will the epoxy in a river table yellow?

Modern UV-stabilized epoxy resists yellowing indoors, but direct sun will amber it over time. The finish on top takes normal wear, and light scratches can be buffed.

Can you build a desk or a top for a standing desk frame?

Yes. Solid tops for sit-stand frames such as UPLIFT are a regular job: edge-glued walnut or oak at 1.5 to 1.75 inches, threaded inserts set in the underside so the frame never screws straight into the wood, and monitor arm or grommet holes cut on the CNC before finishing so every bore is sealed. We can supply the frame at our cost and mount it, or fit a frame you already own. A matching modesty panel with concealed mounting is an add-on.

What table bases do you offer?

Every steel base is one of our own named designs, each named after an NC town, built to your size in any powder coat color. Satin black is standard. We also build wood trestle and pedestal bases, or design a base from scratch, including bases rated for 500-plus pound river tables and stone tops. Tops mount on slotted steel plates so the wood can move with the seasons. Bases and tops are sold separately, so any top pairs with any base.

Can I buy just a base for a top I already have? Or just a top for my base?

Yes to both. Send the top's size, thickness and weight and we'll size a base and its plates to it. If you have a base, send its footprint and we'll build a top that lands on it, with mounting slots where they need to be. Restaurant and bar operators buy bases from us this way for their own tops.

Do you make butcher block countertops, bar tops and kitchen islands?

Yes, in edge grain or herringbone, from our own kiln-dried lumber, milled, glued and finished under one roof. Live edge bar tops run up to 18 feet with a seam. We deliver and install standalone pieces like island tops. Built-in countertops are built to your drawings, a little oversized for field cuts, and your contractor installs them. Tell us early about an L or U shape, a mitered waterfall end or a seating overhang so we can size the supports, and contact us about options for sink and cooktop cutouts.

Do you make mantels, floating shelves, bookcases and nightstands?

Yes, all custom. Mantels come live edge, square edge or hollow beam style, with brackets and local install available. Floating shelves hang on hidden brackets, and we can install them. Benches, cutting boards, signs, consoles, nightstands and shuffleboard tables are all fair game; send dimensions and a reference photo.

Do you build outdoor tables and benches?

Yes, with the right wood and the right finish. For outdoors we steer you to white oak, ipe or another rot-resistant species with a steel or aluminum base, and we talk through what a year of sun and rain will do to the color. A live edge slab meant for indoors will not last outside, so tell us where it's going before we quote.

Can you match the wood or finish of furniture I already own?

Usually. Send photos, or bring a drawer or a leaf on a Saturday, and we'll make two or three stain samples on the same species for you to take home. Exact matches to a decades-old finish are never promised; close matches are routine.

Can you turn my own tree into furniture?

Yes. With a sawmill and kilns on site, we take a log all the way to a finished table: mill it, kiln dry it, design and build. Email photos of the log, its diameter and length, and where it is. Plan on the drying time up front; a fresh slab is a year or more from a table.

Do you build beds, dressers, TV consoles or other case goods?

Rarely. Our shop is set up for tops, tables, panels, shelving and metal, and a knock-down bed or a farmhouse console is usually better and cheaper from a small bench shop. Ask anyway; we keep a short list of local makers we trust and will hand you off with your drawings.

Firehouse, commercial, institutional and government work

Do you make custom firehouse tables with our department logo?

Yes. Firehouse and station tables are a specialty, in any size or shape, including round bay tables and 10 to 12 foot kitchen tables. Logos up to about 30 x 30 inches are CNC-cut from aluminum, painted, inlaid and sealed under epoxy so every color stays exact. Send vector logo files. You get a rendering before we build, then real stain samples on your wood. Firehouse tables typically run $5,000 to $15,000 before shipping, depending on size and logos, and logo work is listed as its own line on every quote. We've built for departments across the Triangle and shipped to stations in the Northeast and Midwest.

Do you build branded tables for military units, agencies and companies?

Yes. The same inlaid-logo build works for unit crests, agency seals and company marks on conference, briefing room and break room tables. We respond to formal RFQs, accept purchase orders, and provide the W-9, certificate of insurance and tax paperwork procurement offices ask for. We're not on a cooperative purchasing contract; we quote directly.

