1. Furniture Materials
Chapter 15

2. Materials
Wood
Plastic
Metal
Glass

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

12. 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

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

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

15. 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)

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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)

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