What Do We Do When Receiving a Custom Special-Order?

Our core tenet is to ensure customer satisfaction. Therefore, no matter what kind of order requirements we encounter, we will do our utmost to meet them. Recently, we received an interesting order: the custom cabinets required solid wood, but with a special specification—the solid wood needed to have knots on both sides.

In fact, solid wood is not cheap; it is a choice for many high-end custom cabinets. Generally, only those with a sufficient budget would opt for solid wood kitchen cabinets. Solid wood is graded as follows:

• AA grade: High-quality wood with good appearance on both the front and back sides (no knots or minimal defects).
• AB grade: Wood with a good front side but knots or minor defects on the back side.
• BB grade: Wood with knots on both the front and back sides.

The price difference between these grades is not significant. However, to meet the customer’s special custom requirement—using only BB-grade solid wood panels with knots on both sides—some pieces of high-quality solid wood (that could have been used for AA or AB grades) end up not meeting the standard after cutting.

Although we usually do not keep a large stock of BB-grade solid wood panels, upon receiving this special custom order, we made every effort to produce solid wood panels that meet the requirements, ensuring we would not disappoint the customer. Of course, in-depth communication with the customer first was the top priority. Beyond reconfirming the core requirement of knots on both sides, we also asked in detail about the customer’s preferences regarding the size and density of the knots, as well as the overall design style of the cabinets, their intended use scenarios, and the installation timeline.

After fully understanding all the customer’s custom needs, we began preparing for the special project. To ensure the quality of raw materials, we sent professional wood appraisers to the supplier’s forest farm to select logs on-site. Each selected log underwent a visual inspection, density test, and moisture content test. Only logs that met all the requirements were marked and scheduled for felling and transportation.

Once the logs arrived at the factory, the production process was controlled with strict attention to every detail. Normally, when processing solid wood panels, we prioritize avoiding knots to improve material utilization. However, this time we took the opposite approach: we specifically assigned experienced senior craftsmen to be in charge of the log-cutting process. Before cutting, the craftsmen would draw detailed cutting lines on the surface of the logs, ensuring that after each panel was cut, both the front and back sides would retain complete knots with a balanced distribution.

After the raw materials for the cabinets were ready, we proceeded with the normal steps of sanding, coating, and painting the cabinets. When the customer saw the finished cabinets, they were extremely satisfied with the effect of the retained knots and the overall texture. Our cabinets not only offer a price advantage but also adhere to high standards for appearance—we go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction. Therefore, choosing Union Woods as your supplier is an excellent decision.

Even for such a special custom order of BB-grade solid wood cabinets, as long as the customer has a need, we are willing to invest more time, effort, and cost. With professionalism and dedication, we transform the customer’s special requirements into satisfactory works of art.