Do you take commercial projects?

Yes. Restaurant and food hall tables, communal tables, bar tops, office shelving, reclaimed beam work, trim packages, metal screens, monument signs, planters and pergolas for multifamily amenity spaces. Commercial jobs get COIs and lien waivers, and we can install on weekends or after hours. We sign NDAs and complete vendor packets.

Can you work from an architect's drawings or a bid set?

Yes. Send the drawing set or the spec section and we'll return a scoped proposal, with alternates where a different material or detail saves money without changing the look. We routinely value engineer aluminum structures and millwork against a budget.

Do you work through general contractors, dealers and designers?

Yes. Contract furniture dealers, landscape contractors, cabinet shops and design firms all buy from us as a trade partner; the end client is yours and stays yours. Trade pricing applies.

Can you build a lot of the same thing?

Yes, within reason. Production runs of table bases, panels, CNC parts and shelving are a normal week for us; we've cut the parts for a 40-table gaming table production run and regularly quote 20-piece institutional orders. Tell us the quantity and the date and we'll tell you if the schedule fits.

Do you do restaurant and bar buildouts?

We build the pieces: bar tops, drink rails, foot rails, table tops and bases, screens, shelving, signage and metalwork, and we install what we build. We don't act as the general contractor.

Can you refinish tables we already own?

Yes. We've refinished full sets of solid wood restaurant tables and benches in batches so the room never closes, sanded and sprayed with the same catalyzed finish we use on new work. Epoxy flood coats over existing tables are done in our shop only and quoted per job. Send a photo and a count.

Pricing and lead times

How much does a custom live edge or epoxy river table cost?

Most custom dining and conference tables land between $4,000 and $10,000, and river tables between $5,000 and $15,000, before delivery. Price moves with size, species, base, river width, edge detail and finish. Walnut costs the most, then sapele, hard maple, ash, cherry and red oak; our wood species guide compares them. The river table page shows a live estimate for your size. Recent examples: a 120 x 40 inch walnut river conference table with a steel base, delivered and installed in Durham, was $7,765; a 48 inch round white oak table with a pedestal base, delivered, was $4,650.

Why is a slab table more than a classic cut table of the same size?

A wide, flat, dry slab takes a bigger log, years of drying and more machine time than boards glued into a panel, and only one slab of each shape exists. A classic cut top of the same footprint usually starts around $3,000 finished; slab and river tops start higher and climb with width and figure.

Can you work within my budget?

Usually. Tell us the number up front and we'll suggest options: a different species, a simpler base, a painted stencil instead of an inlaid logo, a classic cut top instead of a slab, or picking up at the shop instead of delivery. Ask, and you'll get 2 or 3 ways to get there.

What are the most and least expensive woods?

Walnut is the most expensive domestic hardwood we stock, followed by white oak and hard maple. Sapele is our go-to exotic and sits near walnut. Red oak, ash, poplar and cherry cost less. Slab pricing also depends on width: wider is worth more per board foot.

How long does a custom table take?

Up to 12 weeks from deposit and approved drawings. Epoxy river tables add 4 to 5 weeks for the deep pour to cure before flattening and finishing. Floating shelves run 6 to 8 weeks, unfinished slabs under a week, and large commercial orders 12 to 16 weeks. If you have a firm date, tell us; rush builds are possible when capacity allows.

What are your lead times for pergolas, CNC work, slabs and lumber?

Pergolas: 10 to 12 weeks from deposit, with stamped drawings in the first 2 to 4 weeks. CNC stencils and small jobs: 1 to 3 days to about 3 weeks. CNC production runs: about 4 weeks. Slabs flattened, trimmed and packed: under a week. In-stock lumber and pre-built tops: same day at the shop, or shipped within 1 to 2 business days.

Can I rush an order?

Sometimes. Orders that need to jump the schedule are priced at 30% over the standard price, and we only take them when the shop can honestly hit the date. Ask before you plan a reveal around it.

Do prices change after I approve?

No. Once you approve the drawings and pay the deposit, the price is locked unless you change the scope. Changes after approval are written up as a change order you sign before we cut.

Shipping, delivery, pickup and freight

Do you ship live edge slabs and furniture nationwide?

