CustomChess.com

Custom Orders

At CustomChess.com we offer a very personal custom order experience.  We will work closely with you to take your ideas and build them into your ideal chess board.  The goal of this page is to provide you with information and resources that will assist you in designing your own chess board, as well as hopefully sparking some new ideas. It is recommended that you read through this entire page before submitting any questions.  Keep in mind that your order does not have to be limited to a classic chess board shape. We also build furniture, so you may want to incorporate that into your design. Also, as new ideas and options become available they will be added to this page. Lets get started!

Designing the chess board

Below is a basic list of things you will need to do or decide on before ordering a custom chess board.  Depending on your design, there may be additional steps required that are not listed here, but we will figure that out along the way.  
 

1. Chose a general design
2. Chose the woods you want to use
3. Customize the design, accents, and details
4. Chose a finish

1. Chose a general design:

There are many types of playing areas that can be built for chess.  For example, if you play often and have some room set aside for a playing area, you may want to go with a chess table. The most important thing is to consider the functionality of your piece, how you want use it, and how it will fit into your home.  Below is a list of some ideas.  You do not have to pick just from this list obviously, you can come up with something else if you chose.

Classic flat chess board:
This is how most chess boards are designed.  Almost all of the boards in the gallery are this type of design.
- Click here for an example

Chess board with small legs:
This design is a board with small legs that raise the playing surface usually a few inches up.
- Click here for an example

2. Chose the woods you want to use:

There are hundreds of species and variation of woods available from around the world. Most of which are not listed in the descriptions below.  It is recommended that you read the entire custom order page before choosing which woods you want to use.  When you are ready to explore wood options, go to our wood page:
- Click here to view the Wood Page

Color theme:
The best thing to do first is chose an overall color theme for your board. Be sure to consider the color of chess sets you already own. Black wood (ebony and wenge) and very light wood (birdseye/curly maple and holly) look good with almost all combinations. Here are some examples of color themes:

Black and white theme:
Use just black woods like ebony and wenge combined with white/light woods like holly, birdseye, ash, or maple.

Red theme:
Use a light wood such as birdseye maple or holly with combinations of padouk, jatoba, cocobolo, mahogany, bloodwood, argentine brown ebony (coffeewood), or amboyna burl.
- Click here for an example

Purple theme:
Use a light wood such as birdseye maple or holly with combinations of purpleheart and rosewood.
- Click here for an example

Classic wood theme:
Use a light wood such as ash or curly maple with combinations of walnut, zebrawood, mahogany, and argentine brown ebony (coffeewood). Woods that have highly visible grain lines work well here.
- Click here for an example

Contrast:
This is a very important aspect to consider when choosing woods.  Below are a few concepts that seem to have worked well in our past chess boards.

High contrast playing squares:
Although it it might be possible to play chess on a board that has the same color squares, it would be very difficult.  Being able to clearly see the board at a glance helps many players in determining moves.  Most people prefer to have a good amount of contrast between the light and dark squares of the playing surface.
- Click here for an example of high contrast playing squares
- Click here for an example of low contrast playing squares

Color and contrast in playing squares:
With color, the consideration is obvious... the closer the color, the less contrast.  Chose the wood color to create the contrast level you want.

Figure and contrast in playing squares:
Figured wood or wood with pronounced grain has a tendency to blend into the surrounding wood, especially if the surrounding wood also has a lot of figure. It usually looks best to offset a figured wood with a wood that has almost no figure (or pronounced grain).  If you want to have both the light and dark squares to have a lot of figure, it's best to use two figured woods that have similar, non directional figure patterns such as amboyna burl / birdseye maple or maple burl / walnut burl and keep the color as different as possible.  Directional figured patterns refers to wood with pronounced grain (zebrawood) and wood that has curl (curly maple), where the wood tends to 'point' in one directions.  These woods, when used together do not have a lot of contrast.  Most people prefer to offset a curly wood with a wood with no figure.
- Click here to see high figure contrast squares
- Click here to see two non-directional figured woods used together (low figure contrast, but high color contrast)
- Click here to see two woods with pronounced grain used together (low figure and color contrast)

