Frequently Asked Questions

I aim to sit right in the middle — better built than what you'll find at a big-box store, and a good bit friendlier than a high-end gallery. Adirondack chairs, porch swings and picnic tables all have a standard price I'm happy to share up front, and custom work is quoted per piece based on size, wood and detail. I'll always give you a real number before anything starts, and if your budget is tighter than the design, I'll suggest a version that gets you close.

Standard pieces like Adirondack chairs and picnic tables are often two to four weeks depending on the season. Larger custom furniture — dining tables, built-ins, novelty pieces — typically runs four to eight weeks. Spring and early summer are my busiest stretch, so if you want a swing on the porch by Memorial Day, reach out early.

Yes. A deposit holds your spot on the build schedule and covers materials, with the balance due at delivery. For commercial orders and multiples I'm happy to work with a purchase order.

For outdoor work I mostly use cedar and pine — cedar when the piece lives exposed to weather, pine when it's under cover or when budget matters. Indoors I work in maple, cherry, oak, ash and walnut. If you have a preference or a wood with meaning to you, tell me and we'll talk about whether it suits the build.

Sometimes, and it's some of my favorite work. Wood from a family tree or an old barn can absolutely become a table or a bench, but it needs to be properly dried and it needs to be free of nails and hardware. Send me photos and I'll tell you honestly whether it will work.

Honestly? Less than you'd think. Cedar can stay out year-round and will either weather to a soft gray or stay warm-toned if you re-coat every couple of seasons. I'll send care notes with every outdoor piece, and I'm always a phone call away if a piece needs a refresh down the road.

Yes — this is the part customers tell me they appreciate most. I send photos as your piece comes together: rough stock, joinery, glue-up, first coat of finish. Nothing about the final delivery should be a surprise.

Every piece leaves my shop with a small Shorey Woodworking plaque. It's a maker's mark and a promise — if my name is on it, it was built to last, and if something ever goes wrong you know exactly who to call.

I deliver locally around Orrington, Brewer, Bangor, Hampden and the surrounding towns myself, and I'll set larger pieces like picnic tables where you want them. For deliveries farther out, tell me where you are and we'll work something out.

Yes. I build picnic tables and outdoor seating for schools, dental and medical offices, campgrounds and churches, and I'm happy to quote multiples as a matched run. I'm also open to conversations with lumber yards and retailers about carrying standard pieces — get in touch and let's talk.

There's usually a piece or two on display at my lawn in Milford, and you'll find work at an antique store in Orrington as well. If you'd like to see something specific before ordering, message me and we'll arrange a time.

Sometimes. I'm not a restoration specialist, but if it's a solid-wood piece with sentimental value, send me photos and I'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing and what it would cost.