Berkshire Bowls Standing Puzzle and Decor: Materials

Wood

The wood that we use for all of our standing puzzles and decor is hardwood plywood.  "Plywood?", you say.  Yes.  After extensive testing, we found that solid wood like birch, maple, pine, etc. is prone to breaking along grain lines when dropped or used heavily.  That's not a wood you want to use on a precious memento.  Since plywood is constructed with each layer's grain running in opposite directions, it provides for extremely sturdy construction.  The plywood we use is no ordinary ply, though.  We only use furniture grade hardwood plywood.  This makes it even stronger by taking advantage of the qualities of hardwoods over normal pine. 

Now, you may be saying to yourself, "Isn't plywood made with formaldehyde based glue?".  Normal pine plywood is, however, we only use specially constructed plywood with no formaldehyde toxins in the glue or wood.  The adhesive used on our plywood is soy based and provides a healthy and safe wood.  In addition, we seal all surfaces of our standing puzzles and decor with shellac (see below) so none of the wood or glue is exposed.  That adds an additional layer of protection.

Paint

Our puzzles and decor are only painted with non-toxic, no lead, craft paints.  These are the same types of paints that you can find at your local department store or craft store.  Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available upon request.  To protect the paint and also seal it so it doesn't rub off, we coat each puzzle and decor item with shellac (see below).

Finish

All of our standing puzzles are finished on all surfaces with shellac.  Shellac is a natural excretion of the lac beetle.  In that sense, shellac is similar to bees wax, only more durable.  Once cured on the wood, shellac is a non-toxic and safe finish for kids toys and our puzzles.

What people are saying about Berkshire Bowls:

"This is adorable! So in love! Thank you! "
- A.C., IL

"Challenging puzzle, but worth it. Very clever piecing. Great as a stand-up decoration as well. "
- C.P., NY

"...Berkshire bowls has some really neat items; so I definitely plan to do more shopping there in the future. Thank you Berkshire bowls!"
- C.J., NC

"Beautifully made and will make a wonderful gift! Transaction was flawless...high recommend seller! Thanks you!"
- M.G., FL

"Very cute and well made. Thanks so much! "
- J.W., CT

"Perfect for the nursery, very fast shipping!!! "
- M.G., IN

"Great craftsmanship, fast delivery, love the packaging. "
- M.H., FL

"Love my puzzle and I know the recipients will like it too. Fast shipping!! Awesome communicator. Will purchase again."
- J.C., NJ

"Such a wonderful item! Very unique. I couldn't be happier! Thank you! "
- A.L., NC

"I bought this as a gift for my mother-in-law. It is beautifully made and really fun to put together. She chooses to display it in a cabinet because it looks too nice to put away!"
- E.L., MA

"LOVE! It is so cute in my daughters room!"
- S.H., CA

"First - the whale puzzle is absolutely perfect! It's exactly what I wanted for my sons nautical themed nursery! I love having an actual handmade Wooden puzzle to display, it really is a piece of art! Second- Not only is the product flawless and perfect, Scott is also wonderful. The puzzle was among many things I ordered online for my sons nursery, & his was the first to arrive on my doorstep. Then I had needed help with the puzzle & Scott responded quickly and helped me work out the problem. So overall wonderful experience through and through!! I highly recommend Berkshirebowls! "
- C.F., SC

"Beautiful handcrafted puzzle. Fast international shipping. Many thanks! "
- M.A., Australia

"Bought this for my nephew for his third birthday. He absolutely loves it!! It is very well cut and painted. Great and easy communication with seller. Shockingly super fast delivery!! It was shipped just two days after I ordered it!! I would recommend this shop to everyone! "
- T.B., TX