Certainly Wood
Certainly Wood is a privately held, family-owned specialty distributor founded in 1983 in East Aurora, NY that curates and sells raw, hand-graded natural wood veneer across 100+ species to design professionals, custom furniture makers, musical instrument manufacturers, and hobbyist woodworkers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersEast Aurora, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Certainly Wood does
Certainly Wood Inc. is a privately held, family-owned specialty distributor of natural wood veneer, founded in 1983 by Jim Dumas and his wife Roz and currently owned and operated by Greg Engle (President) and Lynn Engle (Vice President) from a purpose-built distribution facility in East Aurora, New York. The company curates and sells raw, unspliced, unbacked, un-prefinished veneer sheets at standard thicknesses of approximately 1/50" to 1/42" across more than 100 wood species — including rare burls, figured grains, and exotic imported varieties — organized into sub-categories such as Burls/Stumps/Crotches, Designer, Dyed, End Grain, Full-Length Domestic, Full-Length Exotic, Green, Special Thickness, and FSC-certified lines. A proprietary Engineered Black Palm product (12 mm palm sections laminated into blocks then sawn into veneer) demonstrates modest in-house product engineering. The company's core technical capability is hand-selection and hand-grading of flitches by a team of experts with decades of experience, combined with depth of inventory ("millions of square feet") enabling 24-48 hour fulfillment with no minimum order requirement.
The business model is direct specialty distribution. Revenue is generated almost entirely from one-time sales of veneer by the square foot at published price levels with quantity discounts; supplementary streams include veneer samples, bundled veneer packages, skateboard veneer sets, and downloadable reference publications (Veneer Update, Wood Menu, MSDS, VIP Collection list). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; transactions are handled by phone or written order with payment via money order, check, credit card, PayPal, or COD; UPS is the primary shipper (with FedEx and USPS available and LTL freight for oversized orders), and the company holds FSC chain-of-custody certification and is a member of the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI).
The customer base spans design professionals (architects, interior designers) and high-end custom woodworkers/furniture makers as primary segments, with secondary segments in specialty manufacturing (notably musical instrument makers such as Ludwig, DW Drums, Spaun Drums, Emerald Guitars, Retrograde Guitars), automotive interior work (Becker Automotive Design), sports equipment (Winterstick Snowboards), and hobbyist/emerging woodworkers. Named mid-market and enterprise accounts include Walsh Woodworks, Straw Woodworks, Elephant Custom Furniture, Atelier Viollet Corp, and Harvey Orr; the "no minimum order" stance plus active Instagram, Facebook, X, and email newsletter presence supports a fragmented long tail alongside enterprise relationships. The company is concentrated in North America but ships globally via UPS, FedEx, USPS, and LTL freight.
Certainly Wood firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Certainly Wood
- Legal name
- Certainly Wood Inc.
- Website
- https://certainlywood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Certainly Wood is a privately held, family-owned specialty distributor founded in 1983 in East Aurora, NY that curates and sells raw, hand-graded natural wood veneer across 100+ species to design professionals, custom furniture makers, musical instrument manufacturers, and hobbyist woodworkers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Certainly Wood industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural Wood Veneer Distribution
- NAICS
- Lumber, Plywood, Millwork, and Wood Panel Merchant Wholesalers (42331)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Lumber, Plywood, Millwork & Wood Panels (5031), Retail-Lumber & Other Building Materials Dealers (5211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Veneer & Specialty Wood Products Trading (IMAMAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Plywood & Panel Products Distribution (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Particleboard) (IMAMAIAC)
Keywords
Where Certainly Wood is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- East Aurora
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Certainly Wood business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Veneer Sales: One-time sales of natural wood veneer by square foot. Prices per square foot with quantity discounts. Raw, unspliced, not backed or prefinished veneer sold full length.
- Related Products: Books, Skateboard Veneer Sets, Veneer Packages, and Veneer Samples sold alongside main veneer products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard per-square-foot pricing with volume discounts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Certainly Wood product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Certainly Wood is a specialty veneer merchant that distributes raw, unspliced, unbacked, and un-prefinished natural wood veneer sheets hand-selected from premium and AA-grade production. Its inventory spans more than 100 wood species across categories including burls/stumps/crotches, designer, dyed, end grain, full-length domestic and exotic, green, special thickness, and FSC-certified veneer, sold by the square foot with no minimum order requirement and most orders shipping within 24-48 hours.
Product overview
Certainly Wood is a single-category specialty distributor offering one core product line: natural wood veneer. Their portfolio consists of raw, unspliced, unbacked veneer sheets across over 100 species organized into sub-categories (Burls/Stumps/Crotches, Designer, Dyed, End Grain, Full-Length Domestic, Full-Length Exotic, Green, Special Thickness, and FSC Certified). The company also sells related products including veneer samples, packages, and skateboard veneer sets. Supplementary reference materials include the Veneer Update publication, Wood Menu pricing guide, MSDS sheets, and VIP collection contents list. All products are hand-selected and graded by experienced veneer experts, with no minimum order requirements and most orders shipping within 24-48 hours.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Natural Wood Veneer Raw, unspliced, unbacked natural wood veneer sheets sourced globally, hand-selected from premium and AA-grade production and graded by hand. Available in over 100 species across categories including burls/stumps/crotches, designer, dyed, end grain, full-length domestic, full-length exotic, green, and special thickness veneers, with standard thickness approximately 1/50" to 1/42".
