Selecting Wood Furniture

Selecting Wood Furniture

Selecting furniture is quite a challenge. Is it better to get solid wood, plywood, or veneered particle board? How can you tell if the quality of the furniture is good or not? What are some things to look for in wood furniture?

While there are some general guidelines, there is not a single answer to what is best. You first need to decide what is important to you. If low initial cost is the most important factor, you should consider a variety of "some assembly required" furniture from brands like Ikea, Bush or O'Sullivan. Typically the furniture sold for home assembly is made with a fiberboard or particle board core and veneers that can range from plastic to high quality wood veneers. On the other hand, if you are looking to buy a poece that you can pass on to your grandchildren and they to theirs, you should probably consider a solid wood piece or possibly a combination of solid wood and plywood.

Different Materials

Particle board or fiberboard is made by taking sawdust or wood waste and pressing it together with a resin (glue) under high pressure. The result is a strong, dimensionally stable sheet that is relatively flat and smooth. Veneers are bonded to the faces to provide an attractive appearance. The advantage of veneered particle board furniture is that it tends to be inexpensive and the material is dimensionally stable. That means that it probably will not distort simply from environmental factors. A drawback of particle board based furniture is that the joints do not tend to be as strong as those in solid wood furniture and fasteners tend to pull out under stress. Veneers are also much more difficult to repair if damaged.

A material that has most of the good properties of wood while limiting some of the undesirable is plywood. Plywood is often a good choice, especially for large flat sections like the sides of a large dresser or armoire or the top of a table. Plywood is dimensionally stable and can be joined with solid wood to make strong joints. Plywood is typically less expensive than solid wood. Like other veneered products, furniture made with plywood can be difficult to repair if damaged.

Solid wood is difficult to beat when it comes to appearance and durability. Many items constructed from solid wood are still in use hundreds of years after they were built, while most particle board items are doing well to last 10 or 15 years. One drawback is cost, since the production of solid wood furniture is more expensive than production using veneered products. Another potential problem is that wood is inherently an unstable material. As humidity changes, the size of a piece of wood can change noticeably. (Ever notice how some doors get more difficult to open or close during certain seasons?)

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship of furniture is, in many ways, very subjective. There are those who will tell you that furniture must have dovetail joints to be considered good quality. On the other hand, some of the finest cabinetry made did not include a single dovetail joint. The key to the quality puzzle is the same as in other goods, fit and finish. Do the pieces fit together well. In furniture, this means that mating pieces are flush, edges are straight, surfaces flat. Drawers, for furniture incorporating drawers, are a great place to look. Are the corners square? Do they work smoothly and close flush with the front of the case?

Any joints between pieces of wood should be tight without glue lines showing. If mechanical fasteners are used, they should either be hidden or blend in to the design of the piece.

Selecting Wood Furniture

Selecting furniture is quite a challenge. Is it better to get solid wood, plywood, or veneered particle board? How can you tell if the quality of the furniture is good or not? What are some things to look for in wood furniture? While there are some general guidelines, there is not a single answer to what is best. You first need to decide what is important to you. If low initial cost is the most important factor, you should consider a variety of "some assembly required" furniture from brands like Ikea, Bush or O'Sullivan. Typically the furniture sold for home assembly is made with a fiberboard or particle board core and veneers that can range from plastic to high quality wood veneers. On the other hand, if you are looking to buy a poece that you can pass on to your grandchildren and they to theirs, you should probably consider a solid wood piece or possibly a combination of solid wood and plywood. Different Materials Particle board or fiberboard is made by taking sawdust or wood waste and pressing it together with a resin (glue) under high pressure. The result is a strong, dimensionally stable sheet that is relatively flat and smooth. Veneers are bonded to the faces to provide an attractive appearance. The advantage of veneered particle board furniture is that it tends to be inexpensive and the material is dimensionally stable. That means that it probably will not distort simply from environmental factors. A drawback of particle board based furniture is that the joints do not tend to be as strong as those in solid wood furniture and fasteners tend to pull out under stress. Veneers are also much more difficult to repair if damaged. A material that has most of the good properties of wood while limiting some of the undesirable is plywood. Plywood is often a good choice, especially for large flat sections like the sides of a large dresser or armoire or the top of a table. Plywood is dimensionally stable and can be joined with solid wood to make strong joints. Plywood is typically less expensive than solid wood. Like other veneered products, furniture made with plywood can be difficult to repair if damaged. Solid wood is difficult to beat when it comes to appearance and durability. Many items constructed from solid wood are still in use hundreds of years after they were built, while most particle board items are doing well to last 10 or 15 years. One drawback is cost, since the production of solid wood furniture is more expensive than production using veneered products. Another potential problem is that wood is inherently an unstable material. As humidity changes, the size of a piece of wood can change noticeably. (Ever notice how some doors get more difficult to open or close during certain seasons?) Craftsmanship Craftsmanship of furniture is, in many ways, very subjective. There are those who will tell you that furniture must have dovetail joints to be considered good quality. On the other hand, some of the finest cabinetry made did not include a single dovetail joint. The key to the quality puzzle is the same as in other goods, fit and finish. Do the pieces fit together well. In furniture, this means that mating pieces are flush, edges are straight, surfaces flat. Drawers, for furniture incorporating drawers, are a great place to look. Are the corners square? Do they work smoothly and close flush with the front of the case? Any joints between pieces of wood should be tight without glue lines showing. If mechanical fasteners are used, they should either be hidden or blend in to the design of the piece.