Graincraft began in a rented garage in 2006 with a few hand tools and a clear conviction: wood furniture made with care outlasts everything else.
Owen Hartley grew up in Brevard, NC, spending weekends in his grandfather's workshop. By the time he was fifteen, he could cut a mortise-and-tenon joint by hand. He spent his twenties working under master cabinetmakers in Asheville and Charlottesville, absorbing every technique he could find.
In 2006, Owen founded Graincraft with a simple premise: build exactly what the client needs, using the best materials available, and don't cut corners you can't see. That philosophy is still intact eighteen years later.
Today Graincraft is a four-person shop in Asheville. Owen handles design and the most demanding joinery work. His crew handles milling, assembly, finishing, and installation. Every project goes through Owen's hands before it goes into your home.
His current lead time is 8 to 12 weeks. He keeps it that way on purpose. Rushed work is bad work.
Only solid hardwood and premium Baltic birch plywood. Never particleboard.
Custom to your exact space. No off-the-shelf sizing or compromised dimensions.
Detailed line-item quotes. No hidden costs or surprise change orders.
We stand behind the joinery. Structural defects are repaired at no charge, always.
There's a specific kind of satisfaction in touching old furniture that still works perfectly. The kind of thing your grandfather bought new and your grandmother still uses every day. That's what we're aiming for with every piece we build.
The cabinet industry has largely moved toward cheaper, faster production. Particleboard boxes with vinyl wraps. Stapled drawer bottoms. Adjustable shelf pins as the only hardware. These pieces don't age well. They swell, they warp, they fall apart. And then they go to the landfill.
We use solid wood, proper joinery, and quality hardware because those are the choices that produce furniture that outlasts the house it's in. It costs more upfront. It takes longer to make. And it's worth it every time.
We source locally whenever possible. Most of our hardwoods come from mills within 200 miles of Asheville.
Rich chocolate tones with natural variation. Our most popular species for kitchen cabinets and furniture. Excellent hardness, takes finish beautifully. Locally sourced from western NC and eastern Tennessee.
Pale, tight-grained, and exceptionally hard. Ideal for cabinet interiors, drawer boxes, and painted work. Takes dye stains evenly. Sourced from Appalachian mills.
Warm reddish tones that deepen with age and light exposure. A hallmark of fine American furniture. Machines cleanly and accepts oil finishes exceptionally well.
Bold open grain and strong character. One of the most durable domestic hardwoods available. Cost-effective option for larger projects without sacrificing quality.
Tighter grain than red oak with a more contemporary look. Extremely popular for modern and transitional kitchens. Exceptionally moisture-resistant. Rift and quartersawn available.
Soft, light, and characterful. Ideal for painted country kitchens, mudrooms, and cottage-style projects where visible knots and grain are part of the design intent.
Every surface we build gets finished in our climate-controlled spray booth with professional-grade lacquers, conversion varnishes, or hand-applied oil finishes. The finish you choose depends on the use case, the wood species, and your preference.
For kitchens and bathrooms, we typically recommend a catalyzed conversion varnish. It's the most durable option for high-moisture, high-traffic environments, and it's what the best production shops use. It resists water, household cleaners, and daily abuse.
For furniture and built-ins, we often recommend a hand-rubbed oil and wax finish. It's warmer in appearance, easier to spot-repair over time, and enhances the natural character of the wood. It's the traditional choice, and it's beautiful.
Best for kitchens, bathrooms, and anywhere that takes heavy daily use. Extremely durable, waterproof, and available in any sheen level.
Hand-applied, penetrating oil finish. Enhances wood grain, ages gracefully, and can be refreshed in place without full stripping.
Smooth, factory-quality paint finishes. Custom color matching to Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams standards. Ideal for inset-door cabinets.
Traditional ammonia fuming for white oak gives a deep, antique grey tone. Cerusing fills open grain with white wax for a striking two-tone effect.
Graincraft is a small shop by design. Every person on our crew has been with us for at least four years.
18 years building custom cabinetry. Handles all client design work, complex joinery, and final quality review. Trained under master cabinetmakers in Asheville and Charlottesville.
Twelve years in the shop. Specializes in face frames, door construction, and drawer fitting. Marcus handles all of Graincraft's finishing work and runs the spray booth.
Five years with Graincraft. Lily runs the installation crew, manages project logistics, and handles client communication during build and delivery phases.
Every project starts with a free consultation. We'll come to your space, take measurements, and give you an honest assessment of what's possible.