Handcrafting quality into your bath mat.
Making wood bath mats, shower trays, and bath accessories longer
than any of our competitors have been in business, there is a lot that we have
learned. Here are a just a few comparisons of what makes our products
better;
Location of Manufacture
Many retail stores and internet websites sell wood bath accessories that are
manufactured offshore. Some of these come from countries that are well known to
use child and slave labor. All come with a very limited warranty, if any.
Our products are made right here at home in North America. We have total
control over the entire process, and you know we are here if you ever have a
problem. All of our products come with a lifetime warranty and 100% satisfaction
guarantee.
Design
Many of our competitors will use substandard designs to keep their costs down.
The most common design flaw chosen is to use wider wood slats or wider gaps
between the slats. With wood slats from 1.5 to 4 thick, labor costs can be
kept down but at the cost of a mat that looks more like your backyard deck than
an elegant piece you would want to place in your bath.
Our traditional designs use wood slats that are 1 wide and spaced .25
apart. This creates the perfect piece for the bath that is not only functional,
but is a sleek design that adds beauty to any bathroom.
Our new urban country design uses wood slats that are 1.5 wide and spaced
.25 apart. This design creates a more rustic look and is perfect for outdoor
showers or homes and baths looking for that urban country feel.
Wood Quality
Many of our competitors use poor quality woods. For example, everyone believes
that if they buy teak the product will last 5-10 years without turning grey.
Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth. Teak quality can vary
greatly resulting in products that could turn grey in just one season.
Just from our sources alone our wood costs could vary by as much as 100% based
on the quality of the wood.
Dont worry. You can rest assured that we purchase only the very best quality
of woods available. Wood quality that also reflects our superior design and
construction.
Wood Sources
Many of our competitors will purchase their wood supply from questionable
sources. Wood suppliers including farms can be non-sustaining, utilize poor
forestry techniques such as clear cutting, and use forced labor. The worst
example of this is in Burma. Burmese Teak is so bad that the US Government
banned its direct import to the US.
Burma, now Myanamar, is controlled by one of the worlds worst military
regimes. Elephants are drugged to work day and night hauling trees from the
forest. Whole forests are clearcut with no replacement trees being planted.
Child and slave labor from neighboring villages is used to process the trees
into lumber. And tanks and guns are purchased from the profits.
Now I know some of our competitors who use Burmese Teak argue that the Burmese
Teak they use does not come form Burma. Rather from the region of Burma, hence
the name Burmese Teak. But do you really believe this. Does Canadian Maple Syrup
not come from Canada? Does New Zealand Lamb not come from New Zealand?
We are very careful of our wood sources. We use only FCC Certified Woods
wherever possible. Only FCC Certified means that the wood is harvested in a
responsible way. And we will never use Burmese Teak.
Craftsmanship
Many of our competitors utilize manufacturing processes to keep their costs
down. However this does affect the quality and look of the product.
Our products are lovingly crafted by the owner. Wood is hand selected where
possible to ensure the overall look of the mat is exceptional. And superior
quality is maintained throughout the entire process.
Protective Finish
Many of our competitors will utilize poor quality finishes to keep costs down.
Examples of this are Teak Oil, Lacquer, and even Mineral Oil.
Lacquer is used primarily by off-shore manufacturers and can be found in many of
the retailers and on-line merchants. Lacquer is primarily used on furniture and
is readily available. Diluted it can be sprayed on keeping costs to a minimum.
The problem with Lacquer is it is not water proof. If you purchase these items
and allow them to get wet the Lacquer will very quickly crack and peel off.
Trust me when I say that this is not a pretty sight.
Mineral Oil can also be sprayed on but is more commonly wiped on. Mineral oil is
easy to apply and quickly penetrates into the wood. The problem with Mineral Oil
is that it evaporates. When you first take your item out of the packaging it
will look lovely. Unfortunately after about a month the evaporation will quickly
lead to a spotty finish, and in time will leave no protection at all.
Teak oil is used by some. While Teak Oil is good for many woods, it should never
be used on Teak.
Our products always receive our protective finish. It is a blend of oils and
waxes that has been perfected over time to penetrate the woods to enhance their
color and tone while also bonding to the surface of the wood to seal everything
in for months or even years.