subject: Veneer And Solid Wood, What Are The Differences? [print this page] Manufacturers of wooden furniture, particularly dining sets and similar products that have to be sturdy as they get used practically every day and may have a lot of weight placed on them, often use a combination of solid and veneer woods to make them stylish and strong but also affordable to the masses.
When we speak of veneer in the context of quality furniture, we are not referring to plywood or similar, we are discussing quality veneer woods suitable for furniture making. Solid wood alone can be out of many consumers' budget and so using veneer for various parts in the design makes a lot of sense financially. Superior furniture manufacturers will generally make products from a combination of both to save money but retain the attractiveness.
Typically the solid wood is used for the core and legs of the item to ensure it's strong enough to withstand daily use, also any parts that are seen such as doors and the fronts of drawers should be straight-grain solid wood. They then choose veneer for the hidden parts, in chests of drawers this would be the bottom or back of the drawer, or as a finishing material to give a superior quality appearance to low cost furniture
What is veneer exactly? It's simply where thin slivers of wood are used to save on the amount of solid wood as this is more expensive, while it is accurate that low-quality veneers are frequently used for the exterior of furniture, when incorporated skillfully it can be very beautiful and in lots of cases is used by craftsman to create fine pieces that calls for intricate designs using a number of contrasting woods. Some of the most luxurious, creative and expensive pieces of furniture often feature veneers with high quality hardwoods as the base.
Timber cut into veneer is often more environmentally-friendly than cutting planks as a lot more surfaces can be made from one piece, and there is little wood wasted as less sawdust is produced using this method. Painted dining tables often incorporate veneer and hardwood together for practical purposes.
The advantages of solid wood are many and one of the main ones is its practicality. Any item made from oak, beech, mahogany or any other hardwood is particularly tough and resilient and these are the main reasons behind why so many people opt to pay that bit extra and buy handsome dining tables or a bedroom wardrobe, they know it will last for years and still retain its beauty.
Every piece of furniture in a family home tells a story especially if there are kids involved, scratches, dents, water marks and general wear and tear is expected over the years, it's all part of living and this is what makes solid wood so great, it can easily be sanded and varnished to look just as good as new again if that's the look you like, or leave it looking battered and used as it gives real character to a piece.
Even though solid wood is really tough you still have to take care of it and maintain it if you want the best from your oak furniture, the best conditions are inside the home where it's not exposed to extreme weather conditions which in some cases can make it split along the grain of the wood.
When it comes down to it the quality of dining sets, apart from the type of wood it's made from of course, is all down to the design and manufacturer and how it's built. Before parting with your money make sure you confirm if it's real wood veneers or solid wood you are buying.
