The Ultimate Guide To Different Types of Wood For Furniture
Whether you're moving into a new home or breathing new life into your old furniture, choosing the right wood can make all the difference. The quality of wood not only elevates your room's aesthetic but ensures your furniture stands the test of time—making it a worthwhile investment. Wood is a timeless favourite in furniture-making for a good reason: it’s durable, versatile, and easy to maintain. A quick dusting is often all it takes to keep your pieces looking fresh. From the classic elegance of teak to the sleek sophistication of mahogany, each type of wood brings something unique to your decor. In this guide, we’ll explore popular types of wood for furniture, their standout features, and fun facts to help you make the best choice on your next shopping spree.
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Durability Meets Style: Popular Types of Wood For Furniture
When it comes to choosing the perfect match from the different types of wood for furniture can be a daunting task. By understanding different factors like colour, density, and finish, you can get a deeper understanding of the quality of these woods and choose the one that fits your budget and purpose. Check out these popular wood variants:
Teak Wood - Affordable Durability
Teakwood is one of the most popular types of wood for furniture. Its high durability and budget-friendly prices make it a great option for most households. It offers a warm colour and straight or wavy grain pattern that accentuates the decor of the room. Teakwood is also renowned for its natural water and insect-repellent properties, making it an ideal choice for outdoor pieces of furniture like swings, chairs and benches. You can also explore a variety of high-quality and custom designs for teakwood veneer from reputable brands like CenturyPly to keep your furniture secure and beautiful for a long time.
Sal Wood - Unparalleled Strength
A dark brown variant of hardwood, Sai or Sal wood, is known for its tensile strength and versatility. Its major use is to provide support to structures. It is decay-resistant and features a straight grain, which makes it an ideal choice for indoor use like window frames and support beams. Sal is considered a hardwood with a medium density that lends it to a variety of uses, from floors and different types of furniture to delicate yet durable musical instruments. That rich, luscious brown colour matures over time, giving it a strong depth that adds to its uniqueness.
Indian Rosewood - The Sacred One
Seesham, a popular name for Indian rosewood, is indigenous wood to the Indian subcontinent, including regions like Pakistan and Nepal. They carry a rich reddish brown hue that gives off a premium look to most furniture. Just like usual, this is also highly durable and offers protection against termites. Traditionally, it is considered a sacred object and is used to make many prayer items and furniture like beads and temples. It features a versatile graining pattern from straight to interlock that creates a unique design for every individual piece of furniture.
Cedarwood - A Sensory Experience
Cedar wood is the perfect choice for an amazing aromatic experience. It exudes a fresh scent that creates a unique experience when used indoors. While the beautiful scents provide a unique sensory experience, the natural oils of the wood keep insects away. This dual property is what makes cedar wood one of the most popular types of wood for furniture like drawers and cupboards in India. To enhance its hard texture and lightweight design, brands like CenturyPly offer quality laminates featuring Boiling water Resistant (BWR) to keep your furniture safe and stylish. Cedarwood grows relatively quickly and can be a great source of sustainable and eco-friendly production.
Mahogany Wood - The Ultimate Luxury
If you reside in areas with high humidity or moisture in general, Mahogany wood is a blessing for your home decor. Its dense grain structure stops it from shrinking or swelling during changes in weather. It is usually free of any imperfections and pockets; this premium look makes it a great choice for luxurious pieces of furniture and cabinets. You can also enjoy the interesting texture of Mahogany wood as a veneer or try the custom designer option from CenturyPly to create a style that complements your home decor. Starting with a light reddish hue, this hardwood changes its colour over time to an intense blood-red shade, giving you value in the long run.
Oak Wood - The Evergreen Design
For a classic rustic vibe, oak wood is a favourite choice for most individuals. Oak wood is classified as hardwood, which means it is dense, sturdy and long-lasting. With a sturdy build and hard texture, oak is a great option for types of furniture and DIY enthusiasts as it holds nails and screws firmly. With about more than 600 species available, oak ranges from lighter shades of white and yellows to brown. Its cheap price and high durability are what make it one of the most sought-after types of wood for furniture in India.
Deodar Wood - Sacred and Aromatic
Native to the Himalayan region, Deodar wood is resilient to colder temperatures. In India, it’s also considered a sacred wood and is known as the “tree of the gods”, symbolising divine protection and strength. Deodar wood is the best of both worlds; it is lightweight and offers high durability. Its close-grain design allows for easy paints and oil tarnishings. Just like cedar, Deodar wood has a distinct pleasant aroma that can give you a one-of-a-kind experience. Due to its lightweight and great tensile strength, plywood is one of the most prominent uses of Deodar wood. While Deodar offers anti-fungal properties with CenturyPly’s Virokill technology, you can enhance its anti-virus properties at affordable prices.
Maple Wood - Stainless Wood
Did you know that you can simply wipe the stains over maple wood with a damp cloth? Yes, and this natural water-resistant quality of the maple wood makes it a preferred choice for kitchen furniture. It is a sturdy wood, one of the most durable hardwoods in the world, which is also resistant to splitting. People who like a modern touch can go with the pale and yellow shade of maple for personal decor. Additionally, it features a curly or bird’s-eye grain that adds to its unique style and look. Flooring and pieces of furniture like chairs and tables are mostly made from maple wood. Baseball floors are a great example of maple wood’s sturdiness and aesthetic appeal.
Wrapping Up
Different types of wood for furniture offer something unique not only to the style but to the physical properties of the furniture. Depending on the purpose, location and aesthetics of the furniture, you can pick your ideal wood type. While most wood types offer long-lasting durability and minimal maintenance, using plywood and laminates can be a great way to increase their value in the long run. Esteemed brands like CenturyPly offer custom designs and cutting-edge technologies like boiling water resistance and anti-virus layering to help your furniture stay sharp for a long time.
FAQs
Q1. How do I Choose the Right Type of Wood for Furniture?
Be clear and precise about the purpose of the wood. Is it for outdoor or indoor furniture, and what type of furniture? For instance, outdoor furniture suits wood like teak that is strong and naturally water-resistant. However, for indoor, Mahogony’s delicate scent and premium texture are the right choice.
Q2. What is the Difference Between Solid Wood and Veneer?
Solid wood, as the name suggests is a piece of natural wood that can be used for furniture or any other manufacturing. On the other hand, a veneer is when natural wood is combined with a core panel like plywood for added durability. Where solid wood offers a natural texture and look, it can be prone to environmental damage. In contrast, a veneer can help keep it protected from moisture and termites for a longer duration but lose its natural look.
Q3. How can I Make Cedarwood Last Long?
While Cedar wood is naturally resistant to insects and decay, layering with oil and high-quality lamination can go a long way to keep it protected from environmental damage. You can opt for BWC-tested plywood or lamination from CenturyPly to stay worryless.
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