How to Find the Best George Nelson Slat Bench Replicas
Modern Classic's George Nelson Slat Bench Buyer's Guide
George Nelson Slat Bench vs. the Original Nelson Platform Bench
At Modern Classics, one of our core focuses involves enhancing historical furniture designs, striving to improve upon iconic pieces from the past. A prime example of this is our refining the construction of the renowned George Nelson Platform or Slat Bench, originally crafted in 1947. This buyer's guide is tailored to aid you in discerning between replica and original versions of the George Nelson Slat Bench, ensuring you make an informed selection. In this guide, we compare the original George Nelson Platform Bench with our version and other replicas, focusing on quality versus price for consumers interested in purchasing this iconic furniture piece. Key points include differences in materials, craftsmanship, authenticity, and pricing between the original and replica versions of the Nelson Slat Bench.
Who makes the best George Nelson Style Platform Bench? We believe Modern Classic Furniture offers the best replica of this iconic piece. Are we a little biased? Sure. But we try to be objective and our glowing Customer Reviews tell the same story. In considering your options for the Slat Bench, here are some key points to consider:
- We use solid ash, which is as strong as oak and a very sustainable wood species
- Each slat ends are joined using a half-lap joints, not simple block joints which will not last
- Our Legs are made of steel with adjustable foot glides, a more solid solution than wood
- We make our 1.5 inches taller than the original, for a more comfortable seating height
- We have moved our legs closer to the bench end, which minimizes potential tipping when sitting on the end, and it doesn't affect the look.
Ratings Summary: Modern Classics Furniture vs. the Original vs. Low Market Replicas
Original$2,095
- Overall
- Name Brand
- Wood Materials
- Construction
- Legs
- Seat Height
- Price
Low-Market$ 449
- Overall
- Name Brand
- Wood
- Construction
- Legs
- Seat Height
- Price
About our Product
Our George Slat Bench is inspired by the popular George Nelson Platform Bench. It is a great compliment to any of the pieces of the modern classics collection. Some of the key features of our George Nelson style Slat Bench include:
Slat Construction: The bench is characterized by its distinctive slatted wooden top, which consists of multiple parallel wooden slats running across the width of the bench. Using the time-tested lap joint technique makes our bench very strong. These slats create a visually appealing and functional surface.
Durable Materials: Our bench is constructed using high-quality solid ash, not MDF wood like most other benches found on the market. The wooden slats are connected to metal legs powder coated a matte black and have adjustable floor glides. Both the solid wood and the metal legs contributes to the bench's stability.
Versatility: One notable aspect of the Nelson Slat Bench is its versatility. Originally designed as a seating and occasional table solution, it can serve multiple functions. It's often used as a coffee table or a bench for seating. Exclusive to our model is the seat height of 15.75 inches, which is almost 2 inches higher than other models on the market.
Our Slat benches are offered in three widths (48, 60 and 72 inches) and three finish choices: stained walnut brown with a clear lacquer finish, a matte black finish, or left natural with a clear lacquer finish. The legs are metal and only come in black finish. There are 4 adjustable glides on the bottom of the frame. The size and geometry of our bench is true to the George Nelson original design, except, as mentioned, we make our bench about 2 inch taller.
Our Product Specs
| MC-5841 | MC-5842 | MC-5843 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 48 inches | 60 inches | 72 inches |
| Depth | 18.5 inches | 18.5 inches | 18.5 inches |
| Seat Height | 15.75 inches | 15.75 inches | 15.75 inches |
| Prices | $ 780 | $ 940 | $ 1,130 |
Our Wood Color Choices
Here are the wood finish choices are available on our George Nelson inpired slat benches.
Click on any of these swatches to see an enlarged view.
Detail Comparison:
Modern Classics vs. the Competition
SUMMARY
Modern Classics
We offer a sturdy, well made replica of the Nelson Platform Bench, with these key points:
- We use solid ash, which is as strong as oak and a very sustainable wood species
- End pieces are sold wood with a Mortise and Tenon joints in the frame, not simple block joints which will not last
- Our Legs are made of steel with adjustable foot glides, a more solid solution than wood
- We make our 1.5 inches taller than the original, for a more comfortable seating height
- We have moved our legs closer to the bench end, which minimizes potential tipping when sitting on the end, and it doesn't affect the look.
The official brand use maple or walnut wood in only two color choices. The classic style of legs are only offered in wood and too far inset into the frame. The overall height of their bench is lower. They have a chrome plated leg option, which we don't offer (yet).
The low quality benches use Limewood, which dents easily, or a partcle board with veneer, which peels. Their legs are made of inexpensive wood. their height matches the official version, which we think is too low.
NAME BRAND
Why This Matters: How important to you is having a mass produced product made by Herman Miller, who George Nelson did work for in the 1950's? This is the question you need to ask yourself because we obviously can't answer it for you. But it is part of the decision.
