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Real wood furniture is the most
popular type there is. It has adorned houses and
provided comfort and utility for thousands of years.
From the earliest texts of the Ancient Greeks, Iranians
and Persians, there is mention of wooden furniture.
All through history from the Romans to modern day, wood
has been the primary material for most pieces in our
homes.
There are three categories of
wood that are used in furniture making. They are
softwood, hardwood and composite. The terms
softwood and hardwood is a bit of a misnomer.
Softwood isn’t always soft, as hardwood isn’t always
hard. The names are derived from the tree rather
than the properties of the wood. Evergreen trees,
like Pine are regarded as softwood whereas the trees
that lose their leaves in fall are regarded as hardwood.
Hardwood is the highest quality
wood to work with, and naturally the most expensive.
The colors vary from the lightest beech to the darkest
oak or cherry, and anywhere in between. Hardwood
is the wood least likely to warp or bend, which is
another reason why it’s so popular in furniture.
The most common hardwoods currently used in furniture
are mahogany, walnut, maple, cherry and oak.
Softwood is less expensive than
hardwood and need extra care because it’s less durable
and liable to dent and damage. They also don’t
stain as well as hardwoods because they don’t have the
grains and beautiful textures. Pine is a prime
example of a popular softwood used in furniture.
Made well the wood can provide a beautiful golden finish
with a smooth texture. On cheaper pieces there
will be knots and splits all over the place. Pine
has a tight, oily texture and can’t really be painted to
good effect. Pine furniture is often just oiled
and left natural. It is often used in construction
for battens and roof trusses where the finish doesn’t
really matter.
Composites, despite the
expensive sounding name is the cheapest form of wood.
This material is made, not grown. Materials such
as MDF, plywood, and hardboard are all examples of
composites as they are manufactured to contain specific
properties. MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) is
made up of small pieces of wood mixed with resin and
then compressed into shape. It is a hard material
and is often used in cheaper kitchens and furniture.
Plywood is a series of thin wooden sheets bonded
together with glue and then compressed. It is a
strong material yet remains supple and flexible.
It is used extensively in construction but doesn’t lend
itself too well to furniture. Hardboard is just
like MDF but it is made under extreme pressure in order
to make it stronger. Hardboard is another material
used extensively in construction.
There is more to wood than first
meets the eye. Different woods lend themselves to
different uses. Some can be used and finished as
furniture, while others are just suitable for lumber.
The higher up the wooden food chain you go the more
expensive it is, but the better the finish too.
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