Yes. We ship slabs, tables and pergola kits to all 48 contiguous states, and have recently sent work to California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia. Freight is quoted to your ZIP code before you pay and billed at cost. For Alaska, Hawaii, Canada or anywhere else, email us for a quote.

How much does shipping a slab or table cost?

A single crated slab usually runs $300 to $600 by freight. A crated dining table to a residential address with liftgate service was $355 to Florida. Large tables run about $1,000 in freight plus about $500 in crating. Long boards and oversized pieces can cost more than the item, so get the quote first. Freight rates change weekly. Up to five slabs in one order ship under a single handling fee.

How is a table packed for freight?

On a custom crate or pallet with the top and base boxed separately, corners protected and the finish wrapped, then strapped to the pallet. Kits ship knocked down with hardware bagged and labeled. Photograph everything before you sign for it; freight damage has to be noted on the delivery receipt for a claim. Our Wood Panel Handling Guide covers unpacking and moving a top safely.

What if my order arrives damaged?

Note the damage on the driver's paperwork, keep the packaging, and email photos to info@oakcitycustoms.com the same day. We file the claim with the carrier and repair or replace the piece. Damage reported after a clean signature is much harder to recover.

Do you deliver and install around Raleigh?

Yes. Local delivery is free on orders of $3,000 or more within 50 miles of Zebulon; otherwise it starts around $250. Installation is available within about 30 miles of Zebulon, and further for commercial work. Pergola delivery and installation are quoted at the time of purchase. Firehouse and commercial tables ship crated, or we deliver on our own truck.

What's the difference between standard delivery, white glove and installation?

Standard delivery is curbside or to the garage on our truck. White glove brings the piece into the room, sets the base, mounts the top and takes the packaging. Installation covers anything attached to the building: shelves, mantels, bar tops, railings and pergolas. Online prices assume standard delivery or shipping; ask for white glove or install pricing when you quote.

Can I pick up my order at the shop?

Yes, and it saves the delivery line. Pick up during open hours or by appointment, with a vehicle long enough that nothing overhangs, plus blankets and straps. We'll help load. A 10 foot slab needs a trailer or a long bed; an 8 foot table top fits most pickups with the tailgate down.

Do you ship lumber?

We can, but long boards ship as freight and the crate and freight can cost more than the wood on small orders. Lumber is best picked up; for a large pack we'll quote LTL freight.

Do table tops come with a base?

Tops and bases are sold separately, so you can pair any top with the base you want, or put one of our bases under a top you already own.

Can I track my shipment?

Yes. We send the carrier, PRO number and tracking link when it leaves the shop. Freight deliveries call ahead to schedule a window; someone able to receive a pallet needs to be there.

Lumber, live edge slabs, kiln drying, sawmill and logs

Do you sell hardwood lumber near Raleigh?

Yes. We stock kiln-dried dimensional hardwood in Zebulon: walnut, white oak, red oak, hard maple, soft maple, cherry, ash, hickory, poplar and a rotating mix of exotics like sapele. Boards are random width and random length, mostly 10 to 12 feet long, surfaced three sides (S3S) so you can see the grain. Pricing by board foot is on our dimensional lumber page. We carry very little pine or cedar, and no veneer or veneer plywood.

What do 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4 mean?

Rough thickness in quarter inches: 4/4 is 1 inch rough, 8/4 is 2 inches. Finished stock loses about a quarter inch, so buy 8/4 for a 1.5 inch top and 12/4 for anything over 2 inches. Board feet are thickness x width x length in inches, divided by 144, and it's smart to add 20 to 50 percent for waste.

How is lumber priced?

By the board foot, with the rate stepping up for wider boards. Boards under 6 inches are the base rate; 6 to 9 inches, 9 to 12 inches and slab widths each step up from there. We tally nominal thickness and round up to the whole board foot. You're welcome to measure your own boards.

Can I pick my own boards? Is there a minimum?

Yes, pull your own on a Saturday and we'll help you carry. No minimum on lumber; the shop minimum of $50 applies to machine work only.

Can you mill lumber to my cut list?

Not as a standing service, but here's the path that works: come in on a Saturday, pull and mark the boards you want with some help from us, and we'll mill them to the sizes on your list. You pay for the board footage used plus shop time at $150 per hour. We often have shorter stock and offcuts that cover the short pieces on a list for less. Tongue-and-groove and relief cuts are available too; contact us for a quote.

