Behind the Scenes
A BACKSTAGE PASS TO PRODUCTION
Beyond traditional manufacturing. Beyond traditional woodworking. What happens behind the doors of Henrybuilt's Seattle production facility is an entirely different approach.
We work hard to preserve the feeling of natural materials and handcraft as we create a performance outcome that provides a sense of permanence and a way of focusing your time and energy on what you enjoy most. It requires a team of people and a set of shared standards and processes that continuously improves.
The results come from thinking with the head, the hand, AND the heart. Here’s a glimpse backstage.
From our hands to yours. Start to finish, each drawer and door front is touched nearly 200 times by up to 20 pairs of hands.
Old-school material quality and new technology precision.
Wooden pulls shaped on a lathe.
Highly calibrated machines come into play when precision is the top priority.
The material of every piece - and there are hundreds that make up a single kitchen - is selected for performance, longevity, and feel. Here, a milled solid brass pull.
Furniture craft standards are applied to everything we do.
Panel sanding for consistency to 1/100 of an inch.
The decision of human vs machine craft is driven by what delivers the best result.
Handcraft is most important where you touch and feel the end result.
A fluted end panel requires many steps and a combination of skilled hands and precise machine work.
Precision fitting of certain joinery and hardware can be done much more accurately by specialized machines than by hand, but it takes skilled people to calibrate and operate them.
The Seattle test kitchen has supported over 1,800 lunch hours. One of the results is product design informed by direct experience.
Visual systems, or 'kanbans' - like this storage rack for interior components - ensure there is minimal waste in managing inventory and workflow.
Cell-based production enables the efficient use of handcraft - and the assurance of high quality.
State-of-the-art finishing booth and hand application of our Formaldahyde-free finish.
Sculpting the finishing touches on a flatware block.
Your project packaged and protected with our containers that we use over and over again.
There’s a lot of pride in this place, and what we design and create for you.