- Burls, Stumps & Crotches Veneer
- Designer Veneer
- Dyed Veneer
- End Grain Veneer
- Full-Length Domestic Veneer
- Full-Length Exotic Veneer
- Green Veneer
- Special Thickness Veneer
- FSC Certified Veneer
- Veneer Samples
- Veneer Packages
- Skateboard Veneer Sets
- Woodworking Books
Quantifiable outcome
- Most orders ship within 24-48 hours
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Certainly Wood
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Certainly Wood technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Certainly Wood partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Forest Products LaboratoryminorUS government forest laboratory providing wood identification services and research. Part of the US Forest Service.
- Architectural Woodwork InstitutecoreMajor trade association for the custom architectural woodwork industry. Certainly Wood displays AWI membership logo.
- KB Woodworking, Inc.minorCustom veneer pressing service located in Upstate New York, serving customers for over 20 years.
- Veneer Systems, Inc.minorSupplier of adhesives, glues, veneering tools, and accessories recommended by Certainly Wood.
- Oakwood Veneer CompanyminorRecommended source for flexible, paper-backed or phenolic-backed veneers to complement Certainly Wood's raw veneer offerings.
- Hearne HardwoodsminorSupplier of over 80 species of domestic and imported hardwoods, burls, and turning stock.
- Northwest TimberminorSupplier of fine, highly-figured hardwoods to complement Certainly Wood veneer products.
- Vacuum Pressing SystemsminorCreator of VacuPress systems and supplier of glues for veneer pressing applications.
- UPScorePrimary shipping carrier for all orders. Negotiated rates passed to customers. COD service available ($20 per order).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Certainly Wood competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oakwood Veneer Company: Specialty veneer distributor that supplies flexible, paper-backed and phenolic-backed veneer to woodworkers and designers. Directly overlaps with Certainly Wood on customer base (designers, custom woodworkers) and product category, differing mainly in offering raw versus backed formats — comparable for share-of-wallet analysis.
- Hearne Hardwoods: Specialty hardwood dealer offering 80+ species of domestic and imported hardwoods, burls, and turning stock. Competes directly with Certainly Wood for premium species sales and for hobbyist/professional woodworker customers seeking curated hardwood and figured material.
- Edensaw Woods: Port Townsend-based specialty wood products distributor selling veneer, plywood, lumber, and marine-grade panels. Closely comparable in serving custom woodworkers, boatbuilders, and architects with curated wood offerings and project-level service.
- Bell Forest Products: Online-first specialty hardwood and exotic lumber dealer serving hobbyists and professionals with figured wood, burls, and turning stock. Comparable business model with stronger e-commerce execution, competing for the same hobbyist-to-pro customer journey.
Broad incumbents
- M. Bohlke Veneer Corp: Large US veneer manufacturer and distributor with broad species coverage and industrial customer base. Comparable for premium veneer sourcing, but at much larger scale and with a manufacturer-owned supply chain rather than a curated merchant model.
- Columbia Forest Products: North America's largest hardwood plywood manufacturer, offering veneered panels and component products. Overlaps with Certainly Wood at the buyer level (designers, cabinetry shops) but competes via mass-produced panels rather than hand-curated raw veneer.
- ALPI SpA: Italian global leader in engineered and reconstituted wood veneer, supplying architects and luxury furniture makers worldwide. Comparable on premium veneer end markets and design-conscious buyers; differs in engineered rather than natural veneer focus.
- Danzer Holding GmbH: Global hardwood specialist with manufacturing and distribution of sliced veneer, lumber, and flooring products. Comparable on international sourcing of exotic species and large-customer servicing; significantly larger and vertically integrated.
- Decospan: European manufacturer of decorative wood veneer, panels, and engineered wood surfaces serving architects, furniture makers, and interior designers. Comparable on premium end markets and design-driven sales approach, with much broader product breadth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Certainly Wood social profiles
Digital presenceCertainly Wood compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Certainly Wood financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Certainly Wood leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Certainly Wood funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Certainly Wood M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Certainly Wood
What does Certainly Wood do?
Certainly Wood is a specialty veneer merchant that distributes raw, unspliced, unbacked, and un-prefinished natural wood veneer sheets hand-selected from premium and AA-grade production. Its inventory spans more than 100 wood species across categories including burls/stumps/crotches, designer, dyed, end grain, full-length domestic and exotic, green, special thickness, and FSC-certified veneer, sold by the square foot with no minimum order requirement and most orders shipping within 24-48 hours.
Is Certainly Wood a public or private company?
Certainly Wood is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Certainly Wood founded?
Certainly Wood was founded in 1983. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Certainly Wood based?
Certainly Wood is headquartered in East Aurora, United States, in the North America region.
How does Certainly Wood make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Veneer Sales are the primary driver. The others are related Products.
Who are Certainly Wood's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oakwood Veneer Company, Hearne Hardwoods, Edensaw Woods and Bell Forest Products. Broad incumbents are M. Bohlke Veneer Corp, Columbia Forest Products, ALPI SpA, Danzer Holding GmbH and Decospan.
Does Certainly Wood have an API?
No public API is recorded for Certainly Wood.
What industry is Certainly Wood in?
Certainly Wood's product category is Natural Wood Veneer Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAMAIAL, Veneer & Specialty Wood Products Trading, with a secondary code of IMAMAIAC, Plywood & Panel Products Distribution (Plywood, OSB, MDF, Particleboard). Its NAICS code is 42331 and its SIC code is 5031.