Steam Bending
What is steam bending?
Steam bending is a process of twisting and bending wood into various shapes, minimising the use of glue. A continuous end-to-end grain is achieved and so the strength of the wood is not compromised. Steam softens the lignin within the wood fibres meaning that it can be stretched with the aid of clamps and jigs. The lignin then hardens to the new shape as it cools. Whilst seemingly straightforward, there are many branches to each step in the process requiring careful attention and skill.
When was steam bending first discovered and what was it used for?
Steam bending is commonly used when making musical instrument, boats, and of course furniture. Humans natural aptitude for curiosity led them to experiment with ways of shaping materials into structures that reflected their requirements. Initially, unseasoned willow twigs were – and still are – bent and woven into baskets, furniture, decoration, and wall divides. But larger structures required longer materials, to which tall trees were explored.
Vikings
It is believed that the Vikings were first to successfully use steam bending, and it is argued that the method they used 1200 years ago is still used today. The Vikings steam-bent planks of wood using methods like those used at Steamed Studio- minus submerging them in a fjord!
Planks would be shaped and soaked in water. They would then be heated over a flameless fire, basted with boiling water and then flipped over; this process was repeated several times before it was ready to be bent. As in our studio, purpose-made clamps were put in place to curve the plank and then it was left to dry overnight.
The Overlap of Disciplines
Both steam bending and blacksmithing are ancient techniques that change raw materials shape and function. One craft created the wheels of horse carts, the other made the swords of warriors. Although seemingly worlds apart, the two areas share common ground. Early ironwork is thought to date back to 1500 B.C. with some sources believing it may even be as early as 800-500 B.C. Initially, tools would have been crude and likely made of stone. Work would have been crafted over a campfire until the invention of bloomeries in 3000 B.C. which were effectively beehive looking furnaces made from rock. Hundreds of years later, these were replaced with industrial furnaces of which blacksmiths still use today. Like steam bending, which was thought to predate ancient Egyptian times, the process has evolved but its reliance on fire and extreme heat remains. For more about the history of steam bending, you can read our blog here.
Both metal shaping and timber bending are lengthy processes that require careful heating and well-rehearsed timings. A blacksmith forges with swift and precise hammer blows and works quickly to seal the desired shape. Similarly, a steam bender must work whilst the fibres is still soft and bend the timber around jigs before the wood cools and risks splitting. Where a blacksmith uses a furnace to directly heat and shape the metal, steam bending utilises the heat and moisture of steam to temper wood. Once the timber fibres are soft, the wood can be steered, and jigs are put in place to ease it into a new shape. After many hours, the wood is cool and fixed into its beautiful newfound structure. Like steam benders, blacksmiths contort, squash, and twist their material, freezing it in time into a new shape. Beautiful Victorian railings, Georgian balconies and Gothic gates all exhibit the skill and charm of a blacksmith’s handiwork. When seeking inspiration, Steamed Studio looks to history, nature and across craft disciplines to be submerged in creativity and endless design ideas. The inspiring and intricate work of blacksmiths can sometimes be seen reflected in our designs.
Contemporary steam bent and iron forged structures are special and built to last. Mixing ancient techniques with modern design makes for timeless pieces that we can love and enjoy in our home for generations. As people look for something less ‘off the shelf’ and more artistic, as with steam bending, blacksmithing is experiencing a resurge. This means new creatives are learning the old ways and put their artistic spin on their work.
Thonet
In the 1830s, Micheal Thonet revolutionised furniture by making the infamously first bentwood chair. His work inspired artists and architects alike and his modernised designs are still popular today.
Growing up in the early 1800s, Michael Thonet would surely have known the lavish, heavy aesthetic that dominated the furniture of the time.
Perhaps his upbringing in peaceful Boppard am Rhein inspired a more simplistic look, wood flowing as if to mimic the gentle curves of the river. Perhaps it was just that, at the turn of the century, both Thonet and the rest of Europe were ready for something a little more modern. Either way, Thonet’s technique for steam bending wood is what eventually made his name, and set Gebrüder Thonet Vienna up as a legacy brand that would, over a century and a half later, still be synonymous with quality and modernity – whilst always maintaining those characteristic curves.
A chance encounter
Thonet started a small business in 1819 as a cabinetmaker. Over the next twenty years, he would see most success due to using the ancient technique of steam bending laminated wood to create lightweight, durable furniture – particularly chairs. A chance meeting in 1841 gave Thonet his breakthrough: he met Prince Klemens Wenzel von Metternich at the Koblenz trade fair, where Thonet had been exhibiting his elegant designs. The prince was so taken with Thonet’s innovative chairs that he implored him to visit the prince’s hometown, Vienna, to show them off. Thonet, facing financial pressure back home, consented, and moved his family to Austria the following year. From there, his famous bentwood chairs appear in the Palais Liechtenstein, where you will still find them on display to this day. His Vienna bentwood chairs began to receive international acclaim, winning a silver medal at the Parisian World Fair in 1855.
A bentwood breakthrough
What Thonet conceived in 1856 was not only a way to bend solid wood – using a strip of metal to exclude the need for costly laminated wood – but also a design that could, essentially, be flat-packed. His most famous design, Konsumstuhl Nr. 14 – café chair, or bistro chair – had been designed to fill a gap in the market. Chic, lightweight, and perfect for spilling out of Viennese cafés, these chairs took over Europe’s café scene, becoming meeting places for the artists and authors of the day. As @Austria_UK says, “Vienna’s #coffeehouses were THE place to be for famous authors”. In fact, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of scoffing Sachertorte in Austria (incidentally also introduced by Prince Klemens), or eating pain au chocolat in Paris, you’ll likely have sat on something inspired by Thonet’s design. And Thonet, a keen businessman, capitalised on this niche: Konsumstuhl Nr. 14 went into mass production. The chairs were sent out in parts, to be assembled by either distributor or buyer, making them relatively cheap whilst maintaining their stylishness.
Thonet in the 20th & 21st Centuries
By 1853, Thonet had rebranded as Gebrüder Thonet Vienna and went into business with his sons. Thonet’s chairs, and the jovial, conversational atmosphere they strived to enhance, have been immortalised – both through Thonet’s own fame and in art. You can spot Thonet chairs in Matisse’s Intérieur au Violon, and in Toulouse-Lautrec’s At The Moulin Rouge. Michael Thonet’s design was not some short-lived trend, either: the brand Thonet exists to this day, creating sleek furniture designed, like Thonet’s original Konsumstuhl Nr. 14, to bring people together, whether for a chat or a bite to eat. Take a look around my website for wood steam bending ideas and inspiration. If you’ve got a commission in mind, please get in touch
A modern revival of steam bending
Whilst designs may have changed over the years, the process remains well-trodden. Timeless curves add visual interest to any room and soften the most corporate spaces.
As scandi-style interior furnishings sweep our news feeds and join our homes, we become closer to a slower pace and simpler way of living. There is something clean and uncomplicated about curves. At Steamed Studio we relish contours, spirals and all the possibilities malleable wood presents. Therapeutic in its process, and elegant in its completion- steam-bent products are a joy from start to finish. We hope you enjoy our journey of discovering new designs and indulging in our current collections.