Furniture construction mainly involves two types of wood – naturally sourced solid wood and engineered wood. Solid wood is divided into two categories – Hardwood and Softwood. Among these, Hardwoods such as rosewood, mahogany, mango, and acacia are highly favored due to their durability and the ability for artisans to create intricate carvings with their texture.
Softwood, such as pine and cedar, is readily available and has a lower cost compared to hardwood. Consequently, it is frequently employed in mass production of inexpensive furniture. In recent times, engineered wood like plywood and MDF boards have become popular for furniture manufacturing due to their affordability; however, they are limited to producing simply designed and unadorned furniture.
The different types of wood furniture
Wood is the essential base material utilized in the creation of furniture, and the creation of wood furniture commences with the utilization of raw resources. Two main categories of wood resources exist, namely solid wood, encompassing hardwoods and softwoods, and manufactured wood, an engineered substance frequently comprising a mixture of genuine wood and synthetic materials. We have provided definitions for each of these terminologies related to wood furniture below:
Solid wood for furniture making
Hardwood and softwood are the two types of genuine wood utilized in the production of furniture, both of which originate solely from lumber and directly derive from trees.
Types of solid wood
- Hardwood: Hardwood is denser than softwood, and hardwood lumber comes from deciduous trees that generally grow more slowly. As you may have already noticed, the wood types seen most in high-quality wooden furniture are from the hardwood family.
- Softwood: Less dense than its hardwood cousin, softwood generally comes from coniferous (or evergreen) trees that grow more quickly.
Engineered and manufactured wood for furniture making
Engineered or manufactured woods consist of different wood types that are combined together. Despite not being solid woods, furniture producers frequently opt for engineered wood because of its widespread availability, affordability, and convenience.
Types of manufactured wood
- Plywood: Many consider plywood the original engineered wood. It is made by taking 3-5 slices of thin lumber and combining them with adhesive.
- Particleboard: The process of creating particleboard starts with a wood chipper breaking down lumber into tiny fibers. All of the fiber is then glued together with adhesive. You may also hear this type of manufactured wood referred to as fiberboard.
Most popular types of wood for furniture
1. Maple wood furniture
Maple is considered a perfect choice for furniture due to its numerous varieties, all of which are known for their durability and aesthetic appeal. It has excellent wear resistance and is commonly used to make kitchen cutting boards as it is natural and non-toxic. The choice of grain pattern for maple furniture can vary depending on personal preference.
2. Mahogany wood furniture
Mahogany, a wood commonly used in furniture making, is renowned for its traditional beauty. Despite being lighter in weight compared to other types of wood, it possesses the durability of oak. Typically associated with reddish-brown hues, mahogany also offers lighter shades. Authentic mahogany is obtained from Latin America, and its availability is progressively diminishing while its price remains high.
3. Oak wood furniture
Oak is frequently used for flooring and kitchen furniture due to its high durability. Despite its potential to yellow over time, oak remains visually appealing. On the other hand, red oak is slightly darker and more porous in comparison. Additionally, oak is inviting in appearance and reasonably priced, making it an ideal choice for furniture.
4. Cherry wood furniture
Cherry wood possesses the captivating feature of darkening over time, which imparts a lively appearance as it ages. While the color remains the prime attraction for many, cherry wood offers additional admirable qualities as well. Its grain is uniformly even and it is free from toxicity. Moreover, cherry wood is relatively dense and provides a certain level of resistance against scratches and dents.
5. Mango wood furniture
Mango trees are a rarity in the US and are typically found in tropical regions such as southern Asia, the Pacific, and Brazil. These trees reach a height of approximately 90 feet and possess a Janka score of 1070 lbf.
Mango wood, known for its dense grains, can create an elegant appearance and is commonly used in the crafting of various furniture pieces like coffee tables, dressers, dining tables, nightstands, desks, sideboards, TV stands, and cabinets. Its consistent hues and wood texture further enhance its appeal, making it an excellent option for furniture with carved or distressed finishes.
6. Acacia wood furniture
With its deep brown hue and stunning live-edge characteristics, Acacia wood, which is abundantly found in Australia, is highly versatile and frequently selected for constructing a wide range of furniture items such as coffee tables, benches, dining tables, nightstands, dressers, desks, and outdoor furniture. It possesses a strong Janka score of 1750 lbf.
7. Teak wood furniture
Teak wood furniture features a distinct brown color and is ideal for use as outdoor or patio furniture. Indigenous to Asia and America’s tropical regions, these trees can reach up to 150 ft in height and have a Janka score of 1155 lbf. Dining tables and coffee tables crafted from teak wood exude a charmingly rustic and elegant appearance.
