What are the benefits of solid wood furniture?
There are numerous benefits of picking a piece of furniture built from solid wood, from the beauty that natural wood brings to your home, to the durability of solid wood furniture. In this article, we discuss the benefits of owning a piece of solid wood furniture.
What is solid wood?
The term "solid wood" describes anything crafted from solid pieces of hardwood or softwood. In the UK the most common types of hardwood used in furniture manufacture are oak, maple, walnut, and mahogany. With softwoods, most soldi wood furniture will be made from either pine, cedar or fir.
The alternative to solid wood are synthetic materials. This includes particleboard (which is compressed wood chips mixed with glue or resin), plywood, MDF and even plastic materials. Often, a veneer will be glued on top of the particle board to make it look more like authentic solid wood.
Why is solid wood better?
If you compare solid wood to its engineered wood counterparts, it's easy to see why you should choose solid wood construction. So, let’s look at the benefits of choosing a piece of furniture crafted from solid wood:
- Natural beauty - A piece of furniture crafted from solid wood brings beauty and originality to your home. Each piece of wood is different and brings imperfections and variations that only add to the uniqueness.
- Timeless style - Solid wood furniture typically features classic, timeless designs that add character to any home. If interior design is your thing, a piece of beautifully crafted solid wood can add warmth to a room and a traditional style to any space.
- Durability - Furniture constructed from solid wood is built to last. The superior construction and use of better materials give it the strength to hold up against wear and tear, and it won’t deteriorate like furniture made from lesser quality materials.
- Better value - The higher quality materials will often mean that you will spend more on a piece of solid wood furniture upfront. But for the same reasons, the furniture will maintain its value for much longer than a piece made from cheap materials.
- Easy maintenance - To keep a piece of solid wood furniture looking great, you don’t need much more than the occasional dusting and polishing.
- Easy to refinish - If you feel like changing up the look of a piece of solid wood furniture, go for it! A little paint or stain can completely change the feel of a room.
- Eco-friendly - Solid wood is biodegradable and made from sustainable materials. On top of that, particleboard, fiberboard, and PVC plastic can contain harmful chemicals. Who wants toxic chemicals in their household? Our shelves are finished with beeswax, which has little environmental impact and is perfectly safe for humans and animals. Our coat racks are finished with hard wax oil, which is especially tough and durable, and again perfectly safe for humans and animals.
It's an all-too-common practice for manufacturers of furniture crafted from engineered wood to mislabel their products. You might see the phrase “wood solids” or a label naming the kind of wood the veneer is supposed to mimic. Don't let this fool you.
You can easily identify a piece of solid wood furniture by its heavier weight and generally higher price point. It can help to look underneath, behind, or inside a piece of furniture for signs of synthetic materials used in construction.
All our shelves and coat racks are made from 100% solid oak and pine wood.
Final thoughts
The benefits of solid wood furniture are many, and the value and durability of one of these beautiful pieces far outweigh those of its cheaper counterparts. If you are shopping for a new piece of furniture for your home, opt for solid wood if you want a stunning, sturdy piece that will last for generations.
If you have any questions about any of our products, please just let us know via our contact us page.