quality of wooden furniture
Wood furniture has a timeless beauty that transcends the trends of fashion and color, making it a wise investment for your home. But, like any other product, there are varying degrees of quality. Knowing the telltale signs of good quality wooden furniture will help you avoid costly mistakes that could leave you with a piece that’s either broken or worn out within a short time frame.
The first thing you need to be able to identify is whether the furniture you are looking at is made of solid wood or wood products (plywood, MDF etc). A quick look at the underside of the piece should give you an idea of what it is really made of. Often times manufacturers will build the outer parts of the furniture from solid wood and construct the interior pieces (like drawer boxes) from plywood.
There are a wide variety of trees used to make wooden furniture and the quality of the lumber can vary greatly. Generally speaking, the better quality of wood will have been kiln-dried. This process takes the moisture out of the wood and prevents warping, splitting and cracking. It is also a good idea to make sure the wood has been sanded, buffed and sealed to ensure it looks smooth, and the grain is clearly visible. In addition to the visual appearance, a quality piece of wood furniture will feel substantial and sturdy when you touch it.
How can I identify the quality of wooden furniture?
A good rule of thumb is to look for wood that has a natural variation in color (no dyes). A high-quality piece of wooden furniture will have a pronounced grain pattern and be free of cracks, chips and blemishes. It will also be free of voids, knots and other imperfections that would weaken the structural integrity of the piece.
Another key factor to consider is how the pieces of the wooden furniture are joined together. Glued joints are almost always an indication of lower-quality construction. The best construction methods will include dovetail and mortise-and-tenon joinery. Dovetail joints are a series of interlocking squarish ‘teeth’ that are glued together for strength and stability. Mortise and tenon joinery is a system where the narrow end of one piece fits snugly into a hole carved into the other.
In addition to the joint construction, a good piece of furniture will be reinforced by the padding and upholstery fabric. Check the foam density of the cushions, and be sure that they are wrapped in fiber for added protection. You can also pull out the back cushion of a chair and inspect the interior of the padding for lumps, tears and loose filling that would detract from the comfort of the seat. Inspect the stitching of the upholstery as well to see if it is tight, strong and uniform. If the stitching is loose or crooked, this will add to the wear and tear on the cushion and may even rip it.