Simultaneous Contrast:
This is an effect where-by the eye perceives a color differently depending on the colors that surround it.  This effect is present any time multiple colors are combined.  When choosing the wood colors for your chess board, it may be helpful to actually draw out the board on paper and color it in with crayons (I have done this many times when designing chess boards).  It will give you a better idea on how the colors in your board will blend. For more information as well as examples of simultaneous contrast (and other light effects), click on the links below.
- simultaneous contrast example one
- simultaneous contrast example two

Contrast between the squares and the board:
This is not as important as contrast between the squares.  However many people prefer boards with a border that is a different wood than either of the squares, but has a still has a similar color (see color themes above).  For example: Birdseye / Jatoba squares with a Padouk border.  The color of the padouk and the jatoba compliment each other nicely. When using a border that is the same wood as one of the playing squares, try using a delimiter/trim that is different (and highly contrasted) from playing squares and border wood. Black wood (ebony and wenge) go well with almost any color combination and often works well as a border.
- View a board with the border different from the squares
- View a board with the border the same as one of the squares (with no delimiter)
- View a board with the border the same as one of the squares (with delimiter/trim)

Contrast in accents:
This is fairly simple.  If you want the accents to stand out more use higher color contrast and vise-versa.

Figure:
Figure was described somewhat in the sections above (the same principles that apply when using figure also apply when using woods with pronounced grain).  When using figured woods it is sometimes better to use them sparingly.  Figured wood is often the focal point of a chess board.  It is usually better to surround it with non-figured wood to make it stand out more.  If using figured squares, try surrounding it with a non-figured border and vise-versa.  Also try using highly figured accents in a non figured border and vise-versa.

Outdoor / Weatherproof:
Certain woods have excellent weather and insect resistant properties and are suitable for use outside.  They are often used for decks as well.  The main woods are:  redwood, cedar, ipe, teak, and mahogany.  They require a finish to keep them their natural color, otherwise they will fade from UV rays and the weather (usually to a grey color).
 

Customize the design, accents, and details:

Now that you have explored general design ideas and various woods, it's time to customize your boards accents and details.

Border Profile:
Most boards will have a border of some sort with a various number of levels.  The best thing to do is look at all the past chess boards in the Gallery and get some ideas from them.  Some chess boards have only one level, some have three or more.  Each level can vary in width, thickness, and its edge profile.  Any given level can be a single wood, or comprised of multiple woods.  There is a variety of profiles available for each level, some examples are: square, rounded, chamfered, ogee.  If you are not sure of the name of a particular profile, just attach a picture with you order or reference a similar profile from the Gallery.

Delimiter / Accent Lines:
Delimiters and accent lines are essentially the same thing.  They are a thin strip of wood that acts as an accent... pretty simple. When describing a chess board, the delimiter is the particular accent line that sits adjacent to the playing squares and helps divide the playing squares from the border.  Most chess boards have one.  Accent lines of all kinds usually range from 1/8 inch wide to 1/2 inch wide.  They can be flush with the border or raised up. They can also take the form of an inlay. Also, you can put multiple accent lines side-by-side and at different heights to create different effects. Click the link below to see an showing some different accent lines.  This board has three accent lines. It has a 3/8 inch wide cocobolo delimiter with a 1/8 inch wenge accent line right next to it, and a 1/8 inch wide wenge accent line further down the border.
- Click here to view example

Corner Accents:
There are several different styles of corner accents available, browse the Gallery for some examples. Keep in mind that each level of the border can have its own corner accent, although they are most common only on the bottom/outer level.

Triangle corner accent:
This is the type of accent you will see on most chess boards that have corner accents.  It is basically a triangle shaped piece of wood on each of the four corners of the border.
- Click here to see an example

L-Shaped corner accent:
This is where the accent forms a bracket or "L" type shape at the corner of the board.  It is made by attaching a triangle accent to one level of the border and partially covering it up by the level above it (or playing squares).  This accent can be made with a strait attachment or in some cases a scalloped attachment.
- View an example using a strait attachment
- View an example using a scalloped attachment

