“How long will it take?” is the question every custom furniture buyer asks, and the one most sellers answer badly. Here is what actually happens between your order and your delivery, and roughly how long each stage takes.
Week 0: Drawing and confirmation
Before anything is cut, the size, wood, finish and fabric are fixed in writing. If you are matching an existing piece or fitting a specific wall, this is when measurements are taken.
Time: 3–7 days. It depends entirely on how quickly decisions get made, so it is the one stage you control.
Weeks 1–2: Wood selection and cutting
Seasoned timber is selected, checked for defects, and cut oversize for the frame parts. Wood is never cut to final dimension immediately — it is left slightly large so it can be trued after it settles.
Time: 1–2 weeks. Longer if a particular grade of teak or rosewood has to be sourced.
Weeks 2–10: Carving
This is the stage that sets the whole timeline, and it is why carved furniture cannot be rushed.
- Light carving (arms and apron only): about 2–3 weeks
- Standard carved set (backs, arms, apron): about 4–6 weeks
- Fully carved set (every surface, including legs and back faces): 6–9 weeks
- Through-carved or inlay work: 8–12 weeks on its own
One carver works one set. Putting three carvers on it does not make it three times faster — the work has to stay consistent across pieces.
Weeks 8–11: Assembly and sanding
Joints are cut and dry-fitted, then the frame is glued and clamped. After that the whole piece is sanded through progressively finer grades. Sanding a carved frame is slow because every recess is done by hand.
Time: 1–2 weeks.
Weeks 10–13: Polish or leaf work
Polish goes on in coats, and each coat has to cure before the next. Gold or silver leaf is applied by hand, sheet by sheet, then sealed.
Time: 1–2 weeks normally, 2–3 weeks for leaf work. Humidity slows curing, so this stage genuinely takes longer during the monsoon.
Weeks 12–14: Upholstery
Foam is cut, the base is webbed or sprung, and the fabric is fitted and stitched. Button tufting adds several days because each button is tied by hand.
Time: 1–2 weeks.
Final week: Inspection and delivery
The set is assembled fully, checked, and photographed before it leaves. Within Mumbai, delivery and placement happen in a single visit. Outside Mumbai, add transit time depending on the destination.
So what is a realistic total?
| Type of piece | Realistic timeline |
|---|---|
| Lightly carved sofa set | 5–7 weeks |
| Standard carved 5-seater | 6–9 weeks |
| Fully carved 7-seater | 10–12 weeks |
| Inlay or through-carved work | 12–14 weeks |
What actually causes delays
- Late decisions. A fabric changed in week six restarts the upholstery stage.
- Monsoon. Polish cures slowly in high humidity. Nothing fixes this except time.
- Sourcing. A specific grade of timber or an imported fabric can add two weeks.
What to ask before you pay
Ask for the timeline in weeks, in writing, and ask what happens if it slips. A maker who works to a real schedule will answer both without hesitating. A stock timeline of “10–15 days” for an elaborately carved set means the carving is not being done by hand.
Every Furnilook product page states its production time before you order, and we tell you if it slips. See the collection or read our delivery policy.
