Purpose of This Guide: This document is a comprehensive technical resource designed for our professional partners: architects, interior designers, specifiers, and project managers. Its purpose is to streamline the specification process by providing clear, detailed, and transparent information about our materials, construction standards, finishing options, and logistical protocols.
Our Commitment: At Naramulya, our commitment to quality is matched by our commitment to collaboration. We believe that a successful project is born from a transparent and efficient partnership. This guide is a testament to that belief, providing you with the data you need to specify our furniture with complete confidence.
What’s Inside: This guide covers our primary timber specifications, construction and joinery standards, finishing and coating options, hardware specifications, and our protocols for packaging and shipping.
Section 1: Primary Timber Specifications
The foundation of any piece of high-quality furniture is the timber itself. We source only legally verified, high-quality hardwoods and adhere to strict drying standards to ensure maximum stability and longevity.
1.1. Indonesian Teak (Tectona grandis)
- Primary Use: The superior choice for indoor, outdoor, and marine-grade applications.
- Technical Properties: Indonesian Teak is a dense tropical hardwood with an exceptionally high concentration of natural oils and silica. This gives it a remarkable natural resistance to moisture, rot, and pest infestation (including termites). Its stability and durability make it the industry gold standard for high-performance furniture.
- Grading System: We offer a transparent grading system to meet diverse project and budget requirements.
- Grade A: Sourced from the mature heartwood of government-managed Perhutani plantation logs. Offers the most consistent color, tightest grain, and highest oil content. Specified for high-end projects where only the best will suffice.
- Grade B: Sourced from the heartwood of large, privately grown logs (kayu rakyat). Offers excellent durability and quality at a more accessible price point. The preferred choice for many of our hospitality and residential projects.
- Grade C: Utilizes the full plank from smaller logs, including the lighter-colored sapwood. A budget-conscious option for projects where cost is a primary driver. Performance is ensured through a meticulous kiln-drying process.
- Drying Standard: A non-negotiable step in our process. All teak, regardless of grade, is kiln-dried to a precise moisture content of 10-12%. This process is essential for stabilizing the wood and preventing future warping, cracking, or movement.
1.2. Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla)
- Primary Use: Strictly for indoor applications requiring a classic, formal aesthetic with a deep, reddish-brown color.
- Technical Properties: A durable hardwood known for its fine, straight grain that accepts stains and finishes beautifully, resulting in a smooth, luxurious surface. It is less dense and has a much lower natural oil content than teak.
- Important Specification Note: Due to its low resistance to moisture, mahogany is not suitable or recommended for outdoor furniture, bathroom applications, or use in extremely humid, non-climate-controlled environments.
Section 2: Construction & Joinery Specifications
Our construction methods are rooted in time-honored woodworking traditions, engineered for maximum strength and a lifetime of performance.
2.1. Frame Construction (Tables, Chairs, Case Goods)
- Primary Method: We specify traditional Mortise and Tenon joinery for all primary structural connections. This technique, where a precisely cut tenon (peg) is fitted into a corresponding mortise (hole), provides immense mechanical strength that is far superior to the screws, dowels, or metal brackets used in mass-produced furniture. It ensures our frames are resistant to racking and loosening over time.
2.2. Casegood & Drawer Construction
- Primary Method: For high-quality drawer boxes and the carcases of cabinets and sideboards, we utilize Dovetail Joints. The interlocking nature of this joint provides exceptional resistance to pulling forces, ensuring that a drawer can withstand decades of use without failure. It is a hallmark of high-end furniture construction.
2.3. Adhesives
- Standard: Our standard specification is a high-performance, cross-linking Type III PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) adhesive or, for specific applications, a 2-component epoxy. These industrial-grade glues are fully waterproof and create a bond that is stronger than the wood itself, ensuring permanent joint integrity in any climate.
Section 3: Finishing & Coating Specifications
We offer a range of professional finishing options to meet the specific aesthetic and performance requirements of any project.
3.1. Water-Based Finishes (Our Recommended Standard)
- Properties: A modern, environmentally friendly option with low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Water-based polyurethanes offer excellent clarity, are non-yellowing, and provide a durable, hard-wearing surface. Being virtually odorless upon curing makes them ideal for hospitality or residential projects with tight installation timelines.
- Best For: The majority of indoor and covered outdoor applications where a natural, clear, and durable finish is required.
3.2. Polyurethane (PU) Finishes (Solvent-Based)
- Properties: Offers the highest level of durability and resistance to scratches, chemicals, heat, and UV radiation.
- Best For: High-traffic commercial surfaces that require maximum protection, such as restaurant tabletops, bar tops, and heavy-use contract furniture.
3.3. Nitrocellulose (NC) Lacquer
- Properties: A traditional finish known for its ease of application and repair. It creates a beautiful, classic finish that can be polished to a high sheen.
- Best For: Indoor furniture only, particularly for achieving classic or antique aesthetics. It is not recommended for high-moisture areas or outdoor use due to its lower durability compared to PU.
3.4. Natural Oil Finishes
- Properties: A penetrating finish that soaks into the wood, enhancing the natural grain and providing a tactile, matte, “close-to-the-wood” feel.
- Best For: Indoor pieces where a very natural, organic aesthetic is the primary goal. Note that oil finishes offer less surface protection and require more periodic maintenance than lacquers.
Section 4: Hardware Specifications
Every component contributes to the overall quality of a piece. We use reliable, professional-grade hardware as our standard.
- 4.1. Standard Hardware: Our standard specification for functional hardware includes durable materials like stainless steel for hinges and high-quality, full-extension, soft-close steel runners for drawers.
- 4.2. Custom & Specified Hardware: We have the capability and supplier relationships to source and install any specified hardware from major international brands (e.g., Hafele, Blum, Salice) to meet the exact requirements of an architectural plan or design scheme.
Section 5: Packaging & Shipping Specifications
Our commitment to quality extends to ensuring your furniture arrives in perfect condition, no matter the destination. Our standard export packaging is a multi-layer system designed for maximum protection during international transit.
- 5.1. Multi-Layer Protection: This system is our standard protocol for all international shipments.
- 5.2. Foam Wrap & Edge Protection: The first layer is a soft, non-abrasive foam wrap to protect the finish from scratches. This is followed by dense, custom-fitted foam protectors on all corners and vulnerable edges.
- 5.3. Corrugated Cardboard: The piece is then fully encased in a thick, multi-wall (5-ply) corrugated cardboard box to protect against impact.
- 5.4. Custom Crating (Optional): For particularly fragile items (e.g., pieces with delicate carving or large glass components) or for clients requiring the absolute highest level of security, we offer full custom-built wooden crating as an additional service.
Section 6: How to Request Samples & Technical Data
We are committed to making the specification process as seamless as possible for our professional partners.
- Sample Requests: To request physical samples of our standard wood grades and finishes, please contact our team directly. We can arrange for a sample package to be sent to your firm.
- Technical Data Sheets: For all custom projects, our process includes the creation of detailed shop drawings. These technical data sheets, which include all final dimensions, joinery details, and material specifications, are provided to the client or specifier for final sign-off and approval before any manufacturing begins.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Naramulya is more than a supplier; we are a manufacturing partner dedicated to quality, transparency, and collaboration. This guide is a reflection of that commitment. We believe that by providing clear and comprehensive technical information, we can empower our professional clients to specify with confidence and help them deliver exceptional results.
Have a Project Requiring These Standards? We invite architects, designers, and project managers to contact us to discuss the specific requirements of your next project.