Triangle and L-Shaped thickness:
Either of these accent can be made the full thickness of the border level, or a partial thickness.  With a partial thickness, the corner accent is made from a stack of multiple pieces of wood.  Usually one piece of the stack is the same wood as the border so the accent has an inlaid effect.
- View example of a full thickness accent
- View example of partial thickness where one piece matches the border

Key-Style corner accent:
This is there a thin piece of wood is set into the side of the border.  They can vary in widths and exposed lengths.  The exposed length is the distance the accent is exposed measured from the corner of the border inward.  They can be used in conjunction with other styles of accents for greater effect.  The below example uses both a key-style accent and a full thickness L-shaped accent.
- View example of key-style accent

Raised or Lowered playing squares:
The playing squares can be either raised above the border or set below it.  They cannot be flush with the border (or expansion and contraction of the wood in the playing squares would crack the border apart).  They can be raised or lowered various heights.  The standard is raised squares, 1/4 inch high.

Patterned Inlays:
We are only able to do simple patters in an inlay.  However, there are pre-made inlay strips available that may be able to be added to your project.  Check out the links below for some examples or search the web for other sites that sell them.
- Woodcraft.com inlay strips
- Inlays.com inlay strips

Hand Carvings:
All carvings are done by hand by us. To get some ideas for carvings eBay is a great resource. Search for "carved" on under the antiques > furniture section (or just click here).  Please contact us with your design idea to to make sure we are able to do it.
- View an example of one of our carved chess boards
 

Chose a finish:

Oil Finish:
This is a traditional type of finish that is found on many antique pieces of furniture.  Oil finishes soak into  the wood surface and then harder.  The result is a matte finish that is warm and rich.  The natural feel of the wood is well maintained.  It requires multiple coats to provide adequate protection to the wood.
- View an example of a chess board with oil finish

Lacquer:
Lacquer is a very durable finish.  It does not penetrate as much as oil, but rather forms a protective barrier on top the wood. It is thin enough and bonds enough to the surface that is will not chip off and does not look obtrusive (too thick). Semi-gloss has a nice sheen with medium reflectivity, while Gloss has a high shine and a somewhat "wet" look.  Lacquer is the recommended finish for most applications.
- View an example of semi-gloss lacquer
- View an example of gloss lacquer

Special Applications:
Some applications require the use of special finishes.  Some examples would be: extra high durability finishes available for items that will be used in public, or finished used for projects that will be exposed to the weather.  Please contact us if you require a special type of finish.

Prices

There is no set price for a custom order of course, it all varies with the design of the board.  The size, complexity, amount and type of accents, and wood used are the main factors that determine the price of the project.  New designs using components and elements from past chess boards may cost less since the techniques for making them are already known.

The amount of cost a particular species of wood will be in the project depends on what element it is used for and the dimensions of the element.  To get an idea of the relative prices of wood, view one of the chess boards in the "Semi-Custom" sections of our store.  Use the drop down lists to see how much a particular wood species adds or subtracts from the project.  Keep in mind that if the dimensions of the element on your board is different than the dimensions on the one in the store, the price for your board will be different.  If a particular wood you want is not listed on the site, try searching Google for lumber suppliers that offer that species.  Then compare the prices for that species with prices for the ones listed on this site to get a relative idea of what the wood will add in cost.  Please note that other factors effect how much a particular wood will add or subtract from the  price of a project. Even if two particular species are the same price in a lumber store, they may not necessarily add or subtract the same amount from a project.

Final Steps

When you have decided on the design of your chess board and are ready to order or get a price quote, please contact us by e-mail at:  orders@customchess.com
Please include you name in the subject line of the e-mail for reference (e.g. Subject: "Custom order, John Doe").  We will try to provide you with a price quote and a time frame in our first response.  However, if the description of your project is insufficient, we may only be able to provide an approximate price, or none at all.

IMPORTANT:  Please be a thorough as possible when describing your project. If possible, include picture references (from our site or around the web) and detailed descriptions of your design.  You may want to include a drawing of your design.  If you do not have a scanner, you can make a drawing in Microsoft Paint and attach it to the e-mail. Or, you can contact us and arrange to fax us your drawing.  Also, if you want special woods to be uses (like special figure), include picture references for them as well.  If your description is not thorough, we will not be able to quote you a price.

Please send orders to:   orders@customchess.com