Do you have quarter-sawn or rift-sawn lumber?

Our stock is mostly plain sawn, but with a sawmill on site we can cut quarter-sawn or rift for a project. Tell us the species, sizes and quantity.

Do you sell cut-offs and shorts?

Yes. Offcuts are priced in person, so come pick through the bins on a Saturday or Wednesday to Friday from 5 to 6pm.

Is your wood sustainably sourced?

Much of our slab and lumber stock is salvaged urban and storm timber from around the Triangle that we mill and dry ourselves, like our Dorothea Dix white oak and Roosevelt copper beech slabs. We can source FSC-certified lumber for a project on request.

How do I buy a live edge slab?

Browse the live edge slab library. Every slab has its own page with photos and dimensions, and we'll send more photos or tag a slab for you while you decide. Every slab in the library is already flattened and planed; we can also sand, trim to size and pack it for freight, usually within a week. Slabs over 12 feet are rarer, so long bar tops may use a seam, a bookmatched pair or a different species.

How are slabs priced? Do I have to buy the whole slab?

Slabs are priced by species and width on the net planed board feet, with a premium for slabs over about 2.25 inches thick. Each slab has one price on its page, and we don't run slab sales. Slabs are sold whole; cutting one down is at the shop manager's discretion and the cut-off is yours. Bookmatched pairs are listed under consecutive item numbers and priced as two slabs. Trade buyers get 15% off.

Are your slabs dry? Can I check the moisture content?

Yes. Everything in the library is kiln-dried to 6 to 10 percent moisture content, and we're happy to meter any slab or board for you at the shop. Ask before you pay; we'd rather show you the number than argue about it later.

Do you kiln dry slabs and lumber for customers?

Yes, in our dehumidification kilns, which hold about 5,500 board feet each. The first cycle takes 4 to 6 weeks and each cycle after that about 4 weeks; figure 45 days from the charge going in to unloading. Air-dried wood often finishes in one cycle, and most slabs are dry within 1 to 3 cycles. Email the species, sizes, count and current moisture content for a timeline and price.

How much does kiln drying cost?

About $1.00 per board foot at 1,000 board feet and up, with air drying at $0.75 per board foot and surfacing at $0.50 per square foot when we prep the load. Smaller loads are quoted per job. Every drying job is quoted as one price that includes kiln time and surfacing, paid at startup. Bring your own white oak stickers milled 3/4 x 1-1/2 x 48 inches and we dry them with the load, or the load runs on ours.

Can you mill my logs? What does sawmilling cost?

Yes. Sawmilling is a $150 base charge per log plus $2.00 per board foot under 1,000 board feet or $1.00 per board foot at 1,000 and up; logs over 44 inches wide stay at $2.00 regardless of volume. Logs under about 20 inches on the small end become dimensional lumber; 20 inches and up become slabs. Slabs are milled at 3.25 or 4.25 inches rough to land near 2 inches dry and planed. Yard trees can carry nails and fence wire, which will stop a blade, so tell us the tree's history.

Can you pick up my logs?

Yes. Our hauler moves loads of up to about 30,000 pounds from Triangle sites for under $1,000; a single log over about 6,000 pounds needs a flatbed at $500 per trip, one log per trip. Send photos, diameter, length and the address and we'll quote pickup with the milling.

How long does it take to dry a slab from a fresh log?

Longer than most people expect. Slabs air dry for a year or more before they see the kiln: about two years for the red oak group, walnut and maple, and closer to four for white oak. Dimensional lumber is faster. We'll give you a real date when we see the species and thickness.

Do you buy logs, slabs or trees?

Right now we're only taking walnut; other species are case by case. Email photos, species, trunk diameter, log length and location to info@oakcitycustoms.com. We don't do tree removal, and a tree still standing is a tree service's job first.

Will you sell my slabs on consignment?

Case by case. We've held consigned white oak cookies for an outside owner on a flat commission per piece. Email what you have and we'll tell you whether it fits.

Woodshop services and CNC cutting

Can you flatten and sand my slab, butcher block or tabletop?

