Welcome to the workshop
CB Woodworking is run by me, Claire Butler, out of my home in West Seattle. I do all the things from source lumber, design and then build the furniture, finish and inspect each item before it leaves the shop, and run the admin side of things.
(photo of me)
My work is a mix of custom designs, one off items (stools and chairs for example), a curated collection of Shop items, and wholesale items made for retailers. No matter who the item is for, my goal with each design is to combine simple beauty with function.
(photo of wholesale item)
Get to Know Us
Made for you
We count on this visionary to define strategic priorities, allocate resources responsibly, and ensure every decision reinforces long-term value creation.
Recent client builds
Shop in stores
We trust this leader to synchronize production, logistics, and support functions, cultivating dependable processes that uphold our service commitments.
Contact for wholesale
Who we areMeet the team
We depend on this engineer to transform conceptual requirements into robust technical solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
Where to find usEvents
We depend on this engineer to transform conceptual requirements into robust technical solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
Learn how to make a stool!Classes
We depend on this engineer to transform conceptual requirements into robust technical solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
ShopShop
We depend on this engineer to transform conceptual requirements into robust technical solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructures.
BTS: Learn how it’s made
Hand Tool Finish
Sustainably sourced lumber, carefully handcrafted using traditional tools and joinery. Each piece is shaped with hand tools such as hand planes, spokeshaves, rasps, travishers and scorps that add warmth to the finished product.
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Using a jack plane to taper a chair leg
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The arm hand was shaped with a rasp
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White oak table top with an ash base
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Shaping a Red Elm chair seat with a scorp
Made to last
Each piece is designed and crafted with a lifetime of use in mind. I work with solid wood, sourced and carefully selected from locally harvested timber from sustainable forests.
The joinery is strengthened with wedged or pinned tenons and hide glue. Unlike modern glue, hide glue is reversible and was historically used on furniture, allowing for quality repairs on antique furniture.
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The arm hand was shaped with a rasp
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![]()
Shaping a Red Elm chair seat with a scorp
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Drill through the arm-bow and seat by hand.
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Legs and sticks on staked furniture are rived or sawn to provide straight grain for maximum strength.
Natural Finish
The pieces are finished with soft wax, soap, oil, or linseed oil paint. Often found on antique furniture, these finishes show off a lovely patina and warmth that develops with age. The finishes can be reapplied and contain no dangerous solvents, making touch ups in the future safe and simple.
Soft wax:
Linseed oil paint:
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Soap finish on a white oak table top with an ash be.
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Red oak stools painted with linseed oil paint and a soft wax finish.
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![]()
Linseed oil paint on an ash chair
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Soft wax on a red elm chair.
Hand Tool Finish
Sustainably sourced lumber, carefully handcrafted using traditional tools and joinery. Each piece is shaped with hand tools such as hand planes, spokeshaves, rasps, travishers and scorps that add warmth to the finished product.
-
![]()
Using a jack plane to taper a chair leg
-
![]()
The arm hand was shaped with a rasp
-
![]()
White oak table top with an ash base
-
![]()
Shaping a Red Elm chair seat with a scorp
Made to Last
Each piece is designed and crafted with a lifetime of use in mind. I work with solid wood, sourced and carefully selected from locally harvested timber from sustainable forests.
The joinery is strengthened with wedged or pinned tenons and hide glue. Unlike modern glue, hide glue is reversible and was historically used on furniture, allowing for quality repairs on antique furniture.
-
![]()
The arm hand was shaped with a rasp
-
![]()
Shaping a Red Elm chair seat with a scorp
-
![]()
Drill through the arm-bow and seat by hand.
-
![]()
Legs and sticks on staked furniture are rived or sawn to provide straight grain for maximum strength.
Natural Finishes
The pieces are finished with soft wax, soap, oil, or linseed oil paint. Often found on antique furniture, these finishes show off a lovely patina and warmth that develops with age. The finishes can be reapplied and contain no dangerous solvents, making touch ups in the future safe and simple.
Through everyday use and occasional applications, the furniture will develop a lovely patina and warmth.
-
![]()
Soap finish on a white oak table top with an ash be.
-
![]()
Red oak stools painted with linseed oil paint and a soft wax finish.
-
![]()
Linseed oil paint on an ash chair
-
![]()
Soft wax on a red elm chair.
Soft Wax:
Linseed Oil Paint:
