About the Workshop

Wild Apple Woodworks: Honest Craftsmanship, Traditional Roots

Wild Apple Woodworks is a small-scale woodworking studio based in Toronto, Ontario.

Living in a Craftsman-era home surrounded by historic trim and period furniture deeply shaped my approach to building: prioritize solid timber, mechanical joinery, and natural finishes over disposable, mass-produced materials. I build picture frames, floating canvas enclosures, ceramic tile frames, coat racks, and home hardware inspired by traditional Arts & Crafts, Mission, and Shaker design principles.

Materials & Methods

I work exclusively with solid North American hardwoods, specializing in quarter-sawn white oak, cherry, ash, and walnut.

Rather than relying on industrial sanders, surface preparation is completed using sharp bench planes and cabinet scrapers. Slicing the wood fibers cleanly preserves the distinct medullary ray fleck in quarter-sawn white oak and leaves a crisp, glass-smooth surface that sandpaper simply cannot replicate.

Traditional Joinery & Natural Finishes

  • Mechanical Joinery: Frame corners, cabinets, and structures are joined using hand-fitted mortise-and-tenon joints, through-tenons, or splined miters assembled with traditional hot hide glue for permanent, repairable bonds.

  • Ammonia Fuming: Deep, historic wood tones are achieved through traditional ammonia fuming and natural tea-tannin washes. This reacts directly with the wood's chemistry rather than coating it in synthetic pigments.

  • Plant-Based Finishes: Every piece is sealed with clear dewaxed shellac, linseed oil, and hand-rubbed beeswax. They are zero-VOC, completely non-toxic, and highlight the natural character of the grain.

Future Expansion

While the workshop specializes in custom frames and entryway hardware, the bench lineup is expanding to include traditional frame-and-panel medicine cabinets, wall shelves, and custom wood-burned growth charts for growing families.

Shipping & Cross-Border Delivery

Every item is milled, assembled, and packed by hand in my Toronto workshop. Orders to Canada, the United States, the UK, and Europe ship with full tracking and complete cross-border customs handling.