Let’s be honest: “selecting the right type of wood” for your furniture can be very intimidating since there’s so much to choose from in the markets. There is no right or wrong answer for “What is the best wood for my furniture.?”, Simply because there’s a lot to choose from.
But we don’t need to worry about that because I hope through these guidelines and tips that I’ve prefaced below, you’ll be able to choose at ease and have a better understanding of “what type of wood is the best for you.?” because at the end of the day it does come down to your taste and depends on What your budget might be? What type of tones do you prefer? Which type of furniture do you want to build.? And hopefully, by the end of this, all of these questions will be answered.
Types of wood for furniture
First, we need to identify what types of wood are available in the market.? And how do they all differ from each other.?
Well, to start, there are three main types of wood out there:
- Hardwood.
- Softwood.
- Engineered wood or Manufactured wood.
1) Hardwood:
They originate from angiosperms and deciduous trees with flowering plants such as maple, walnut, etc. Hardwood tends to grow slower, making them denser and more structurally complex.
Uses:
Hardwood is usually used and found in high-quality wood furniture in construction or furniture, which is meant to last long.
Cost:
As a result of the hardwoods not being readily available for building wood furniture, it is expensive because they take a long time to grow. Another reason hardwoods are expensive when making wood furniture is that they have a longer lifespan than other types of wood: They are rugged, durable, and can last a very long time.
Example:
Mahogany, Maple, Oak, etc
2) Softwood:
They originate from gymnosperms, usually evergreen conifers such as pine, spruce, fir, etc. Softwoods tend to grow faster and are less complex structurally compared to hardwoods.
Uses:
Softwood can be found in about 80% of all timber due to its availability and wide range of uses and applications in all types of furniture because they are easier to work with than hardwoods. They can be found in doors, windows, bed frames, etc.
Cost:
Softwood is readily available and way more affordable compared to hardwood which is why it is found in 80% of timber because this type of wood is easier to harvest compared to hardwood.
Example:
Spruce, Douglas Cedar, Redwood.
3) Engineered wood :
Engineered wood is man-made wood manufactured from lumber wood waste such as sawmill scraps or sawdust which could be byproducts of either hardwoods or softwoods, which are reformed using heat, glue, and pressure to make a usable solid-wood alternative.
Uses:
Since engineered wood is made from the remains of softwood and hardwood, it is used in a bunch of different furniture pieces, from modular kitchens, bookshelves and doors. The difference is the quality and durability compared to the other naturally produced woods. In addition, this is a cheaper and easier manufactured alternative.
Cost:
Engineered wood has one main advantage: it is very cost-effective, so it is on the cheaper end, which is a plus if you are looking for wood that isn’t too expensive for your furniture.
Example:
Plywood, Fiberboard, MDF, etc.
Now that we know what the three main types of wood are for furniture let’s look at our options for the top 10 best wood for furniture from these types.
Top 10 best wood for furniture:
1) Walnut Wood:
Walnut has got to be one of the best options if you’re looking for something that is durable, shock-resistant, and has a lot of stability; walnut wood is one of the best options. While it can be expensive, it’s worth the investment. It can be used in different types of flooring, Expensive instruments that musicians use, high-quality dining sets the list goes on.
Appearance: Walnut wood has a beautiful natural dark brown color and is often found in homes with dark cozy themed furniture.
2) Oak Wood:
Oakwood is another top choice among carpenters because of how beautiful it is, and its wearability and longevity is something many homeowners admire. Oak is used in Doors, fences, cabinets, wine barrels, etc.
Appearance: It comes in two shades, white and red, and oak tends to darken over time, even though the change may be very subtle.
3) Maple Wood:
Maple is one of the hardest types of wood and is often found in high-end furniture due to its strength: kitchen accessories, baseball bats, pool cue shafts, bowling alley lanes, and decorative woodwork.
Appearance: It tends to be a white hue with pitch fleck and mineral streaks, adding some reddish-brown tints to it, though the color will deepen with age.
4) Cedar Wood:
Cedar is also an ideal choice for outdoor furniture classified as softwood. It is also highly durable and is often found on fences.
Appearance: A reddish-brown heartwood.
5) Pine Wood:
It is a very light-wood type of wood. It is a commonly used lake house.
Appearance: It is white or pale yellow in appearance.
6) Ash Wood:
It is solid, smooth-grained hardwood. It is scarce in quantity currently due to pest invasions, but it is often used in cabinetry and sporting goods.
Appearance It is light in color and often appears in a white to light brown shade.
7) Birch Wood:
Birchwood is hard and very shock-resistant. It is often found in sofa frames and bed frames.
Appearance: It is light reddish-brown, straight-grained wood.
8) Plywood or High-density fiberboards:
Plywood is an engineered wood which is a more cost-effective and better option if you are building on a budget, they are more environmentally stable, but the downside is it does not have the longevity the same way naturally obtained wood has. However, due to its versatility, it has uniform strength and is often found and used in packages, boxes, roofs, and even internal paneling.
Appearances: Their appearance depends on what they are coated with, but usually, there are two main types: film plywood and molded plywood. The most common plywood we see daily appears to be light beige.
9) Cherry Wood:
Since cherry wood is an excellent shock absorber and is quite sturdy, a lot of craftsmen love working with it. It is more expensive but less expensive than walnut wood, and due to its abundance, it is used in many flooring by homeowners, even in instruments like violins and pianos.
Appearance: A lot of people like cherry woods also because when purchased and furnished, it appears to be quite pinkish, but as time goes on, it darkens and changes to a slightly dark reddish-brown color.
10) Mahogany wood:
It is quite durable, has a stunning appearance, and is less susceptible to damage than other hardwoods, making it a very commercially important and sought-after wood for its lumber. It is one of the most expensive woods for furniture. It is used in boats, cabins, billiard tables, and often flooring.
Appearance: Mahogany wood is quite beautiful and has a gorgeous appearance. It does change its tones over time from light to dark reddish-brown.
FAQ
What is the best type of wood material for furniture?
The answer to this question depends on your budget, style, and personal taste. Many different types of wood can be used in making furniture. The most common ones include pine, oak, maple, mahogany, cherry, walnut, teak, bamboo, cedar, elm, ash, etc. But it would be best if you always considered the maintenance cost and how easily they are assembled when buying them.
Why is solid wood furniture so expensive?
The cost of that solid wood furniture you’re considering depends on several things, like supply and demand. For instance, hardwoods grow slower than softwoods, making them harder to come by and, therefore, more expensive. In addition, solid wooden furniture may be more challenging to produce in large numbers than modular pieces made from manufactured materials.
Conclusion
Our top ten list of the best wood for furniture at various prices is a good starting point for anyone who wants to decide which wood is suitable for their project.
- Read more: How to Tell the Age of Wicker Furniture?