Yes, that's our most common shop service: slabs, glued-up tops, warped butcher block, reclaimed boards (fully de-nailed) and rough lumber for stock prep. Our 52 inch planer, 52 inch wide belt sander and 52 inch orbital sander take panels up to 52 inches wide, and anything under 51 inches passes through every machine in one piece. Bring it in Wednesday to Friday from 5 to 6pm or Saturday 9 to 5, or book a slot on the Wood Shop Services page. A single small slab is often a same-visit job.

What do woodshop services cost?

Planer and jointer, $1.50 per square foot. Wide belt sander, $3 per square foot. Orbital finish sander, $3 per square foot, or $7.50 per square foot through all three. Square footage counts both faces, because both sides get surfaced. Shop minimum is $50, and other machine work runs $150 per hour. Rip and panel saw work is on our bandsaw and panel saw page. As a reference, flattening one 90 pound slab ran about $100.

Can you flatten an epoxy or resin tabletop?

Yes, but epoxy and resin tops are quoted per piece rather than at the standard per square foot rate. Send the size and a photo.

Can you thickness sand thin stock?

Case by case. Send the thickness, size and species and we'll tell you if our sanders can take it.

Do you plane both faces? Why?

Yes. Wood needs the same treatment on both sides or it cups, so every slab and panel gets surfaced top and bottom, and we finish both faces equally on tables for the same reason.

Can I rent time on your machines or use the shop myself?

No. Our team runs the machines; you bring the material and pick it up. That keeps the insurance simple and the machines in one piece.

Do you do CNC cutting for wood, plywood, MDF and plastics?

Yes. Two Shoda CNC routers with beds of 5 x 10 feet and 5 x 17.5 feet cut plywood, MDF, hardwood, HDPE, acrylic and other plastics, plus aluminum sheet and plate: signs, stencils, arches, speaker panels, templates, molds and production parts, plus pockets, V-carving and inlays that online cutting services can't do. Email DXF, DWG, SVG, AI, PDF or STEP files at 1:1 scale with material, thickness and quantity, or use our CNC project inquiry form.

What files do you need for CNC work?

A DXF at 1:1 scale is ideal; we do the toolpathing on our end. Closed contours only: every letter and shape needs to be a complete outline, and text should be converted to outlines. Cut lines, pocket depths and engrave lines on separate layers save setup time. Don't have a file? We can redraw a sketch, photo or physical template into a cut file at our $150 per hour design rate. We don't have a large format scanner, so oversized paper templates get traced by hand.

How is CNC work priced? Is there a minimum?

Material, machine time (cut length, pierces, complexity), setup and finishing. Machine time bills at $250 per hour and shop labor at $150 per hour, with a minimum of one hour of machine time ($250). Identical parts in quantity cost less each. File prep and setup are one-time charges, so reorders cost less, with about $100 in setup on a repeat run. Bring your own material or buy it from our racks.

Can I bring my own material?

Yes. It needs to be flat and dry, and cutting it is at your risk: we aren't responsible for voids, defects or breakage in customer-supplied material. We orient grain where you mark it.

What tolerance do you hold?

Tight enough for furniture joinery and templates; ask if you need a number on a drawing. Wood and plywood move with humidity, so plan for about 1/64 inch on wood parts.

Do you offer a per-sheet rate for cabinet and panel shops?

Yes. For plywood and MDF nesting from your own files we run a flat per-sheet rate on runs of 20 sheets or more: you send the cut files and the material, we return labeled parts. Email for the current rate.

What if my parts are wrong?

Send photos within 7 days. If it's our error, we remake or refund. If the file was wrong, we'll quote the recut.

Do you keep my files private?

Yes. Your files are used for your job only. We keep them so reorders are fast and delete them on request, and we'll sign your NDA.

Can you cut steel or stainless on the CNC?

Not on the routers. Steel and stainless go to our CNC plasma table; aluminum can run on either. See the metal shop questions below.

Can you make a stencil or a sign?

Yes. Stencils in HDPE, acrylic or plywood with any lettering height, and signs in wood, HDPE or aluminum, painted or powder coated. Send the text, the height of the lettering and the material, or a logo file.

Do you do plywood parts, French cleats, jigs and shop fixtures?

Yes. Small production parts in plywood, MDF and HDPE are a normal CNC job, from French cleat strips to speaker enclosures to router jigs. Quantity drives the price.

