Dr. Paul Dayton’s love of woodworking started in highschool.  One of the first things he tried building was his own guitar. He notes that while it wasn’t very successful, that experience was a large part of what has led to a lifetime interest in woodworking.

Paul went on to perfect his guitar making skills and has built over 10 custom guitars.  He has also made everything from small jewlery boxes to grandfather clocks and pretty much everything in between.  He has created beautiful custom kitchen cabinetry as well as other commissioned projects and has done custom fixtures and tables for area restaurants. “I’ve always had a dream of turning (woodworking) into a small business,” Paul says. 

The focus of Paul’s custom furntiture work is functional items that are also pieces of art and can be passed down over time. His wife, Dr. Mindi Dayton, notes that most of the coffee and end tables in their home, as well as several other furniture pieces, have been built by Paul. “It is such a great feeling to have items that are built with such passion and precision that we get to use everyday. The pieces are so much better than anything we could buy in a store.” 

Paul’s most recent masterpiece is a dining room cabinet.  The piece is almost completed, except for the glass in the doors and the dovetail drawers for the inside. Even the door pulls were milled and welded by Paul! Paul states that he finds woodworking to be stress reliver. He also loves the challenge of learning new techniques and that he is able to create pieces that bring joy to others. He loves that he will be able to continue this hobby long into his retirement, which he jokes is a LONG way off! Paul stated that the next project on the list is a custom trestle dining room table that will be able to fit their entire family. 

Author Foot & Ankle Center of Iowa