Catalogue
All notes, in one contents list.
Eight reading notes and the pages that explain the publisher. Dates are the publication date, then the latest update. Published . Catalogue updated .
If you only open one page
- A door sticks in winter and eases in summer — timber movement.
- A ring, a pale patch, or a scratch — surface wear.
- The seat has sunk or the cloth has gone shiny — upholstery cloth.
- A chair racks when you sit — loose joints.
- You are not sure the top is solid wood — veneer and solid wood.
- The surface is hide or something that looks like it — leather and coatings.
- A hinge, runner, or catch has failed — hardware and runners.
- The window side has changed colour, or the piece sits on a radiator — light, heat, and finish.
Reading notes
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01
Timber movement in London homes
Across-the-grain movement, sticking doors, seasonal gaps, and the notes to make before a rail is planed.
Published 14 January 2026
Updated 3 August 2026 -
02
Reading surface wear
Water marks, sun fade, heat, and scratches, and a table of what to photograph.
Published 2 March 2026
Updated 18 June 2026 -
03
Upholstery cloth, pile, and sag
Cloth families, nap, seams, and seat measurements you can take with the cover still on.
Published 19 November 2025
Updated 9 April 2026 -
04
Loose joints
Racking, dowels, mortises, and particleboard screws, and when to stop pushing a joint closed.
Published 7 February 2026
Updated 22 July 2026 -
05
Veneer, solid wood, laminate, foil
Edge reading for four different faces, and why steam and radiators matter.
Published 28 May 2026
Updated 11 September 2026 -
06
Leather and coatings
Hide, pigment, coated splits, and vinyl, plus a hidden-spot test for cleaners.
Published 4 October 2025
Updated 16 January 2026 -
07
Hinges, runners, and catches
Overlay, inset, side-mount and under-mount runners, and heavy doors.
Published 23 April 2026
Updated 1 October 2026 -
08
Light, heat, and finish
Sun, radiators, oil, wax, shellac, lacquer, and paint, with a warning on older coatings.
Published 11 August 2025
Updated 27 September 2026