1. Guarantee: Every piece of furniture I make is guaranteed against all defects in materials and workmanship for the lifetime of the original purchaser. This, of course, does not apply in cases of abuse, misuse or neglect nor to normal wear and tear. Try getting a guarantee like this at your local furniture retailer.
2. We make every piece of furniture ourselves: I am not just a middleman selling furniture made by anonymous shops from who knows where. All the furniture shown on this site is made in my shop by me or under my direct supervision. (Exception: We now sell Shaker Ladder Back Chairs made for us by a small 3rd generation chair shop in Massachusetts.)
3. Joinery: I use traditional, tried and true construction techniques such as mortise and tenon and dovetail joinery. These joints have been used for thousands of years and they work. I guarantee my furniture for a lifetime because I know it will last a lifetime and more. I've been in business since 1982 and I haven't had more than 3 or 4 customers who needed to use this guarantee and those were for very minor problems.
4. Solid Wood Construction: I build all my furniture with solid wood only. I do not use veneered plywood for some parts, such as case sides, to cut costs. Veneered plywood is prone to chipping and peeling. We've all seen pieces of furniture with chipped or peeling veneer and know that it's not a pretty sight.
5. Wood Selection: The wood for each and every piece of furniture that I build is carefully chosen to insure that the grain and color match as closely as possible. Large table tops and case sides are glued up using lumber as wide as possible. Many manufacturers will glue up narrow, unmatched strips of wood only 2-4 inches wide to make up these parts.
6. Classic Designs: My furniture designs are based on classic furniture designs which will not go out of style in 3 to 5 years. Not only will my furniture last your lifetime and more, it will also be in style for your lifetime.
7. Fair Prices: I make every effort to keep my prices as 
low as possible while maintaining my high quality standards. One way I've been able to do this is by selling only directly to the consumer. Manufacturers and individual furniture makers who sell through dealers and galleries as well as directly to consumers must include the dealers' or galleries' mark-up in their own retail prices. If they don't their dealers and galleries will not buy from them. These mark-ups can be anywhere from 25%-50%. Because I don't sell to any retailers or through galleries I am not forced by them to add this mark-up. This allows me to keep the quality up and give you the best price possible.
8. Individual Attention: Every order placed with me receives my individual attention. You can talk with me to make sure you're going to get exactly what you want. Because I build every piece to order, even "standard" items can be customized to your needs with little or no extra charge.
9. Quick Turn Around Time: Despite the fact that every piece of furniture is made to order I have been able to keep my turn around time very reasonable. I only hire highly skilled furniture makers to assist me so I am confident that all work is done to my exacting standards and in a timely fashion. My current lead time is about 8 to 12 weeks for most orders.
10. Experience Shipping Furniture: I have been shipping furniture by UPS, blanket wrapped delivery and common carrier for many years. I know how to pack your furniture so that it arrives in the same condition as it left my shop. All furniture is boxed, wrapped or crated with the same care as we built it. This is not inexpensive but it is less expensive than having to ship it back for repairs. We do no claim to offer "free shipping" and then hide the sipping costs in the price of the furniture. You pay what it costs us to pack and ship your furniture and not a penny more.
11. Proven Track Record: I've been making furniture in the same location since 1982. I have a proven track record for building excellent furniture and I'll be here if you have a problem or question. Most likely you'll just want to contact me to order another piece. About 50% of my orders every year are from returning customers. I don't keep track of what percent of first time buyers eventually come back for another piece but I'm confident it's over 80% and more likely close to 100%.
12. Sustainably Harvested Lumber: I make every effort to ensure that the lumber use in my furniture is harvest from well managed forests. For more information please see my sustainable wood policy.
Richard Bissell Fine Woodworking 
To order: Use shopping cart or call 802-387-4416