Whether you are looking for ways to spice up your home or you’re planning on making your place a lot more eco-friendly, you should consider investing in wood furniture. Apart from being pleasing to the eyes, this material is also sustainable and built to last.
The problem, however, is that telling apart a quality piece of furniture from cheap imitation can be tricky. Without the right ideas, you can easily end up with a really bad piece.
To make sure that doesn’t happen, below are some of the most important things you should look for when buying high-quality solid wood furniture.
Material
In solid wood furniture, you’ll find the same material in all of its parts. This means that the furniture will look the same in its visible as well as hidden parts.
If you look at the underside of your furniture and see that it’s not the same as the top part, then it’s probably veneered or some type of plywood.
Price
Generally speaking, furniture made from 100% complete wood is a lot more expensive than pieces made from veneers or a combination of solid wood and veneers. One good reason for that is the quality of the lumber needed to produce the furniture.
Despite being more expensive, however, solid furniture can give you more than your money’s worth. It’s made to stand the test of time, allowing it to last for generations.
Weight
Being heavier doesn’t always mean better when it comes to picking furniture. For one, there are different types of hard wood and they vary in weight. Cherry, for example, is light in weight.
Apart from that, having more glue in a medium density fiberboard or MDF means that it can be heavier than wood and hardwoods. So if you are looking for casegoods or wood furniture for your living room, don’t rely on weight alone. If they are heavy, there’s a good chance that they are made from MDF which is easier to damage than wood.
Details
Veneers and laminates can’t really be carved. So if you see a piece of furniture that’s filled with carved detailing, it’s probably made of solid wood.
Don’t forget to check for any wrinkles or bulges in your furniture as they may indicate internal fibers of wood being buckled. Cracks, on the other hand, suggest that the wood fibers underwent stretching which greatly weakens them.
Dovetail construction
Solid wood furniture will generally have a dovetail construction. It’s used to join the sides of a drawer to its front so that it’s more resistant to being pulled apart.
Grain
Touch the wood furniture and feel for a varying pattern or grain as it’s a good indicator of solid wood. Take note that if it has been sealed, you may have a hard time feeling the pattern. You’ll need to inspect the piece in a different way just to be sure.
If the grain is visible but you can’t feel any texture, the furniture is probably made of veneer. And if you can’t see or feel the grain, then the piece is most probably laminate.
Stability
A piece of furniture that’s made of solid wood is most likely to be stable. It won’t shake easily unless there’s an earthquake or the floor isn’t leveled. If a piece wobbles easily, it’s probably low-quality furniture.
Stud pieces
Veneered furniture will have a uniform and finished appearance on every side. In comparison, pieces made of solid wood will have unfinished parts on its hidden sides.
With that, try to check the underside of your furniture. Usually, you’ll be able to see the stud pieces at the back of a drawer or underside of a dining table.
Final Thoughts
When purchasing solid wood furniture, it’s a good idea to be as informed as possible. Do your research first and get to know the material as thoroughly as possible. The criteria mentioned above should be able to help you out.
Apart from that, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask before buying. A lot of people are afraid of asking because they don’t want to appear silly or offend the craftsman. Others don’t ask questions because they don’t want to look like an uninformed buyer. They’d rather risk the chance of buying a cheap piece than sound silly.
Remember, you are investing your hard-earned money on your furniture. It’s your right to ask questions and get truthful answers.
