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3 Kinds Of Wood Used In Real Wood Furniture
By Samantha Birch, Fri Dec 9th
Real wood furniture is the most popular furniture in existence.It's been around for hundreds of years and probably existed whenthe cave people got tired of squatting on the dirt floor oftheir caves and looked around for a better way. The woods that are fashioned into furniture fall into threecategories: 1. Hardwoods 2. Softwoods 3. Composites
Even the term 'hardwood' or 'softwood' is deceptive. Hardwoodsaren't necessarily harder, denser material. For example, balsawood is one of the lightest, least dense woods there is, andit's considered a hardwood. Technically, lumber is classifiedbased on how the tree reproduces. As a general rule, though,softwood trees are evergreen year round while the hardwoodscreate the gorgeous autumn foliage that we all love so much. Hardwoods are considered the highest quality and are the mostexpensive. Their natural colors vary from the darkest woods tothe lightest ones and and they can be stained or painted foreven more variety. Hardwood furniture is least likely to warp orbend and is prized in all high quality homes. The five woodsmost commonly used in furniture production are cherry, walnut,oak, maple and mahogany. Softwoods are less expensive than hardwoods, but they requireextra care. Because they are less durable, it's much easier toscratch or dent softwood furniture. In addition, they oftendon't have the beautiful grains of a hardwood, and thereforedon't stain as beautifully. Pine is an example of a softwood that is commonly used forfurniture. These woods are often used in construction as well sothe choicest pieces are reserved for furniture. In construction,knots and splits are common. Lots of construction lumber willnot accept paint and this kind of wood is used for shelves orpacking crates. The softwood used in furniture is designated as "Appearance"lumber and includes most softwood lumber that has been custommilled to a
pattern or otherwise surfaced on all four sides. Composites are the cheapest form of wood and are literallymanufactured, rather than grown. 1. Plywood: multiple layers of thin wooden sheets are gluedtogether and pressed. Plywood is strong and resists swelling,shrinking and warping. There is some furniture made directlyfrom plywood, but generally it is only used as a support whenincorporated into furniture. 2. Particle board: sawdust and small wood chips are mixed withglue or resin which is then shaped and pressure treated. Whenused for inexpensive furniture, particle board is usuallycovered with laminate or veneer. This is necessary becauseparticle board splits easily and the laminate preventssplitting. However, the downside is that the laminate mayseparate from the wood because the particle board responds totemperature and pressure changes by swelling and shrinking. 3. Hardboard: is made like particle board but it's placed underhigher pressure so it's stronger. 4. MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard: wood particles are bondedwith resin and compressed. It is harder than particle board orhardboard, and can be cut like plywood although it isn't asstrong as plywood. Some MDF is covered with melamine which is adurable plastic in a variety of colors. The exposed edges of MDFare rough and need covering with molding or some otherdecorative material. Technically, furniture made from all of these wood products is"real" wood furniture, even the composites. Prices and qualityrange from the hardwoods down to the composites. The higher yougo up the spectrum, the more you can expect to pay for your woodfurniture. The good part, of course, is that with proper carehardwood furniture will last for decades or even generations. Ifyou can afford it, always choose hardwood furniture. About the author:Read dozens of articles & constant new information on homedecorating, furniture, unique home decor, home interiors &gifts, including a home blog, books on decorating and weeklyspecials. http://online-home-shop.com
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