There are different types of wood used for furniture manufacturing. Each wood offers unique color, grain, density, and finishing features. Selecting the best type of wood for your furniture is vital. Whether you are buying it for home, or office use, the wood characteristics play a significant role in the durability and life of your furniture. Let’s take a look at different types of wood for furniture, including wood types, qualities, softwood and hardwood comparison, and many more.
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Different Types of Wood for Furniture- a Detailed Guide to Wood
Before diving into the furniture wood universe, let’s clear our vision about softwoods and hardwoods.
- Softwoods
This wood type is extracted from free that don’t produce seeds such as conifers. These trees only produce needles and cones and are known as “gymnosperms.” The density and hardness of softwoods are relatively less than hardwoods. However, they are famous for their versatile use.
Softwoods occupy about 80% of the wood being used for timber. Such woods are widely used for furniture in Pakistan, producing papers, building frames, and engineered wood.
- Hardwoods
A type of wood that comes from deciduous, broad-leaved trees is known as hardwood. Such trees can produce seeds, but they need a long time to grow. Hardwoods are extracted from flowering trees, also known as “angiosperms.” This type of wood for furniture has dark shades and costs more than softwood.
Remember, hardwood is more durable and long-lasting than softwoods. However, all hardwoods are not hard such as poplar and basswood. Also, read How To Clean Sofa Without Vacuum Cleaner
Types of wood for furniture
You can easily find your favorite furniture in both hardwood and softwoods. Here are some most used wood types for furniture.
1. Walnut Wood
One of the most durable and shock-resistant wood types used to manufacture furniture, the walnut offers excellent stability. Walnut is amongst the most expensive options available on the market, but you won’t regret investing in walnut furniture.
It is widely used in different types of floorings, high-quality dining sets, and expensive musical instruments. Walnut wood comes with an elegant natural dark brown color and is used for homes with dark cozy themes.
2. Maple Wood
Another remarkable type of wood used for furniture, Maple, is available in different types. Furniture made from Maple is highly durable and last for a long time.
One excellent benefit of Maple is that it is non-toxic, which makes it an ideal wood for kitchen cutting boards. Different grain patterns are available on the market, depending on your choice.
3. Oak Wood
One of the most durable wood types used for kitchen and flooring furniture, Oak is an attractive option with a reasonable price. Remember, the red oak wood is porous and slightly darker in color.
4. Mahogany Wood
This beautiful wood is another commonly used type in furniture manufacturing. In fact, this is one of the lightweight wood types for furniture, but it has as durable as Oakwood.
Mahogany is available in reddish-brown and lighter shades. Genuine mahogany wood comes from Latin America and is one of the rarest woods for furniture manufacturing. It is also used to manufacture musical instruments like guitars.
5. Cherry Wood
Cherry wood is known for its greater stock absorbing abilities and durability. Wood artisans love to work with cherry wood. The price is less than expensive furniture woods like walnut.
Cherry is a commonly available wood and is mostly used for home floorings. It is also utilized for musical instruments like pianos and violins.
6. Ash Wood
Ash trees are found worldwide and have medium to large heights. The texture of this wood is smooth to touch. However, ash wood is durable, long-lasting, and adaptable. It is an excellent option for screwing, gluing, and nailing.
One drawback of ash wood is that it may emit an unpleasant odor while working on it.
7. Teak Wood
Best known for its durable and robust nature, teak wood can last for a long time if maintained properly. The golden brown color of teak wood combined with the straight grains perfectly creates a visual treat.
Another notable benefit of teak wood is its natural oil content which makes it resistant to termites and related pesky bugs.
8. Rosewood
Rosewood trees are commonly found in tropical environments, including India, Madagascar, and Brazil. This wood can last for a long time when properly dried.
Rosewood comes with decent chalky deposits that dull tools and may create some finish problems. However, rosewood is one of the toughest wood types for furniture.
9. Beech Wood
Wood artisans love beech wood as it is very easy to work with. However, the dark side is that beech has lower durability, especially when exposed to the elements for a long time period. Beech trees are commonly found in Asia, North America, and Europe.
10. Birch Wood
Commonly found in Northern Hemisphere, Birch trees are just like Oakwood trees. However, they are difficult to work with. Birch plywood is one of the most commonly used types for its hard, inexpensive, stable, and easy availability.
11. Sal Wood
Resistant to white ants, fungi, and insects found in the home, Sal wood is best known for its durability and tensile strength. Sal wood is practically immune to decay. It is typically used for frames of windows and doors.
12. Cedar Wood
Found in the Eastern United States, Cedar is widely known for its great strength and long-lasting nature. Red cedar also termed “aromatic red cedar,” is perfectly resistant to decay and insects. It offers a powerful aroma and convenient planes and shapes. However, the nail and screw holding abilities of cedar are ordinary.
Final words
Hardwoods are the best choice for manufacturing different types of furniture. Despite being increasingly hard to obtain, hardwood furniture is a perfect combination of appearance and durability that is not available with softwoods. On the other hand, softwood is a reasonably priced wood used for flooring in homes. Choosing the type of wood depends on your budget and preference.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which Is the Best Type of Wood for Furniture?
Teak wood is the best type of furniture food and is popular for its high fire resistance and durability. Other good woods for furniture are Oak, mahogany, and rosewood.
2. Which Wood Is Best for the Interior?
Rosewood and teakwood are the two best wood types for home interior.
3. Which Wood Is the Strongest and Lightest One?
Redwood is known as one of the strongest and lightest woods available on the market for furniture manufacturing.