This is a collaborative post: When buying furniture, we almost always focus on the aesthetics and style that it brings to our homes. Although this is an important factor in selecting furniture, other aspects, such as the type or quality of the materials used to make the furniture, should be considered, as they can determine how long it will last us.
Today’s topic is all about the main types of wood and materials used to construct decorative furniture.
Redwood
Redwood is very soft and very light. Processing it is very easy, and therefore you can achieve an extremely smooth furniture surface thanks to the fine grain of the tree. It is not as flexible as other types of wood but has many other benefits and has a beautiful, distinctive red colour.
Redwood is the single best decking construction material available due to its natural strength and stability. It is also used to make furniture because it is beautiful, resistant, eco-friendly, and easy to work with. It is great for interior and exterior furniture, especially classic design and finishings.
Browse a selection of redwood here.
Walnut Wood
Walnut is another strong and high-quality type of wood. It has different brown colour variations and positive effects on a person’s mental state.
Brown is a warm colour and affects the psycho-emotional state of the person. Using it in the interior will create a feeling of comfort, warmth, and security. This is why walnut wood is one of the favourites in fine furniture manufacturing.
Since walnut comes in different colour variations, it can be combined with almost every colour that exists and used in almost every interior design style.
Chipboard
Sometimes referred to as Particle Board or Low-Density Fibreboard, Chipboard is made of groundwood particles pressed and glued together with a special resin type. Its advantages are that it is the cheapest material and therefore furniture made using chipboard has very low prices. Frankly, all its advantages end here. It has several disadvantages, but the main ones are that it has very low moisture resistance and doesn’t last a long time. It is unsuitable for a room with high humidity levels, such as a bathroom or kitchen, because when water penetrates, it swells and loses its strength.
MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard)
MDF is made of softwood which is dry pressed using high-pressure temperature, and it was originally developed to be used for furniture only. But its weight, strength and aesthetics have spread to many uses. It is made of very finely ground wood particles, and after that, they are glued together with either glue, resin, wax, or paraffin, making the MDF completely eco-friendly. It has great strength and density, which allows for easy processing and is suitable for making small elements and details.
Another advantage has been it is a great thermal and sound isolator. It is moisture-resistant, which allows it to be used in the bathroom and kitchen. It is significantly cheaper than natural wood but has great quality.
Oak Wood
Oakwood comes in many colours and types. It can be found in red, black, white, reddish-brown, and grey tints and is known for its excellent durability, strength, and beautiful colour. It is one of the most widely used materials in furniture manufacturing and one of the most expensive.
Furniture made of oak is also extremely beautiful and durable. It has good resistance, impermeability and structure, making it a highly prized material for making elegant and modern designs.
Besides making furniture, oak wood has many other uses. It is also widely used in the exterior to manufacture wooden fences and siding due to its resistance to insect and fungal attacks. White oak also has marine applications. It is often used for making boats and boat parts, as it has high durability and low maintenance.
To summarise
Looking for a good quality, expensive and luxurious feel? Your best option is to go for furniture made of natural wood. It will elevate the interior of your home, and due to its good quality, it will last you a long time.
If you are on a tighter budget but want something that is good quality and looks like the real deal, then you should go for MDF. It is heavy and moisture resistant, looks like real wood cut straight from a tree and comes at a very affordable price compared to natural wood.
The cheapest option, of course, is chipboard, but the low price is reflected in the quality of the material. But despite not being the best material for furniture manufacturing, you can find some beautifully made furniture pieces that can be easily mistaken for MDF or even natural wood.