H0W IT’S MADE...
THONET BENTWOOD CHAIR
WOOD CUT
First, a Beech canticle is turned into a rod.
Thanks to the short wood fibres, beech wood is stable and especially suitable for the Bentwood process.
FULL STEAM, UNDER HIGH P
PRESSURE! The wood is steamed to over 100 degrees celsius. The material remains under pressure in the steam boiler for approximately six hours. Due to this pressure, the steam is forced into the wood until it is saturated. The high temperature makes the beech rod extremely elastic.
PREPARATION FOR THE BENDING PRO The wooden rod is now placed into the bending mould by specialists. A metal strip fixed on the outer edge of the rod prevents the wood fibres from stretching/splitting on the outer radius.
R OCESS
FROM WOODEN RO Now the specialists turn both sides inwards 70 degrees wih their full strength. The material is then secured in the bending mould.
OD TO BACKREST
In order for the bent backrest to stay in it form, the wood spends two days in a dryin chamber in its bending mould. After this p only a small amount of humidity is left in which is then removed from the mould.
DRYIN
ts new ng process, the wood,
NG...
After this production step, theprocessing of the backrest continues. First, the wood is sanded untill the surface is as soft as velvet; then it is assembled into a finished chair with the other components. At the end, the wood is stained or lacquered.
THE FINISH
HING TOUCH
STEP SEVEN- DISTRIBUTION?
JENNI FEARN & JOHN JACKSON-SHIELDS