Modern Classics
We have a name brand too. Modern Classics has been around for nearly 20 years. With us, you are buying from a small family run company who answers the phone when you call or send us an email. Every sale is important
The Original George Nelson Platform Bench was introduced by Herman Miller. Through their website and retail store Design Within Reach (DWR), their retail offerings include the iconic works by celebrated designers such as George Nelson, le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Eero Saarinen, DWR offers the "offical" versions, accessible is not the same thing as affordable, but they are the go-to place for looking at the official versions of the products Modern Classics sells.
There are no name brands to speak of in the low-market Nelson bench sellers. Some possible exceptions are All Modern, owned by Wayfair, which at least is a publicly traded company and they have a physical address and people in customer service. Many of these other low market sellers don't share their physical address and who knows what else they are hiding. It you don't believe us, read their reviews.
WOOD MATERIALS
Why This Matters: This is a wood bench, so the type of wood used is like the most important thing, right? The best type of wood is one that is solid hardwood, because it is not fragile and will take the stain well. Plus sustainability is an important factor. The best choices for wood are walnut, oak, ask and maple.
Modern Classics
We use solid Ash, which is a hard wood similar to Oak, but takes the stain better. Ash is a very sustainable wood species.
They use solid wood; maple on the natural version and walnut on the dark version.
Some use a very soft wood called Limewood, which dents easily. Others use particle board (aka MDF) with an oak veneer. It can easily chip off or can swell up. This not a good look.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE
Why This Matters: How a wood bench is constructed will determine how durable the bench is and how long it will last. The Nelson Slat Bench uses one of the one best joints for its construction: the half-lap joint. This is a simple woodworking joint where two pieces of wood overlap each other and are fastened together, either with glue or nails. For the Nelson Slat bench, the Half lap joint is used on the ends where each piece has half of its thickness removed at the overlap so they fit flush.
Modern Classics
We use the Half Lap joints on each end glued in place.
HM use the Half Lap joints on each end glued in place.
The ones we have evaluated, use some sort of fake lap joint that is hard to describe. They cut the veneer on the ends to make it look like lap joints, but otherwise, it just butt joints that are doomed for failure.
LEG CONSIDERATIONS
Why This Matters: Here we are talking about four things:
- what is the leg material? Metal or wood
- how is it attached? Simple Screws or wood inserts.
- where is it attached? The distance from the end of the bench makes a big difference in terms of stability and what happens if you sit too close to the end of the bench
- is there an adjustable floor glide? Not all floors are level and it is nice to be able to make a small adjustment to the legs so the bench isn't wobbly
Modern Classics
We have taken the original design and made it better. First, we use heavy duty metal tubing for the legs, which are shaped just like the original. We powder coat black, but we can also make them in the other paint colors we offer (brass, silver or bronze). Our legs are then attached with 4 wood inserts into the bench bottom. We have placed the legs about 4 to 6 inches from the end (depending on the bench length) and each leg has two adjustable foot glides.
They are offering both wood legs that match the original design and some thin metal legs for their new take on the bench. We have issues with both, but chief among them is the legs are just too far from the end of the bench.
Their legs seem to be made of some sort of soft wood. The joinery is poor; the finish is poor, and they use simple screws to hold the legs on, which can easily pull out and then you have a broken bench.
SEAT HEIGHT
Why This Matters: Most people prefer a seat height around 18 inches. The original Platform Bench had a seat height of under 14 inches, which is pretty low. A seat height of 14 inches is difficult to get up from, for sure.
Modern Classics
We compromised with a 16 inch seat height. We looked at the 18 inch seat height but visually, the difference between using an 18 inch seat height and 16 inch height was just too much, so we settled on the 16 inch height we think it looks good.
Their seat height is 13.75 inches. Matches the original design, but so what if you have trouble getting in and out of it.
Just like their name, they stick to the low seat height. We'll give them points for matching the official brand, but that is all.
Customer Reviews
About Modern Classics Furniture
Here at Modern Classics Furniture, we focus tightly on manufacturing and selling furniture in the niche market known as Iconic Modern Classics Furniture. Here's why we are your top choice for Modern Classic Furniture:
- We make and sell only our own products -- we do not sell other manufacturer's product, nor will you find our products elsewhere on the Internet.
- We offer a 3 year warranty
- We only make quality furniture using the best materials
- We offer wholesale and design trade prices - let us be your #1 source - sign up today!
Corporate Headquarters and Factory Showroom
3999 Hammer Drive
Bellingham, WA 98226
Curt Roth, President
Phone: (360)733-6400
Email: hello@modernclassics.com
Text: (360) 733-6401
While we have a small showroom in Bellingham, the best place to get answers is at our company headquarters in Bellingham Washington. Call, Email or Text, you will be able to talk to a "live" person who can answer your questions.