Types of Wood Furniture
When you want to make your living space look like a new one but spending half of the money, just buy some wood furniture. With the low prices today for natural wood furniture, it is possible to make your own wooden furniture and save more money. If you have a free weekend, why not spend it on wood furniture making? Here are a few simple steps to follow.
The first step in making your own wood furniture is to select the right furniture-making technique and tools. There are different woods used for this purpose, including maple, pine, oak, cherry, birch, mahogany, boxwood and many others. Some of the more common materials used for making furniture include pine; oak; cherry and birch woods. Some manufacturers specialize in particular types of woods, such as those used for traditional furniture making, or those with unique features. Linoleum, which is a synthetic form of wood, is another manufactured form of wood, usually a naturally appearing mineral resulting mainly from silica ( SiO2).
When making your own wood furniture, the grain, or texture, of the wood has a big impact. Some woods are stiffer than others and appear smooth whereas others, such as birch, look coarse. A good test to determine how well your wood furniture will fit in your home is by seating on it. If it feels comfortable, the grain will be apparent, whereas if it feels hard or scratchy, it is not.
Once the grain is determined, the next step is to choose the right furniture-making medium. When it comes to furniture woods, there are two kinds: softwoods and hardwoods. Softwoods are much lighter than hardwoods and therefore provide a lighter touch. Examples of softwoods are pine, cedar, spruce, redwood, and Douglas fir. Hardwoods, on the other hand, consist of broadleaf trees like fir, oak, hickory, elm, maple, and walnut.
While wood veneer furniture is durable and relatively inexpensive, it does require more maintenance than hardwood furniture. It is recommended that the veneer furniture be cleaned once a month or after a particularly moist season. Since it is easier to clean stains, spills, and dirt from veneer furniture, it is often recommended as the preferred material for replacing damaged or missing pieces. Wood veneer furniture also does not require the tedious polishing process necessary for genuine wood furniture, and it is easy to clean using a damp cloth.
Wood furniture may be painted, polished, or varnished. Painted finishes are often used to protect the grain of the wood from fading. Polished finishes help to bring out the natural color of the wood and are often used to resemble cherry or walnut. Varnished woods look more uniform in color, though they will usually not last as long.