How to Judge the Quality of Wood Furniture
Look for solid wood., Expect nine layers or more if you choose plywood., Look for veneer., Know your woods.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for solid wood.
If a store claims that a piece of furniture is solid wood, that means that it only contains wood.
Plywood, on the other hand, is layers of wood and resin or glue.
Solid wood tends to be more durable, though it is usually more expensive.If you can see an unfinished edge of the furniture, you should be able to tell if it's plywood or solid wood.
Plywood will have visible layers. -
Step 2: Expect nine layers or more if you choose plywood.
Plywood can be pretty solid and last a good amount of time, as long as it contains enough layers.
Look for nine or more layers when examining plywood furniture.
You should be able to count layers on an exposed side.For instance, if you're looking at a dresser, look at where the joints come together (such as in the back), which should have an edge where you can see the plywood layers. , Veneer is when a cheaper wood is covered with a thin layer of higher quality wood.
It's not as good a quality as solid wood, but solid, beautiful pieces can be made out of veneer.
In fact, you can even sand and re-stain these pieces, though you don't want to sand too much, as you can wear through the veneer layer.Veneer actually doesn't split as much as hardwood.
On the other hand, you may get blistering over time, or the veneer may start to peel up.When choosing veneer, look for a thin veneer layer rather than thick veneer.
Thick veneer is more likely to split.
You'll be able to to tell on the edges.
Thick veneer will be visible., Each type of wood has something different to bring to the table.
Some woods are cheap and plentiful, while others will stand the test of time more readily.
If you know the type of wood the furniture is made out of, you know a bit more about it's quality. "Hardwood" and "softwood" more often refer to the type of tree than the durability of the wood, so pay attention to the type of wood instead.For instance, pine is cheap, so it's used fairly often.
However, it's relatively soft, so it dents and dings easily.Oak is hard-wearing.
It also has a distinctive, visible grain, so you need to appreciate the look.Walnut is also hard-wearing, but it has a variation in color that may or may not be to your taste.Cherry is a more expensive wood, due to its fine grain and beautiful color.Maple is not as expensive, but it is extremely durable.
It is also easy to stain any color you'd like.
Mahogany is more expensive than maple, and it is also a quality wood. -
Step 3: Look for veneer.
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Step 4: Know your woods.
Detailed Guide
If a store claims that a piece of furniture is solid wood, that means that it only contains wood.
Plywood, on the other hand, is layers of wood and resin or glue.
Solid wood tends to be more durable, though it is usually more expensive.If you can see an unfinished edge of the furniture, you should be able to tell if it's plywood or solid wood.
Plywood will have visible layers.
Plywood can be pretty solid and last a good amount of time, as long as it contains enough layers.
Look for nine or more layers when examining plywood furniture.
You should be able to count layers on an exposed side.For instance, if you're looking at a dresser, look at where the joints come together (such as in the back), which should have an edge where you can see the plywood layers. , Veneer is when a cheaper wood is covered with a thin layer of higher quality wood.
It's not as good a quality as solid wood, but solid, beautiful pieces can be made out of veneer.
In fact, you can even sand and re-stain these pieces, though you don't want to sand too much, as you can wear through the veneer layer.Veneer actually doesn't split as much as hardwood.
On the other hand, you may get blistering over time, or the veneer may start to peel up.When choosing veneer, look for a thin veneer layer rather than thick veneer.
Thick veneer is more likely to split.
You'll be able to to tell on the edges.
Thick veneer will be visible., Each type of wood has something different to bring to the table.
Some woods are cheap and plentiful, while others will stand the test of time more readily.
If you know the type of wood the furniture is made out of, you know a bit more about it's quality. "Hardwood" and "softwood" more often refer to the type of tree than the durability of the wood, so pay attention to the type of wood instead.For instance, pine is cheap, so it's used fairly often.
However, it's relatively soft, so it dents and dings easily.Oak is hard-wearing.
It also has a distinctive, visible grain, so you need to appreciate the look.Walnut is also hard-wearing, but it has a variation in color that may or may not be to your taste.Cherry is a more expensive wood, due to its fine grain and beautiful color.Maple is not as expensive, but it is extremely durable.
It is also easy to stain any color you'd like.
Mahogany is more expensive than maple, and it is also a quality wood.
About the Author
Gary Freeman
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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