Whether you value practicality, comfort or aesthetics, everyone wants quality furniture. But how do you tell whether the piece you're buying is worth its price?
A good way to determine quality is to examine the construction. Look at the joints, open drawers and lift up end panels to see what's beneath.
Materials
The quality of a piece of furniture is largely influenced by the materials it’s made from. This means that it’s important to choose the right material for your needs and aesthetic preferences.
Generally, there are three main categories of materials used in furniture manufacturing: wood, metal and plastic. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Natural wood is a common choice for furniture design as it’s aesthetically pleasing and long-lasting. It can be stained or painted to match any interior, and it’s a great option for outdoor furniture too as it’s resistant to weather.
It can also be molded and shaped into a unique design to create pieces that other materials can’t. However, it’s not the most durable option and can easily warp or bend in humid environments.
Another popular choice for furniture is steel, which is widely used in chairs and tables to give them a sleek, modern aesthetic. It’s also a great option for indoor and outdoor use as it doesn’t require much maintenance and is lightweight.
While metal is still a popular choice for furniture, designers are increasingly embracing sustainable options like recycled and recyclable materials. These choices are a great way to reduce the environmental impact of furniture design, as they don’t rely on non-renewable resources to produce their products.
A number of different types of wood are used in furniture making, including solid wood and engineered woods. Engineered woods include MDF, particleboard and plywood. They’re manufactured by stacking multiple layers of wood boards, particles, or fibers, and using high-grade adhesives to bind them together.
Typically, designers will use solid wood for chair bases and workstations, but can use wood for other parts of the product as well. For example, the base and back frame of the Steelcase Think chair is made from recycled glass fiber.
Many other types of wooden products are available to designer options as well, including curved wood items that can be bent or shaped. These include curved bentwood items, curved plywood and other curved elements that can be used for a wide variety of furniture design solutions (photo 1).
Choosing the best material for your office furniture is crucial to its longevity. It can also have a big impact on the overall design and sustainability of the space it inhabits.
Construction
There are many different types of construction used to make furniture. These range from simple mortise and tenon joinery to more advanced methods like dowel jointing. These techniques all serve to make the products more stable and durable, ultimately extending their lifespan.
For large surfaces, such as table tops and cabinet doors, wide boards may be cut into narrower planks, called "plies," that are bonded together under high pressure. Plywood is made by combining wood particles, chips or flakes with resins and bonding agents. This process produces a smooth, non-porous surface that is strong and resistant to warping and cracking.
Veneers are also a common construction technique in furniture manufacturing. These thin slices of wood are bonded to particle board or medium-density fiberboard to produce a product that mimics the look of solid wood. This type of laminate is often engraved or photo-finished to match the color and grain of the wood it is bonded to.
In order to build a piece of furniture that will last, it is important to use only the highest quality materials available. However, the use of premium raw materials is not enough if poor construction methods are utilized to assemble the finished product.
The first thing that goes into the construction of any product is a good design. This is a process that requires a good plan and is usually accomplished by using CAD (computer aided design). If a product does not have a well thought out design, the product will not be able to stand up to any sort of wear and tear, regardless of its premium materials.
To ensure a piece of furniture is built to last, the design should reflect the local culture and history. In addition to this, a product should be constructed with a quality joinery method that will withstand the test of time and repeated use.
The most commonly used woodworking joints in furniture are mortise and tenon, dowel jointing, and pocket screws. While these methods are traditionally more expensive, they are typically more durable and will withstand the test of time longer than other construction methods.
Finishing
The finishing process is the last step in creating quality furniture. It gives wood surfaces desirable characteristics such as increased resistance to moisture, a glossy appearance and a sanitized surface that seals pores that can be breeding grounds for mold and mildew.
Finishing is a critical part of the furniture manufacturing process and can make or break the look and durability of a piece. It can also influence other properties of a wood, including tonal qualities and hardness.
Various types of finishes are available for different wood species and purposes, but the two most common are varnish and penetrating resin. Varnish is the most durable of the finishes and is available in high-gloss, satin and flat forms for different kinds of surfaces. Penetrating resin is less expensive and easier to apply than varnish.
When choosing a finish, consider your level of experience and the environment in which you work, as well as how much dust is in the air in your shop. If your shop is relatively warm and dry, you may prefer a fast-drying finish such as shellac. On the other hand, if it's cold in your shop, a slower-drying finish such as varnish is safer.
Another important consideration is the color of the finish. Ideally, you should test a sample of the finish on scraps before applying it to your furniture. This is especially true if you're using custom-mixed stain. If you're not sure about the color of a stain, save some scraps from the project and run them through the same sanding process as the furniture.
There are several different types of linseed oil and tung oil available, and each is used for a different purpose. Both linseed and tung oils can be brushed or wiped on, and they are easy to use. Linseed oil dries slowly, while tung oil dries more quickly.
The process of finishing wood is a multi-step procedure that involves spraying, sanding and other operations to create the look and functionality that you desire for your furniture. The finished product will be a durable, attractive item that will last for many years.
Upholstery
Upholstery is a process that transforms furniture into a soft and comfortable place to sit. This skill has been practiced since medieval times and a good upholsterer can turn any piece of furniture into something new and comfortable.
The upholstery of a sofa or chair can be a huge impact on its overall look and feel, so it's worth taking the time to choose the right fabric for your piece. It's important to consider the type of use you expect the upholstered item to have, as well as your budget.
Many types of upholstery fabrics are available in the market, and they all offer different levels of durability and experience. Some are made of natural fibers, while others are man-made.
Some common upholstery fabrics include wool, cotton and polyester. These fabrics are strong, durable and easy to clean, though they may fade, pill, and shrink with use. Some fabrics can be spot-cleaned or machine-washed, and some are even stain-resistant.
Another important factor to consider is the thread count of the fabric. While a low thread count can cause the fabric to wrinkle easily, high thread counts give it a smoother, more luxurious feel.
Once you've chosen the type of fabric that suits your needs, it's time to start the upholstery process. This can be a daunting task, but it's essential to follow the correct steps and have the proper tools.
To begin, you'll need to remove the old upholstery from the chair or sofa. To do this, you can either pull up the webbing and stuffing or cut it away from the frame. Alternatively, you can have the upholsterer do this for you.
Next, you'll need to measure the chair or sofa and find out how much new upholstery fabric you need. Depending on the size of your project, this can take days or weeks.
After measuring, you'll want to lay out the new fabric. This is an ideal time to make sure you're choosing a fabric that will fit the furniture perfectly. Once you have your fabric, you can attach it to the piece with staples, tacks or screws.