A quality wooden steering wheel starts with the materials. From selecting the timber to preparing the aluminium frame, bonding the rim and applying the final finish, each stage affects how the wheel looks, feels and performs.
At Les Leston, our wooden steering wheels combine traditional construction with careful hand finishing to produce wheels suited to classic, sports and competition cars.
Choosing the Wood
The first stage in making a wooden steering wheel is choosing the right timber.
Appearance is important, but so are strength and stability. Hardwoods such as sapele, mahogany, beech and walnut are commonly chosen because they combine attractive grain with the properties required for a steering wheel rim.
Wood naturally reacts to changes in temperature and humidity, so the construction of the rim is important. Rather than simply cutting a complete steering wheel from one solid piece of timber, wooden rims can be made using laminated sections or matched curved pieces. This improves stability and helps reduce the risk of warping or cracking.
The choice of timber also gives each wheel its individual character. Differences in grain and colour mean that no two wooden steering wheels will look exactly the same.
Preparing the Aluminium Frame
The aluminium frame forms the structural centre of the steering wheel and establishes its diameter, spoke pattern and overall shape.
Before the wooden rim is fitted, the aluminium is carefully cleaned and prepared. Our frames are branded and stamped "Handmade in England" and with the iconic 'LL'.
The aluminium is then polished by hand before moving on to the wooden rim.
The combination of polished aluminium and natural wood is central to the appearance of a traditional Les Leston steering wheel and is particularly well suited to the interiors of classic British and European sports cars.
Shaping the Wooden Rim
There are many ways to form your circle of wood. The strongest and the prefered way by Les Leston is by bending laminates in a former. The rim is formed from matched curved wooden sections shaped to fit around the outside of the aluminium frame.
Once the wood is bent, each wheel needs to be cut off the barrel and cut to size.
An internal groove is cut into the timber so that the aluminium sits securely within the wooden rim. The fit needs to be accurate around the circumference of the wheel, allowing the two sections to meet correctly with the frame held between them.
At this stage, the timber is still oversized. The final profile of the steering wheel is created later by hand.
Cutting the finger slots
Before the rim is permanently assembled, the finger slots are routed onto the frame.
Their shape and position are important because they affect how the wheel feels when driving. They provide a natural resting position for the driver's hands without making the rim unnecessarily complicated or heavily sculpted.
It's a relatively small detail, but an important one on a steering wheel designed to be driven with.
Bonding the Wood to the Frame
Once the aluminium and timber have been prepared, the wooden sections are bonded around the frame using marine-quality epoxy.
The wheel is carefully clamped while the epoxy cures. Applying even pressure helps produce a close join between the wooden sections while keeping the aluminium frame correctly positioned inside the rim.
This creates the basic wood-and-aluminium structure of the finished steering wheel.
Shaping and Sanding by Hand
After the epoxy has cured, the rim can be worked into its final shape.
The wood is progressively shaped and hand-sanded to create a smooth, comfortable profile. Depending on the design, this may be rounded or slightly elliptical.
This stage requires judgement as well as accuracy. The rim has to look consistent around the entire wheel, but more importantly, it needs to feel right in the hands.
The wood is gradually worked with finer abrasives until the required shape and surface have been achieved.
Finishing the Wooden Rim
The final stage is protecting and finishing the timber.
Multiple coats of clear finish are applied to the wooden rim, with preparation and sanding between stages where required. Building the finish gradually protects the wood while bringing out the natural colour and grain of the timber.
A properly finished wood rim steering wheel needs to withstand regular handling as well as the temperature and humidity changes found inside a car. The finish therefore has a practical purpose as well as giving the wheel its final appearance.
Once complete, the contrast between the polished aluminium and finished timber gives the wheel the appearance associated with classic sports and racing cars of the period.
Handmade Wooden Steering Wheels by Les Leston
Making a wooden steering wheel is a combination of woodworking, metal preparation and hand finishing.
The timber must be selected for the job, the aluminium frame accurately prepared, the wooden sections matched and bonded, and the complete rim shaped and finished by hand.
At Les Leston, we continue to produce wooden steering wheels with the character and proportions associated with classic motoring. Made by hand for your hands.
We like to do things with a bit of character, so there’s one final touch we add to every wheel.
At Les Leston’s cottage in Kent, Stirling Moss and Jim Clark once used a hacksaw to cut a birthday cake in half on this very table.
We still have the original table and saw, and today every steering wheel passes across the table during production — adding a small piece of Les Leston history to every wheel we make.
For a classic car, the steering wheel is one of the most visible parts of the interior and the main point of contact between the driver and the car. A well-made wooden steering wheel should therefore do more than look right.
That's it for now because Les Is More.
