Furniture Materials Chapter 15

Materials Wood Plastic Metal Glass

Materials Can be used alone or in combination with other materials Furniture should be safe and durable Understanding furniture construction can help you choose the highest-quality furniture for your money

Wood in Furniture Most common material used in furniture construction Case goods Mainly constructed from wood Tables, desks, dressers, headboards, chest, etc You can find wood used as the structural framework of furniture that is covered by another material

Classification of Wood Type and quality of wood grain Hardwood versus softwood Solid versus bonded wood Type of wood joints Finished versus unfinished wood These factors affect the quality of the piece of furniture.

Wood Grain A pattern formed as a tree grows The stump of a tree has a beautiful, irregular growth of the tree’s roots Lumber is cut to show off the grain Crotch wood Special grain caused by branches growing out from the trunk of a tree Burls Woody, flattened outgrowths on trees, have a unique and highly prized grain

Hardwood Comes from deciduous trees or trees that lose their leaves Most popular… Walnut, mahogany, pecan, cherry, maple, and oak Does not dent easily Usually stronger that softwood and cost more

Softwood Comes from evergreen trees or trees that do not shed their leaves Does not have as beautiful a grain as hardwood Dents easily Most common… Cedar, redwood, pine, fir, and spruce Some softwood is harder than hardwood

Solid Wood Means that all exposed parts of a piece of furniture are made of whole pieces of wood Usually expensive (especially if made from hardwood) Has a tendency to warp, swell, and crack

Bonded Wood Wood that has been bonded by glue and pressure Veneered wood (plywood) Created by bonding three, five, or seven thin layers of wood to one another Pressed wood (particleboard) Made of shavings, veneer scraps, chips, ad other small pieces of wood

Wood Joints How the wood pieces are fastened or joined Glue should be used on all joints to add strength

Mortise-and-tenon joint One of the strongest joints Glued tenon fits tightly into the mortise (hole) No nails or screws are used Commonly used to join legs or rails to tables, chairs, and headboards

Double-dowel joints Very common and very strong Glued wooden dowels fit into drilled holes in both pieces of wood

Dovetail Joints Used to fasten corner joints Can be found in drawers of good-quality furniture

Tongue-and-groove joints Created when a tongue is cut on one board and a matching groove is cut on another Joints are invisible if they are made skillfully Used where several boards are joined length-wise (tabletops)

Butt Joints Weakest of the joints One board is simply glued or nailed flush to another board

Corner blocks Small pieces of wood attached between corner boards Support and reinforce the joint Used in construction of chairs and tables Keep one side from pulling away from the other

Finished Wood Most are already finished Finished furniture has been treated in one or more ways to protect and improve the appearance of the wood surface Some finishes include stain, sealers, waxes, and paints It can also be used to enhance an existing furniture piece by applying decorative finishes

Unfinished Wood The wood is left in its natural state following construction Untreated wood surfaces appeal to those who want to finish the furniture themselves

Plastic Usually less expensive than wood Lightweight, sturdy, and easy to clean Looks best in modern and contemporary settings Plastic used for furniture should not imitate other material, such as wood

Metal Popular for both indoor and outdoor furniture Wrought iron, steel, cast aluminum, and chrome are popular Metal is often combined with other materials (wood, fabric, or glass)

Glass Usually combined with metal or wood Popular for tabletops and cabinet doors Glass should be thick and durable