Quality craftsmanship from a lifetime woodworker

What I do

Estatoe Woodworks is a family-owned business operated by Ansel Ringler on the Estatoe River in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I grew up on this land and operate my business out of the same shop I grew up using as a kid, and have now been operating for over a decade as a business. I specialize in finding unique pieces of wood from my region of Appalachia and bringing that endlessly varied character to life in a functional and beautiful form.

I specialize in one of a kind furniture - primarily building larger tables, bedframes, desks and other home furnishings.

Designing a project with integrity and aesthetic in mind requires careful consideration and time. Over the years I’ve developed a depth of knowledge from countless projects and a thorough process for bringing your project from an idea to durable form.

The assembled base, which comes together through joinery alone without the use of glue or fasteners

My custom commissions are built from the room up in collaboration with each client - bringing their idea into synchronism with the aesthetics of their space and my artistic vision. 

Every project starts at the same place - sourcing lumber. At Estatoe Woodworks, my domestic lumber is all locally felled and milled from the surrounding counties in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. Often my wood comes from the same county and sometimes only miles away. I emphasize the use of material that has been figured through natural processes such as spalting, knotting, burling, curling, weathering or worming - bringing to life the character that nature has created over time in harmony with elegant style. My pieces tell the story of the trees life in every detail.

All stages of construction - from planing rough hewn planks and slabs to application of the final coat of finish - are done from my workshop on the Estatoe River in Yancey County. 

Every pieces finish is chosen based on the projects application. However, the vast majority of my projects are finished with Rubio Monocoat for a durable finish that brings out the natural tones of the wood and is also a natural product with no VOCs.

What I've Built