A house is not a home until furniture completes it. Chairs, tables, beds; all these are what make it comfortable to be in a house, and many people cannot do without them. When you mention furniture, the first thing that comes to mind is wood. In reality, however, furniture does not only encompass things made out of wood.
When shopping for furniture, durability is key. Do not be easily swayed by the appearance, give it a closer inspection. People overlook things like joint connections and furniture hinges yet they are what determine how furniture supports weight. For the best furniture hinges in the market, RMG furniture hinges are your best bet.
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Types of Wood
There are two primary types of wood; Hardwood and Softwood.
Hardwood
Contrary to popular thinking, the term hardwood does not necessarily have anything to do with texture and toughness of wood. Hardwood refers to wood that comes from flowering trees. Hardwoods have the following properties;
- It takes a very long time to grow and mature. For this reason, they are expensive, as they are rare to some extent.
- They are more durable as they have very close grain in their textures.
- It has higher fire resistance capabilities.
Softwood
Softwoods are derived from seed-bearing trees like pine, cedar and spruce, among others. They grow very tall and more straight compared to the hardwoods. Softwoods have the following properties;
- They are non-porous and they absorb adhesives very quickly, leading to a better finish.
- Has loose grain and a higher sap content. It has very low resistance to fire.
- It is easy to work with and very light in weight.
With that cleared,
Which Woods are Best for Making Furniture?
Walnut
A hardwood, walnut is among the most popular furniture woods in North America where it grows in abundance. The wood craves well and can maintain that shape for years if you take care of it well. Walnut is mostly used for ornate furniture that requires the highest form of craftsmanship.
The common types of walnuts that are frequently used include the Brazilian walnut, Caribbean walnut and the North American walnut.
Maple
One of the hardest wood types used for furniture. Maple is commonly used in making heavy furniture like dressers and dining sets. It is so hardy that it can take a beating of any kind without splintering. Of all hardwoods, maple is the most affordable.
The wood usually ranges from cream to reddish-brown in color and has a fine grain. It is easy to tell the harder type of maple from the softer versions. Hard maple has a light tinge while soft maple is darker.
Mahogany
Mahogany is up there among the most expensive hardwoods around. It is mainly used to create intricate pieces of furniture. It has a straight grain and fine texture. The mahogany tree itself grows to a very large size that forces the wood to be first cut into boards.
Furniture made out of mahogany lasts the longest, especially those made out of African mahogany. The wood is also widely used to make musical instruments because of the rich sounds it produces.
Birch
Another durable hardwood that is characterized by a blond hue that has made it very popular for modern furniture pieces. Closely related to oak wood, birch grows in many parts of the world and is one of the most abundant hardwoods
Its availability makes it cheap despite the wood itself being of very high quality. The grain is mostly straight, but at times it has wavy variations. It is mainly used to make plywood, crates, cabinets, tables and interior doors.
Oak
This old hardwood tree has been around for many years and is a common feature of many antique pieces of furniture. It is one of the densest hardwoods because it takes a very long time to grow and mature.
With proper care, furniture made out of Oak lasts for a very long time. In fact, this is the type of wood used in Amish furniture. If you walk into any antique shop, you will never miss pieces, be it furniture or otherwise, of items made of Oak. The Oval office desk, the one used by American presidents since 1880, is made of Oak. It was a gift from Queen Victoria to President Hayes.
Cherry
Cherry wood is straight and has uniform grain. It polishes effortlessly, giving it a stunning finish. It is a very prized hardwood that has been used to create furniture that lasts over centuries. Many antique creations are made of cherry wood.
The color ranges from pinkish-brown to a deep red. The wood gets better with age, and when properly cared for, it can be passed down as an heirloom for generations.
Pine
One of the most popular and widely used wood for both building and making furniture. Pine is a light wood, and if you are the type that moves around often, get furniture made of pine. On top of all that, it is affordable and widely available. It absorbs paint and varnish well, giving it an exquisite finish.
The color of the wood ranges from light brown to red. Despite its lightness, the wood has a high resistance to shrinking and swelling. With proper care, it can last for many years without losing its shape.
Conclusion
Wood is getting costlier by the day as logging restrictions get tighter. Saving the environment has become a global focus, and trees are at the forefront of reclaiming the planet. Logging of trees for timber is now done with close oversight with dire consequences for those that break the rules.
If you can get good furniture made of excellent wood, then do not hesitate to splash on it. You will be making a lifetime investment that will stay with your children and their children’s children
