Woods used in making furniture

Wood works and furniture are important attractions of a house. The renewability and versatility of wood is the reason for its wide use in the world of furniture. There are many varieties  that come in different shades of color to suit the ambience. Woods have certain characteristics like hardness, grains and color. Structural, mechanical and visual characteristics play an important role in the selection for use in a piece of furniture.

 

Visual characteristics or appearances are determined by color and the grain patterns. The color variation is caused because of the variation in soil types, minerals, water level, available sunlight, temperature and genetic composition. Grain variation is due to variations in tree size, growth rate, climatic conditions, insect and fire damage etc.

Wood required for making wooden beds or outdoor furniture should be more durable compared to woods used for making decorative items. Hard woods are woods that are got from deciduous trees while soft woods are got from conifers. Deciduous trees are broad leaved trees and Conifers have needle-like leaves. 

Mahogany, walnut, oak, maple, cherry, rosewood, teak and sheesham are hard. Pine, fir, redwood, spruce and cedar are soft. The grain structures have open pores in the form of tiny holes in the surface. When the surface is stained, the color tends to collect in the open-pores and appears darker than the rest of the piece.

Wooden sheeting can be made from different types of wood. Plywood is made from thin laminates of wood glued together. It is very strong but also flexible especially when thin. Medium Density Fiber Board (MDFB) is made from powdered wood bonded with glue and compressed to form sheets. Chipboard is made from  chips and widely used for low cost flooring.
 

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