Posted on October 19th, 2018 by warehouseshowrooms
Wood is the most common material in the world for building furniture. It has been used for this purpose since ancient times, and continues to be today. There’s no wonder why it’s such a popular material– it’s practical, durable, and it looks great. Most types of wood can be used to build furniture, though some types are more commonly used than others. Each type of wood for furniture has its own unique appearance and qualities that may appeal to different people, and they’re even associated with different design styles.If you are wondering what type of wood is used for building furniture, and which you should choose for your own home furnishings, this helpful guide will assist you in selecting the proper wood for you.The Most Common Types of Wood Used to Build Furniture Beech Beech is a very strong, and also heavier than most other woods. Its grain is quite fine and tight, and it has an even texture. Being very light in color, it fits in well with light, airy rooms, especially ones that get a lot of natural light. This wood is bright and modern, and is a good alternative for people who do not prefer dark woods.Oak Oak is an extremely popular wood for building furniture. Not only is it easily available, thanks to the abundance of oak trees in the world, but it is also quite durable. Oak wood is able to take a lot of wear and tear, making it a great choice for families. You can find oak furniture in two shades: white, which is actually gray or light brown in color, and red, which is a medium shade of wood with a warm tone.MapleThis is another durable and heavy wood choice. In fact, maple was a popular choice in furniture in centuries past for its extreme durability, which is why you will find it so often in antique wood furniture. You can still build new furniture with it today, too. It is incredibly strong and resistant to moisture. You would be hard-pressed to damage maple. Being a pale shade with natural swirls in the grain, it is perfect for painting or staining.WalnutThis hard wood is incredibly strong, has a straight grain, and is a dark and chocolate brown color in its traditional shade (lighter shades are available, but not as widely used). As far as decorating goes, walnut is quite versatile, as it is available in a number of shades and grain styles, allowing you to choose the best fit for your home decor.PineAnother highly common wood like oak, pine is cheap because of its abundance. It is also lightweight and pale in color, which makes it a popular wood for staining. It isn’t as durable as harder woods, but it does blend in well with other woods. This makes it a good choice if you are shopping for furniture to match existing wood furniture in your home.AshAsh is a hard wood which is remarkably flexible. You can actually bend it without breaking it. This is why it is the primary wood used for curved pieces of furniture, like chairs and sofas with curved arms and/or backrests. Ash is a medium colored wood, being light brown with a straight grain to it.MahoganyMahogany is expensive, as far as woods go. It is a hard wood, and can vary considerably in color, ranging from medium brown to a deep reddish brown. The older it is, the redder it becomes. It is a traditional wood used in high-class antique furniture used by rich and titled families, and is considered a status symbol wood.Cheaper Woods that Should be Avoided in Your Furniture FiberboardThis is a cheap man-made wood that is constructed by processing both hard and soft wood. The hard and soft woods are broken down into fibers, and the fibers are bonded to each other with wax, then heated to create a piece of dense “wood.” While it is technically wood, it is not wood in a pure form. It is also not as durable as real wood, and certainly not as attractive, as you miss out on the beauty of a natural wood grain with fiberboard. It is the hallmark of cheap, mass-manufactured furniture.Particle BoardAnother manmade wood, this one takes wood chips and shavings, and heat-bonds them together with resin. It is a popular choice among commercial furniture manufacturers, because it is cheap to obtain. It is also usually covered with a veneer surface, which makes particle board suitable for flat packing and shipping to customers who are going to assemble their furniture themselves at home.Tags: types of wood for furniture