8. Mindi wood furniture
Mindi wood is derived from the fast-growing Mindi tree, which is frequently found in different regions of America and serves as a shade tree. These 40 ft trees have a Janka score of 1055 lbf. Mindi wood showcases yellowish and brown streaks, making it a perfect option for crafting chests and trunks.
9. Birch wood furniture
Birchwood, a hardwood commonly found in northern America, is an affordable option known for its height, reaching up to 70 feet. Its color ranges from pale white to reddish-brown and yellow, which gives it an ideal texture and appearance for wooden flooring. With a Janka score of 1260 lbf, it is also a recommended material for constructing durable cabinets.
10. Pine wood furniture
Pine wood is commonly utilized as affordable timber due to its low cost. The height of the tree can vary depending on the species, reaching up to 260 ft. The white pine tree has a Janka Hardness scale score of approximately 500 lbf. While a dresser is a typical furniture piece made of pine wood, it is also frequently chosen for flooring purposes.
11. Spruce wood furniture
Spruce wood, frequently utilized in construction, obtains a Janka rating of 480 lbf. These trees have a limited height, reaching up to 16 ft. The blue spruce variety is primarily employed in the creation of compact furniture such as chairs and tables.
12. Bamboo wood furniture
Bamboo wood is renowned for its sustainability, making it a preferred choice for flooring over traditional hardwood. It is widely prevalent around the world as one of the most common trees. Growing up to 130 feet, bamboo trees are both cost-effective and ideal for crafting outdoor furniture, thanks to their impressive Janka score of 1300 lbf.
What is engineered wood
In recent years, engineered wood has become increasingly popular due to its affordability and ability to produce long-lasting, minimalist furniture. However, it should be noted that engineered wood is vulnerable to water damage and necessitates additional maintenance. For families who frequently update their furniture, it offers a cost-effective choice.
Plywood
Plywood is produced through the integration of resin with thin wood sheets, possessing a lightweight and non-malleable nature, making it less durable than hardwood. However, the presence of cross-graining in plywood enhances its strength.
Medium density fiberboard (MDF)
To create a hard panel, hardwood and softwood are broken down into fibers before being combined with wax and resin in the production process of MDF, which involves applying heat and pressure.
The density of the MDF is determined by whether hardwood or softwood is utilized. MDF is not suitable for heavy loads due to its weight and tendency to absorb water and expand. Additionally, staining is not possible for MDF. However, MDF serves well as a back panel for storage furniture items.
Cross laminated timber (CLT)
The process of CLT involves stacking a significant amount of kiln-dried lumber wood in alternating orientations and bonding them using structural adhesives. The resulting single panel is cost-effective, but its limited production poses difficulties.
Oriented strand board (OSB)
By utilizing an adhesive, flakes of wood are joined together to create OSB. When exposed to moisture, OSB has a tendency to expand and contract, which can lead to buckling if it is used as flooring instead of utilizing sturdy solid wood.
Composite board
Even though the composite board is environmentally friendly, it requires some effort to maintain due to a combination of plastic and wood fibers.
Laminated veneer lumber (LML)
The LML is created by compressing wood veneer along with glue and resin, resulting in a structure where the grains are stacked in the same direction, giving it one strength axis.
Laminated strand lumber (LSL)
LSL consists of 95% wood fiber and 5% resin, and it is created by arranging small wood strips in close angular configurations.
How wood furniture is made
Now that we have discussed the different types of wood used in furniture, let’s transition our focus to the methods employed in manufacturing wooden furniture.
Wood furniture manufacturing
In the 20th century, the advancement of technology enabled the mass production of various goods, such as furniture. Different steps in the process of crafting wooden furniture took place within an assembly line.
By way of illustration, in the case of producing a table, all the legs would be manufactured in a single location. As a result, the advantages of this approach were that high-quality furniture, which was previously limited to a privileged few, became accessible to the majority of households.
Handmade wood furniture
While there were undoubtedly numerous advantages to the industrialization of furniture production, one drawback was the apparent decline in skill and craftsmanship. The personal touch and attention to detail provided by furniture designers creating pieces with their own hands cannot be denied.
The product is linked to the artist’s name, and most artisans value their position and reputation in the eyes of their colleagues. On the other hand, someone who carries out a single task on a production line has much lower responsibility and fewer motivations to prioritize your satisfaction.
How to identify quality handmade furniture
- It’s wood furniture from experienced furniture designers. Every aspect of a bench-made furniture piece has a human touch during its design. Artisans of bench-made furniture consider the design quality in every detail, and this attention to detail leads to a gorgeous piece of solid-wood furniture.
- It’s made from the best solid hardwoods for furniture. Artisans make bench-made furniture from the finest sourced solid woods. The finishes used are also of the utmost quality.
- It’s custom-built wood furniture. Because expert artisans make them, bench-made furniture pieces are highly customizable, allowing someone to acquire handmade furniture designed to the dimensions and style of their choosing.
