Commissioning a bespoke solid wood desk or table top is a little different than buying furniture from a retailer. The top is made specifically for you and your use case, constraints and preferences… which naturally raises a few practical questions along the way: where is it made? How long will it take? How is it delivered (especially if you’re outside the UK)?
Where are Solid Wood Tops made?
We partner with a network of trusted workshops across the UK. Our partners have been chosen for their quality of work, ability to hand deliver most items and willingness to make completely bespoke products. When you place an order request, we match your project with a workshop which makes sense for your design, wood choice and location.
Where possible, this means using a workshop closer to you. This helps support local makers, keeps transport distances down, and can sometimes reduce delivery costs too. You can even choose to collect your top directly from the workshop if you’re nearby, have a big enough car/van, and want to save on delivery.
How long does it take to get a top made?
Every solid wood top we supply is made to order, so lead times are longer than mass-produced furniture. In most cases, you can expect to wait around 2 to 5 weeks from payment of your order to dispatch.
Timescales vary depending on a few simple factors:
- The type of wood you choose (and it’s current availability)
- The size and thickness of the top (thicker, larger staves can take longer to source than smaller tops)
- The finish you’d like (if you have a specific brand or finish that needs to be purchased just for you)
- Where it’s being delivered (workshops organise delivery runs which visit secluded locations less frequently)
Behind the scenes, the process usually looks like this:
- Final details confirmed: your specification is completed with details like: dimensions, edge profile and finish.
- Quote accepted: you accept the quotation and workshop, contact information is shared.
- Samples sent: if required.
- Invoice paid: either deposit or full amount.
- Timber sourced: the workshop may need to purchase the wood for your order.
- Making: the top is cut, joined, sanded and/or shaped as per your requirements.
- Finishing: stain, oil, wax, or lacquer is applied and allowed to cure properly
- Quality Assurance: final checks before packaging ready for delivery or pickup.
Note: samples can add a little time, learn more about why samples can be a good idea, why sometimes it might not be, and how you can order samples through our unique ‘order request’ process.
For the most accurate estimate, it’s always best to submit an order request now, there’s no obligation, and it allows us to give you a realistic timeframe as quoted directly from a workshop with your exact requirements in mind.
Packaging and protection
Solid wood is tough, but it still deserves careful handling. Every top is packaged to suit its journey, with enough protection to arrive safely without unnecessary waste. For hand deliveries packaging is kept simple and practical.
For wider solid wood tops, you may notice temporary strengthening braces fitted underneath during delivery. These are simple support bars added to help prevent flexing or damage while the top is being moved, particularly when it’s carried flat and not fully supported. They’re only there for transit and are very easy to remove once your top arrives, usually fixed with just a few screws. Without this extra support, larger tops can be more prone to cracking or breaking during handling, so it’s a small but important step to make sure everything arrives safely.
If you’re arranging your own courier, we recommend allowing at least 10cm extra on each dimension to account for packaging. This helps avoid problems when booking transport and ensures the top is properly protected in transit. Read more: How to arrange your own courier to deliver your desk top
International delivery
We can help supply solid wood tops outside the UK, including across Europe. For overseas orders, delivery costs are generally calculated by couriers based on the size, weight and destination of your top.
The top will be packaged accordingly, and we will work with your chosen courier.
We’ll help with any paperwork you pass on to us that might be needed for customs. Our overseas customers comment on how smoothly the process runs and how well their tops arrive (here is a review on Trustpilot by Ilia Kukharev from Finland). Read more: How to arrange your own courier to deliver your desk top
If you’re still unsure about lead times, delivery options, our process or anything else, please get in touch or ask our trained AI expert for further clarification.
