The furniture in your home sets the mood and tone for your lifestyle- it is indeed a reflection of your personality. If you choose to invest in wooden solid furniture, it shows your commitment to sustainability and creating a home in which you want to raise a family.
There are several cheaper alternatives to solid furniture, but they are not durable and are likely needed to be replaced in 5 years or less. On the other hand, handmade wooden pieces are robust and will last you for generations, making them a wise investment.
Through this article, we will explore why handmade wooden furniture is a better choice for your home in the long run.
Wood Furniture Lasts for Generations
When you furnish your house, you want it to retain its beauty for a long time– and that's precisely what real wood furniture delivers. Since you are living in your home, some wear and tear is bound to occur, but solid wood can be easily repaired in case of any damage. All it requires is a little sanding and some refinishing, and it's as good as new.
If you buy handmade furniture, rest assured it will stand the test of time and prove to be an heirloom piece that can be passed down through generations. Comparatively, flat-pack furniture readily available in stores will last you less than five years.
Other wood products, such as MDF and particleboard, are constructed very differently than solid wood. The material is highly compressed with a resin to form a surface that isn't easily repaired. Most importantly, these wood products are constructed to be made and sold quickly, not to pass on to your children.
It Is a Great Value For Money
When you invest in cheaper furniture alternatives, chances are you will need to replace them every 4-5 years. Every time you go to the store to buy something new, it will always be more expensive than what it cost you previously. Therefore, you end up paying a higher amount every five years to replace all your furniture.
Investing in long-lasting furniture made of natural wood means you need to spend money once and enjoy its benefits for a good 15-20 years or more. It would save you the trouble of repeatedly selecting designs and finishes and finding the things you like. Instead, you can have a custom wood piece created exactly the way you want and use it without the constant worry of damages and repairs.
It Is More Environment-Friendly
Fast furniture is a lesser-known concept compared to fast food and fast fashion. However, it signals the same problem as the other variants. Cheap manufacturing and production give users abundant choices, ever-changing design trends, and low prices. But underneath these 'so-called' benefits is the real problem that people easily overlook: furniture waste.
When you buy cheap furniture, you probably discard it as soon as it's damaged because your investment is too low to care about repairs. Every piece you reject only adds to the furniture waste that has become a mounting concern. Therefore, we should move towards more sustainable solutions like wood furniture to curb waste and protect our environment.
Another problem with MDF furniture is that it's created by fusing together wood particles and a mix of resin and glues. The heat and pressure applied during the process results in off-gassing, which can be harmful.
Handmade Furniture Can Be Customised
When you buy from a big-box store, there's no option for customisation. You must purchase what is available even if you aren't 100% happy with all its aspects. But if you buy wood furniture from a store that creates on-order, you can select a design you approve of, make some alterations and get it made.
Imagine the possibilities when you can personalise handmade bedroom furniture. You can choose the wood type, stain colour, finish, and even customise the dimensions. By creating a custom piece, you are guaranteed to have something unique that accentuates your home décor.
Real Wood Furniture Adds Character To Your Home
Fast furniture is readily available in stores worldwide. So, even if it has a trendy design, it's not something unique because you can find it in many homes. Now, natural wood furniture is another story altogether. When you add it to your home, it becomes the focal point of any room you place it in. Its handcrafted design and personalised elements command attention.
Since wood is a natural medium, each piece will be unique– the grains and mineral streaks will be unlike the others. That is the beauty of original wood furniture.
Solid wood statement pieces not only add warmth to your home but also increase its value when reselling. Ask any realtor or home stager, and they will tell you how the presence of strong furniture changes a prospective buyer's opinion.
How To Identify Solid Wood From Engineered Wood
Engineered wood is created to mimic real wood in terms of look and texture, so it can be challenging to identify whether a piece is made from natural wood or manufactured. The following are signs that can help you identify the two.
- Chipboard and laminates are usually used for flat surfaces and angular shapes. Similarly, veneers cannot be rounded as it is nearly impossible to bend them without snapping. Real wood, on the other hand, can take any form.
- Solid wood is generally heavier than engineered wood, making it easier to identify cheap substitutes like particle board. However, other types like fibreboard and plywood can feel as dense and heavy as solid wood.
- As no two wood planks are the same, real wood furniture will not have a repetitive grain pattern. Also, you can feel the pores and imperfections in the wood surface if you run your fingertip over the surface.
- The laminated surface feels smooth and flat, like plastic. Some types of laminates can have little texture to imitate natural wood, but even that will have a smoother feel compared to the original.
- You can recognise veneers from their corners and edges because that's where you can see two pieces of veneer meet. The same is true for laminated pieces that might show narrow areas of exposed plastic or white strips of excess glue on the edges.
Final Verdict
Real handmade wood furniture adds to the aesthetics of your home and makes it feel warm and inviting. And no matter how much we follow changing trends, some things remain classic forever, like wood furniture. Investing in a piece today means creating an heirloom that you can pass down for generations.