Metal fabrication and powder coating

Do you do metal fabrication?

Yes. Steel, stainless and aluminum fabrication, welding, CNC plasma cutting and a CNC press brake for forming, all in our Zebulon metal shop: table bases and frames, brackets, screens, railings, gates, planters, monument sign structures, canopy and pergola structures, and one-off repairs.

Do you powder coat? What colors?

Our metal is powder coated in any RAL color through our powder coat partner, then checked back at our shop before it ships. Satin black is the standard on bases; white and black are the most popular on pergolas. Any RAL color is the same price. Powder coat is the toughest finish you can put on metal, and a damaged part can be recoated over the old coat years later.

Can you powder coat parts made somewhere else?

Yes. We'll send your parts to our powder coat partner along with ours, quoted per job.

Can you cut my file in steel or aluminum?

Yes. Send a DXF at 1:1 scale with material and thickness. Steel and stainless run on the plasma table; aluminum can run on the plasma or the router depending on the finish you need. Painted or powder coated, your choice.

Can you bend or form metal?

Send a drawing or the part and we'll tell you if we can form it on our CNC press brake or roll it (see plate rolling and tube and angle rolling).

Do you build railings, gates and stair parts?

Yes. Interior and exterior railings in steel and aluminum, gates, and the metal stringers for floating stairs, paired with solid wood treads and handrails from our woodshop when you want one shop to do both. Field measure comes first on anything that has to fit a building.

Can you make brackets for countertops, shelves and mantels?

Yes. Hidden floating shelf brackets, countertop support brackets and mantel brackets in steel or stainless, powder coated or raw, sized to your span and load. Send the overhang and the top thickness.

Do you do small welding jobs and repairs?

Yes, when they fit between larger work; see our welding services. Bring the part on a Saturday or email a photo and a measurement; we'll tell you if it's practical and give you a number before we touch it. Shop time runs $150 per hour with a $50 minimum.

Can you fabricate the metal for my own design or a fixture manufacturer's spec?

Yes. We work from shop drawings, STEP files or a sketch, and we fabricate for other shops and manufacturers on a trade basis. Tell us the finish, the quantity and whether you need it assembled or in parts.

Custom aluminum pergolas and canopies

What are your pergolas made of?

Powder-coated aluminum with 316 stainless steel hardware, fabricated in our shop. White and black are the most popular colors, and any RAL color is available at the same price. Every pergola is designed to your space or your designer's rendering, not pulled from a catalog.

Do you build wood pergolas?

No. We stopped building wood pergolas because they warp, need constant maintenance and cause warranty problems. We build the same sizes and looks in aluminum, which holds its lines, never rots and never needs staining. If a project spec calls for cedar, we'll quote the aluminum equivalent.

What roof options do you offer? Do you make louvered pergolas?

Our standard roof is fixed aluminum slats: at 3 inch spacing they give about 67 percent shade with nothing to service. We also build polycarbonate roofs, 16mm multiwall or quarter-inch clear, and shade sails. We don't build motorized or adjustable louvered roofs.

What is the Zenith pergola?

Our Zenith pergola is custom built to size for every order, with every aluminum component fabricated in our Zebulon, NC shop and powder coated in the color of your choice. Specific design, add-ons, concrete footers and engineered drawings are confirmed before an exact price, and shipping and installation are quoted at purchase. See the Zenith product page for an estimate, or contact us to order.

Are your pergolas engineered? What wind rating do they carry?

Every pergola comes with PE-stamped drawings and calculations covering wind, point loads like fans, swings and hammocks, vine loads, anchors and footings, sealed in your state for permits. Designs typically carry about a 100 mph wind rating, and we engineer higher for coastal and mountain sites. We don't build for heavy-snow regions; if you're in snow country, email us before you plan.

How much does a custom aluminum pergola cost?

By style: slatted roof pergolas run $29,000 to $71,500, shade sail pergolas $29,000 to $61,000, and the Zenith $37,000 to $83,500. Size, roof type, attachment to the house and accessories drive the price. Delivery and installation are quoted at the time of purchase. Engineering is a line item, and contractor pricing is available.

Why does a custom aluminum pergola cost more than a kit from a big box store?

