Made in our own factory
How a DesignByU piece is made
We are not a reseller of imported furniture. Pieces are made in Johannesburg, by people you can meet, from timber you can inspect before it is cut. That is the reason a table takes weeks rather than days — and the reason it is worth what it costs.
From slab to dining room
Stage 1
Choosing the slab
Timber is picked board by board, not ordered by the metre. Grain, colour and the shape of the live edge decide which slab suits which table, and we photograph the actual slab so you see what your piece will be made from.
Stage 2
Drying and stabilising
Solid timber moves. Boards are dried and left to settle before anything is cut, and splits are stabilised so the top stays flat in a Highveld winter.
Stage 3
The resin pour
For a river table the two halves are set in a mould and the channel is poured in the colour you chose. Resin cures slowly and generates heat, so a deep pour is done in stages over days rather than in one go.
Stage 4
Joinery and the base
Tops are joined, edges shaped, and the base — timber or steel — is built to carry the weight of the top without the table racking when it is leaned on.
Stage 5
Sanding and finishing
The surface is worked through progressive grits by hand until it is level and even, then sealed. This is the slowest stage and the one that decides how the piece feels under your hand.
Stage 6
Inspection and delivery
The finished piece is inspected in the factory, and you are welcome to come and see it before it is wrapped. Delivery in Gauteng is R1 350 per order; elsewhere it is quoted per job.
What this means for you
- Any size, because the piece is built to your room rather than picked off a container.
- Timber, finish, base and resin colour are yours to choose.
- A written quote with the price and lead time before anything is cut — typically six to eight weeks, longer for a large resin pour.
- Repairs and re-upholstery are possible because we made it and we know it.
See it applied to bespoke dining tables and resin river tables, or read the questions and answers.