International Wood Magazine

Past and Present

Historical Techniques in Modern Designs

Magazine page featuring Steven Sander's stick bench, a black rectangular base topped with over 2,500 individual wood sticks forming a textured surface, plus a close-up detail of the end-grain wooden blocks.
Steven Sander's stick bench combines a steel frame with more than 2,500 individually milled and oil-finished wooden sticks, blending Early American techniques with modern materials.

"Many of the elements found in traditional Early American furniture designs constantly influence my work," Steven Sander begins when discussing his stick bench project. He continues, adding "My work takes traditional woodworking elements and pairs them with a non-traditional material like steel or aluminum, creating a project that makes small details stand out and draws the viewer's eye quickly to the piece."

Viewers will certainly be drawn to Sander's stick bench. At first glance, it looks firm, stiff, and unyielding. But touching it, the project quickly becomes interactive and inviting. Created with over 2,500 wooden sticks, each individual piece of wood is captured in the metal frame but is still free to move up and down.

The bench began life as a stack of well over 700 board feet of rough lumber. First, a radial arm saw was used to cut the boards into a millable size, and each individual piece was run over a joiner and a planer. Sander took over 20 hours just to mill the boards down to the correct thickness, after which he spent 4 hours on the chop saw, where the freshly milled wood was chopped into its final length. An additional 14 hours were spent on the table saw producing the final 3/4"x3/4"x11" stick. Each of the 2,500 plus sticks were then individually coated with an oil finish which took another 45 hours and over 2 gallons of Danish oil.

This attention to detail and painstaking approach to craftsmanship is not new to Sander. He has been designing furniture using traditional Early American furniture techniques (1750 – 1850) since the beginning of his career. "My designs take cues from historical and traditional pieces and

Frequently asked questions

How many wooden sticks are used in Steven Sander's stick bench?+

Steven Sander's stick bench is constructed using over 2,500 individual wooden sticks. Each stick is captured within a metal frame but remains free to move up and down, making the bench interactive.

What are the dimensions of each stick used in the bench?+

Each stick measures 3/4" x 3/4" x 11". Producing these final sticks required roughly 14 hours of work on the table saw.

How much lumber was needed to build the stick bench?+

The bench started with over 700 board feet of rough lumber. The boards were cut to millable size on a radial arm saw, then run through a jointer and planer.

How long did it take to finish the sticks for the bench?+

Applying an oil finish to each of the 2,500-plus sticks took approximately 45 hours and used over 2 gallons of Danish oil.

What design philosophy influences Steven Sander's furniture work?+

Sander draws on traditional Early American furniture techniques from 1750–1850 and pairs those traditional woodworking elements with non-traditional materials like steel or aluminum. The combination makes small details stand out and draws the viewer's eye to the piece.

How long did milling the lumber for the stick bench take?+

Sander spent over 20 hours milling the boards down to the correct thickness, followed by an additional 4 hours on the chop saw cutting the wood to its final length.