Because it's structural. Ours is built from structural aluminum tube and plate, welded and bolted with stainless hardware, engineered and stamped for your wind zone, sized to your slab and your house, and powder coated after fabrication. Imported kits are lighter, un-engineered and sized to their box, not your patio. We're happy to walk through the difference on a call.

Can you ship a pergola kit out of state? Who installs it?

Yes. Kits ship knocked down with a printed shop drawing, torque specs, an install guide and an operations and maintenance package. Your contractor builds from our stamped drawings at no extra charge, or our crew travels. Locally, our three-person crew installs in 2 to 3 days. We deliver on our own truck and trailer and hand-unload at the curb; the heaviest part is about 200 pounds. Delivery and installation are quoted at the time of purchase.

Does a pergola need footings? Can it go on a deck or attach to my house?

Posts need to land on footings or solid framing. On a typical 4 inch patio slab, plan on footings cut in at each post; a thicker slab with steel may only need epoxy anchors. If your deck or patio isn't built yet, pour footings on our layout and frame around the posts. House-attached designs carry the house side on the house framing, so long spans can run with as few as two posts. We visit the site before any concrete is poured, and we re-measure once walls and footings are in.

I'm building a pool or patio. When should I bring you in?

Before the concrete. We send concept drawings with footing locations to your pool or patio contractor, they pour to our layout, and we field measure once the hardscape is in and adjust the drawings. A few inches of change at that stage is normal; after the pergola is fabricated it isn't.

Do I need a permit or HOA approval for a pergola?

Usually, yes. It depends on your city or county and whether the pergola is attached. Our stamped drawings are made for permit submittal, and we'll supply what your HOA asks for. Permit fees and the application are yours or your contractor's. If HOA approval is a risk, submit before you pay the deposit.

What accessories can I add?

LED and market lighting, fan supports and power, switches, shade sails, privacy screens, lattice screens, swing and hammock points, planters and gate arbors. Tell us what you want hanging from it before engineering starts. We don't offer heaters or motorized screens.

Is aluminum OK near the coast or a pool?

Yes. Aluminum doesn't rust, and we use 316 stainless hardware, the marine grade. Rinse salt and chlorine residue off a few times a year. For coastal sites, contact us about warranty options.

How do I clean and maintain an aluminum pergola?

Hose it off and wash with mild soap a couple of times a year. Powder coat doesn't need sealing or painting. Check the anchor bolts once a year, and touch up a chip with enamel paint in the matching color.

Do you build canopies, walkway covers and shade structures for commercial sites?

Yes. Engineered aluminum and steel canopies, walkway covers and trellis structures for multifamily, campus, municipal and healthcare projects, with design-assist through the architect's drawing set and installation by our crew.

Finishes, care, wood movement, warranty and repairs

What finish do you put on tables?

Most furniture gets a catalyzed conversion varnish sprayed in our booth. For dining and conference tables we recommend satin or low gloss, which hides fingerprints and daily wear. Oil, tinted timber oil, stain plus clear coat and epoxy flood coats are also available. You approve a finish sample on your actual wood before we spray.

Conversion varnish or hardwax oil? Which should I choose?

Conversion varnish is the hardest and most chemical-resistant film we offer and lasts indefinitely with no maintenance; the trade-off is that a deep scratch means refinishing the whole top. A hardwax oil such as Rubio Monocoat is a little softer but spot repairable: sand the scuff, wipe on new oil, done, and a wipe-on refresh every year or two keeps it looking new. For a desk or a table you want to maintain lightly for decades, hardwax oil is a good choice; for a dining table you never want to think about, conversion varnish. Either finish is the same price.

Is the finish waterproof? Can I put hot pans on it?

Conversion varnish is highly water and stain resistant, but not waterproof or heat proof. Wipe spills, and use coasters, trivets and cutting boards. Clean with a soft damp cloth and mild soap; skip ammonia, bleach and abrasives.

How do I clean and care for my table?

Warm, lightly soapy water and a soft cloth. Household furniture cleaners are fine; avoid alcohol and heavy solvents. Don't let water stand on the surface, don't cover one side with plastic or a rubber mat for weeks at a time (wood needs to breathe equally on both faces), and keep it off a heat vent if you can. Cherry and a few other species darken in sunlight, so move the centerpiece now and then. The full guide is on our Maintenance/Care page.

