...quality materials.
We only use solid wood or furniture grade plywood for our builds. Why does this matter?
First, a little education...
Engineered materials have changed the furniture industry forever. They allow large scale manufacturers to produce furniture on an industrial scale while keeping costs to a minimum. This is good for the bottom line, but unfortunately for everyone else, quality is sometimes sacrificed resulting in shorter lifetime of the product. While some of these materials are very beneficial, many of them, when used in the wrong application, can lead to early failure of the furniture. Some of these engineered materials include:
First, a little education...
Engineered materials have changed the furniture industry forever. They allow large scale manufacturers to produce furniture on an industrial scale while keeping costs to a minimum. This is good for the bottom line, but unfortunately for everyone else, quality is sometimes sacrificed resulting in shorter lifetime of the product. While some of these materials are very beneficial, many of them, when used in the wrong application, can lead to early failure of the furniture. Some of these engineered materials include:
- MDF-Medium Density Fiberboard. MDF is produced from very fine sawdust mixed with glue and pressed into large sheets using a hydraulic press. This process yields a very dense, very flat sheet of material. MDF has varied applications, but because of it's hygroscopic nature (readily absorbs moisture) we do not build furniture using this material. MDF is also very heavy and adds undue weight to the piece. If your kitchen cabinet shelves have bubbles in them, it's likely that they are made of MDF.
- Particleboard or Chipboard-These are fine wood chips mixed with glue and pressed into sheets using the hydraulic press method. This material is often sandwiched between two thin layers of wood veneer. Chip board is often used for tabletops on dining tables. Unfortunately though, the veneer is too thin to sand down and refinish, shortening the lifespan of the table. Chipboard is also often used as the carcass material (sides and bottom) of kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Cost effective for the manufacturer but not necessarily for the end user since this material is also very susceptible to water damage.
"Not all plywoods are created equally"
Plywood
Plywood is made by glueing layers of several sheets of thin veneer on top of each other with the wood grain of each layer oriented perpendicular to the previous layer. This creates a very strong and steady (doesn't expand and contract easily) solid sheet of wood. Not all plywoods are created equally, however. Just as all lumber is graded, so is plywood. Furniture grade plywood is the highest grade available and is our preferred selection for most projects. Once again, there is nothing wrong with using a lower grade as long as the application matches it's designed end use. Some characteristics of Furniture grade plywood are:
Solid Wood
Solid wood furniture is much sought after and is the most timeless way to build furniture. After all, engineered materials have been around for a relatively short time comparatively speaking. Solid wood furniture is made from solid wood cut from a tree and unaltered from its original state. Because of this, each piece of lumber is unique like a fingerprint. No two pieces are the same. Furniture built from solid wood is therefore a unique creation. Even if two pieces of the same design are built, they will each be unique due to the variances in the wood itself.
This very fact also creates many challenges for the woodworker. Each board must be examined carefully to ensure proper machining and correct orientation in the furniture itself. Solid wood will also tend to expand and contract with variations in temperature and humidity and these variations must be accounted for by the woodworker in the design of the piece. The boards used in solid wood furniture must also be dried properly before being used through a process called kiln-drying, or air-drying in order to prevent internal stresses from tearing the wood apart as the moisture evaporates from the wood. All of these things must be considered by the woodworker before the furniture can be built. Ultimately, solid wood furniture is the most challenging and most rewarding to build, and will last generations.
Plywood is made by glueing layers of several sheets of thin veneer on top of each other with the wood grain of each layer oriented perpendicular to the previous layer. This creates a very strong and steady (doesn't expand and contract easily) solid sheet of wood. Not all plywoods are created equally, however. Just as all lumber is graded, so is plywood. Furniture grade plywood is the highest grade available and is our preferred selection for most projects. Once again, there is nothing wrong with using a lower grade as long as the application matches it's designed end use. Some characteristics of Furniture grade plywood are:
- Few or no knots visible
- Will be flat
- Often has more layers of material
- Thicker exterior veneer
Solid Wood
Solid wood furniture is much sought after and is the most timeless way to build furniture. After all, engineered materials have been around for a relatively short time comparatively speaking. Solid wood furniture is made from solid wood cut from a tree and unaltered from its original state. Because of this, each piece of lumber is unique like a fingerprint. No two pieces are the same. Furniture built from solid wood is therefore a unique creation. Even if two pieces of the same design are built, they will each be unique due to the variances in the wood itself.
This very fact also creates many challenges for the woodworker. Each board must be examined carefully to ensure proper machining and correct orientation in the furniture itself. Solid wood will also tend to expand and contract with variations in temperature and humidity and these variations must be accounted for by the woodworker in the design of the piece. The boards used in solid wood furniture must also be dried properly before being used through a process called kiln-drying, or air-drying in order to prevent internal stresses from tearing the wood apart as the moisture evaporates from the wood. All of these things must be considered by the woodworker before the furniture can be built. Ultimately, solid wood furniture is the most challenging and most rewarding to build, and will last generations.
...good building practices.
We use wood to wood joinery whenever possible because this is always the strongest joint. Mechanical fasteners such as nails and screws are also often used in our pieces, but never to replace a joint where wood to wood joinery is stronger.
When considering the design of the piece, it's important to know what joints work best in what application. The Mortise and Tenon joint, for example, is most often utilized at the junction of two perpendicular sections. This will create the strongest joint. Other joints may be used in this application, but they will not be as dependable and likely will not last as long as the Mortise and Tenon.
When considering the design of the piece, it's important to know what joints work best in what application. The Mortise and Tenon joint, for example, is most often utilized at the junction of two perpendicular sections. This will create the strongest joint. Other joints may be used in this application, but they will not be as dependable and likely will not last as long as the Mortise and Tenon.
"the woodworker must consider the
final application of the furniture"
Nearly all joints are glued in place to ensure the joint doesn't move once set. A wood to wood joint glued together is stronger than the wood fibers alone with no glue. If broken, the wood rarely breaks on the glued joint. Not all glues are created equally though. Once again, the woodworker must consider the final application of the furniture. Will the piece be in a bathroom where there is a lot of moisture? If so, a waterproof glue should be used. Otherwise, the glue could loosen in a humid environment and fail prematurely. This is one of the many benefits of custom built furniture. A store-bought piece of furniture may not work in your application since the factory is making some assumptions about how you will be using your furniture.
Whether building from engineered materials, or solid wood, it is important to know the limitations of the material. Thicker materials will be needed for a wider piece and this will play a role in the design and function. Is the furniture going to hold a lot of weight? If so, it's important to use the proper joints and support for this type of application. It is also important to note that when building with solid wood, any imperfection in the grain such as knots or mixed grain can create a weak point in the board. Selection of the best lumber is key when building from solid wood.
These are just a few things that the woodworker must consider when designing a piece of furniture. Ready to start your new project?
Whether building from engineered materials, or solid wood, it is important to know the limitations of the material. Thicker materials will be needed for a wider piece and this will play a role in the design and function. Is the furniture going to hold a lot of weight? If so, it's important to use the proper joints and support for this type of application. It is also important to note that when building with solid wood, any imperfection in the grain such as knots or mixed grain can create a weak point in the board. Selection of the best lumber is key when building from solid wood.
These are just a few things that the woodworker must consider when designing a piece of furniture. Ready to start your new project?