Types of Wood: 5 Best Wood for Furniture with their Pros and Cons
Are you going to purchase new furniture for your renovated house but don’t know how to select the best and long-lasting furniture?
A little information about the types of wood and combining it with your needs help you a lot in buying the best quality and most desirable furniture.
Home and business furniture come in different varieties, colors, and features that depend on the wood used for its manufacturing. Some wood is called solid wood others are called softwood similarly, hardwood and engineered wood are also used for furniture manufacturing. These varied types of woods come from different trees like maple, lumbar, and oak. Each type has their own facets.
This article will help you in finding the wood that fits your budget, its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages.
What are the types of wood?
On a broad classification scheme, wood can be hard, soft, and engineering. Only these three types of wood are available in the market, but under these types, there are several different qualities based on the origin of the wood.
Hardwood
As the name suggests, this type of wood is dense and comes from angiosperm trees that produce nuts and fruits and have broad leaves. These deciduous trees grow in the tropical and temperate forest, where they grow slowly hence have densely packed structures. Due to its slower growth and less availability, it is slightly expensive.
Trees that provide us hardwood includes:
- Maple
- Walnut
- Mahogany
- Oak
Softwood
In softwood, the word soft is a misnomer because it does not follow all the properties of softness. Softwoods are not as dense as hardwood, but sometimes it might be harder.
Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees that grow faster than hardwood trees. It is easier to work with these coniferous trees wood, and it is mostly used to make doors, windows, and furniture due to its wide availability.
Sources of softwoods are:
- Pine
- Cedar
- Redwood
- Spure
- Fur
Engineered wood
Engineered wood, also known as manufacturing wood, has a high demand for furniture manufacturing. It is made by combining different types of wood to form plywood or particleboards.
5 best types of wood for furniture manufacturing
There are various types of wood that are used for making furniture. All those types have different characteristics. The five best types of wood are listed below. For more information about other types of wood Click here
Maple wood for furniture
If you are looking for the most durable furniture, then maple wood furniture will be best for you. Due to its hard and strong nature, it is used to make dining, and due to its non-toxic nature, it is preferred for the manufacturing of cutting boards.
Maple wood has a reddish-brown color, but it can be stained if you use a darker staining agent.
Pros
- Due to its ability to take darker stains, it looks like expensive wood, and it has a great appearance.
- It is durable, but along with this, it is less expensive.
Cons
- Maple has fewer grains, so scratches can be visible, and it is affected by humidity and temperature.
Oakwood furniture
Oak furniture is the best wood for furniture and has a beautiful appearance. Oakwood comes under the type of hardwood that grows slowly, and its structure is dense. Due to its dense composition, it is durable and long-lasting and does not fade with proper care.
This wood comes in a range of colors, from light brown to pinkish-red, and becomes yellow with time. Oakwood has to form white oak and red oak, and it is used to make cabinets and furniture. It is also used for the purpose of flooring.
Pros
- This wood is long-lasting, durable, and strong. Along with this, it is not so expensive.
- It stains well.
Cons
- It Will fade and give a yellow appearance if cared for.
Acacia wood for furniture manufacturing
Acacia wood is highly resistant wood that can withstand climatic changes and therefore use for exterior work. Acacia wood is a mixture of reddish and light brown color and has dark veins. Acacia wood tree is found in different regions of the world, but it is commonly obtained from Australia, where it originates.
In the list of world hardest wood acacia occupied a position. The furniture of acacia is durable, but if it gets dry, it is difficult to give it shape and cracked easily.
Pros
- Hardest known wood with different shades and so is the best choice for furniture.
- It can withstand environmental changes due to its strong nature.
Cons
- Acacia is very prone to cracking.
Cherry wood furniture
Cherry wood furniture is the most expensive among the other wood furniture. The color ranges from light pink to rich reddish-brown. This dark wood is used to make furniture, cabinet, floor, and cutting boards.
Cherry wood changes its color from light pink to dark reddish with the exposure of light that is the reason for attraction for most people.
Pros
- It has an attractive color that changes with time.
- Cherry wood is the durable hardwood.
Cons
- It is quite expensive.
Pinewood furniture
Pinewood is inexpensive softwood mostly used for furniture manufacturing. Due to its soft nature, it can break easily. It is best for the families who change their house very frequently because it is light in weight.
Pros
- Pinewood furniture is budget-friendly.
- It is easy to carry from one place to another.
Cons
- Pinewood is softwood and so easily breakable.
The bottom line
There is a variety of wood available for furniture manufacturing. Each type of wood has different qualities and price ranges.