Lumber:

Our lumber is properly harvested, air cured, and kiln dried to provide the finest quality wood products obtainable. Each piece is carefully qualified before entering our manufacturing process. We do not use veneers, our boards are fabricated only from solid premium hardwoods.

Platforms:

The platform or "frame" is fabricated of premium solid American Walnut. We offer two options with respect to the "peripheral inlay" (the inlay that surrounds the playing surface), the light-wood option is solid white ash, the dark-wood option is solid ebony. The solid strips (approximately an eighth of an inch in thickness are hand laid and bonded into carefully machined seats; they are then brought perfectly flush with the surface and finished accordingly. A second option on the larger sized boards is a solid ebony frame inlay. Inserting frame inlays is a difficult and time consuming process, but results in a truly exquisite finished product. Our platforms include corner splines which we provide in a contrasting solid Walnut. These pieces serve to strengthen the critical frame corners, and provide exquisite beauty and detail.

Playing Surfaces:

Playing surfaces are the result of extensive research and development. Our surfaces are "quarter-sawn" which means that the grain on the top surface is radially exposed as opposed to tangentially exposed. Surfaces are made from solid premium American Walnut and White Ash. The surface is bonded to a "matched" heavy hardwood substrate of like material using our own internally developed TruDiamond™ construction process. This process is designed to hold surface flatness and to prevent warping to a high degree of correctness. TruDiamond™ construction also minimizes reflected stress to the support platform.

Mounting:

Once completed, the playing surface is carefully placed into seats within the supporting platform, and mechanically attached to the platform using our TruFreedom™ surface mount technology. This technology allows the playing surface to expand and contract slightly with normal changes in relative humidity, without being bound or constrained by the support platform. The technique further addresses otherwise unbridled tendencies for warping and cracking. TruFreedom™ mounting technology holds the playing surface firmly in place while providing these benefits.

Finishing:

Summerville-New England chessboards are finished by using only natural hand-rubbed oils. We do not use stains, lacquers, urethanes or the like. Our objective is to provide a beautiful natural finish that is not highly reflective, and therefore not bothersome to the players. We use multiple applications of premium BriWax™, a natural blend of Beeswax and Carnauba wax as a final surface treatment. Note that BriWax™ can be reapplied by the end user periodically to keep the board looking like new!

BriWax™ is available online at www.briwax.com Be sure to follow manufacturer's directions and precautions carefully!

Heavy Triangulated Felt Pads:

Heavy Felt Pads are carefully placed in triangulated fashion so that even if placed on an uneven surface, the board will not move during play. We understand that such a minor thing as chessboard instability during a game can be aggravating and can impact your performance.