Options
Introduction
CatScapes Cat Shelves can be made with a variety of materials, features, and finishes.
If you make no changes to the Wood Type, Modifications, Finish, and Carpet Pads in our online store, you will receive ApplePly Pre-finished Maple wood recessed for partially-bound, inlaid soft-white color carpet. This is the most cost effective combination for finished shelves and requires a minimum order of 7 shelves.
Following the chart below are the benefits of each material, feature, and finish described and explained in more detail.
| Sugar Pine | Pre-finished Maple | Unfinished Birch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Best | Adequate | Adequate |
| Weight | Lightest | Heavier than Pine | Heavier than Pine |
| Cost | High | Least expensive finished option | Least expensive wood but adding finish is recommended |
| Finishing options | Any | None, is pre-finished | Any |
| Modification options | None | Any | Any |
| Carpet options | Fully-bound only | Any | Any |
| Custom Lengths | up to 47" | 36" limit | 36" limit |
Wood Type
Except for the curved shelves, all CatScapes Cat Shelves are made and beautifully machined in the United States. Even the simple, non-modified shelves have an elegant look and feel.
There are two wood materials from which to choose: Solid Pine and ApplePly. ApplePly offers two options: Pre-finished Maple and Unfinished Birch.
Because it is ~40% lighter than ApplePly, Pine is our premium option.
It can be finished in any manner and color that you want, and the lengths can be increased up to 47”.
Because our solid Sugar Pine wood cannot be modified, the option of rounding-over the edges is unavailable and Pine shelves cannot be recessed for inlaid carpet, so the accompanying carpet pads must be fully-bound.
ApplePly, Pre-finished Maple is the most economical wood option because it requires no additional finish and can be recessed for inlaid carpet.
The inlaid carpet pads do not require full or even any binding, and they afford the shelves an even more contemporary profile.
Elegant rounding-over can also be added to Pre-finished Maple shelves.
We offer Unfinished Birch ApplePly because Birch combines benefits from Pine and from Pre-finished Maple.
Like Pine, Birch can be finished in any manner and color that you want, but we do recommend adding finish to the Birch to protect the wood, and Birch is heavier than Pine.
Like Pre-finished Maple, Birch is less expensive than Pine, and it can be recessed for inlaid carpet and the edges rounded over.
Summary about Wood Type
For performance, Pine is the optimal choice because it is significantly lighter than ApplePly, and it can be finished however you want. Additionally, the Pine shelves can be lengthened up to 47”.
For price, Pre-finished Maple with inlaid carpet is the optimal choice, and this is the combination to which the shelves in our online store are preset.
For appearance, Unfinished Birch offers the greatest aesthetic flexibility in that it can be finished however you want as well as modified for inlaid carpet and the edges rounded over.
Modifications
When ordering Pine wood, select “No modifications” because it cannot be modified.
The ApplePly options can be made without modifications as well. Keep in mind that any non-recessed wood will require fully-bound carpet pads.
The recessed option, available for Pre-finished Maple and Birch ApplePly wood, allows the carpet to be inlaid, decreasing and optionally bypassing the carpet-binding process, thereby lowering the profile of the shelves along with the cost of the carpet.
The roundover, or “rounded edges”, extend the outer ends of the shelves to wrap around the front portion of the bracket.
The extended ends that face each other are rounded into a bullnose while the room-facing edge of the rounded shelves are rounded in thirds.
The ApplePly options allow you to incorporate either or both recess and rounding.
Finish
Pre-finished Maple requires no additional finish, and has a minimum order of only 7 shelves. (e.g 1 Deluxe Kit or 1 Standard Kit + 4 Add-on shelves or 1 Standard-Plus Kit + 2 Add-on shelves).
For protection from the elements, we recommend that finish be added to Pine and Unfinished Birch. With orders of 14 or more shelves, CatScapes offers the following options for the cost associated with each one.
- Primed for you to paint
- Clear Coat
- Stained
- Primed and Painted
If choosing stain or paint, input the color that you want in the “Stain or Paint Color” field just below the “Finish” field when placing your order.
You will find the link to the STAIN color choices on the Benjamin Moore in the product description and here:
https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/wood-stain-colors
You will find the link to the PAINT color choices in the product description and here:
To find the color name and number, click on the Stain and Paint Color Options links above. On the Benjamin Moore website, stain colors are shown below the sample. Paint colors are shown when you click on the color of your choice. Keep in mind that colors may vary from viewing on a screen to finished product.
Carpet Pads
Removable claw-friendly carpet pads are recommended for comfort and traction.
The inlaid pieces are for the recessed shelves. The fully-bound pads are for the non-recessed shelves. The "partial-binding" adds a cleaner look to the bracket-facing edges of the inlaid carpet.
CatScapes carpet pads are made in the U.S. The standard color referred to as Soft White in the CatScapes Online Store is the second one down on the far left, called 73101 Mushroom. With a 1-shelf minimum order, you can choose any of the other colors shown below when you select the Custom Color option in the Store.
Note that colors may vary from viewing on a screen to finished product.
Custom Shelf-Dimensions
We do not offer shelves deeper than 9.5" (10" once installed), but we can decrease shelf lengths for smaller spaces and increase shelf lengths of Pine shelves up to 47" and of ApplePly shelves up to 36".
This feature allows you to increase the total span of a Deluxe Kit from 14 linear feet up to 27 linear feet and 21 linear feet, respectively.
Contact CatScapes if you would one, some, or all of your shelf lengths customized.