Will a solid wood table crack or move?

Solid wood moves a little with the seasons, and small checks can show up, especially through the first winter of heat. That's real wood, and we build for it: lumber dried to 6 to 10 percent moisture content, epoxy-filled knots and voids, slotted base plates and steel spines on long tops. Movement is most visible on wide single slabs and least on classic cut and butcher block tops made from narrower boards. Grain, color and sapwood vary from the photos; that's what you're buying.

What humidity should my house be for a solid wood table?

The same range a comfortable house already sits in, roughly 35 to 55 percent relative humidity. Big swings are what cause trouble: a humidifier in winter and air conditioning in summer keep the wood where we dried it to. Radiant floor heat, a fireplace beside the table or a sunroom will ask more of the wood than a normal room.

Can I touch up scratches myself?

On a hardwax oil finish, yes: light sand with 220 grit and re-oil the spot. On a conversion varnish or polyurethane finish, minor scuffs can be softened with 0000 steel wool with the grain and a coat of paste wax; anything deeper comes back to us. Powder coated metal takes a dab of matching enamel or, for a tiny chip, nail polish.

Do you sell epoxy?

Yes. Our Bar and Table-Top Epoxy Kit and deep pour epoxy kits are sold online when in stock. The mix ratio and shelf life are on the kit label; email us with any questions.

Do you offer refinishing and repairs on furniture you built?

Yes. Bring it back or ask about a shop visit and we'll quote a re-sand and re-spray, a river re-pour or a base repair. We also refinish solid wood furniture we didn't build, one piece or a whole restaurant.

What is your warranty?

One year on the craftsmanship of anything we build, from the day you take delivery, for the original owner. If a joint fails, a finish peels or a base isn't right, contact us and we'll make it right. The warranty doesn't transfer to a new owner, and it doesn't cover normal wear, seasonal movement and small checks in solid wood, damage from heat, standing water or harsh cleaners, or anything caused by moving or modifying the piece. Products we supply from other vendors carry that vendor's warranty and our 30-day return window instead. Pergola structures carry the engineering they were stamped for; the powder coat and hardware are covered under the same one-year craftsmanship terms.

What is your return policy?

Custom products are built to order and can't be returned or exchanged, and neither can hardwoods, softwoods, plywood, metals and other materials once they leave the shop. Inspect your order at pickup or delivery and tell us immediately if anything is wrong or the wrong item arrived. Standard merchandise such as tools, hardware, apparel and epoxy kits can be returned within 30 days of purchase; opened epoxy kits can't. The customer pays return shipping; returns at the shop are free.

How do you make it right if something is wrong?

Email photos and a description within a few days of receiving the piece. We'll decide with you whether it's a shop fix, a site visit or a replacement, and cover the cost when it's on us. We'd rather hear about a problem the day you see it.

What we don't do

What don't you do?

We don't build cabinetry, casework or built-ins; we build the tops, shelves, panels and metal that go with them, and your cabinet shop or contractor does the rest. We don't install built-in countertops (we build them, your contractor installs). We don't build wood pergolas, motorized louvered pergola roofs, heaters or motorized screens, doors, hand-carved period reproductions, veneer work, laser engraving, Lichtenberg (fractal) burning or custom router bits. We don't repair chairs, upholstery or stone countertops, make mailbox posts or children's toys, or troubleshoot CNC files for other people's machines. We don't do tree removal, we don't sell rough slabs, we don't rent shop time, and we don't act as your general contractor. Ask anyway; we'll usually know who does.

Do you do masonry, footings or concrete for pergolas?

No. We draw the footing layout and specify the anchors; your landscape or concrete contractor pours to it, and we can recommend one.

Do you do laser cutting or engraving?

No laser. Logos and lettering are CNC routed, CNC cut in aluminum, or V-carved, which reads deeper and cleaner than a laser on solid wood.

Do you sell plywood, veneer or sheet goods?

We stock plywood and MDF for our own CNC work and can cut yours or ours, but we aren't a sheet goods supplier and carry no veneer or veneer plywood for sale.

Are you hiring?

Send your resume and the role you're interested in to info@oakcitycustoms.com.