Blog Layout
Choosing Unfinished Wood Furniture
Sam Lutz • Sep 16, 2014
Wood furniture isn’t as common as it once was. Whereas wood was once a standard material for furniture construction, now many pieces are made from synthetic or engineered wood materials. While furniture made from synthetic materials may be less expensive, true wood has a warmth and durability sought out by fine furniture enthusiasts.
Consumers less experienced in the selection and purchase of fine wood furniture may not know what to look for. We’ve put together this guide to give you a starting point, so you’ll know what type of furniture will suit your needs.
Factors to Consider
There are thousands of species of wood in the world. Choosing the right type of wood for your home can be daunting if you don’t know what factors to consider.
- Hardness: Some woods are harder than others. The hardness of a wood affects its durability and weight. Softer woods (such as pine) scratch more easily and show wear and tear more quickly. Harder woods (like walnut) are more durable and scratch resistant. This website sorts some of the common woods used in furniture by hardness.
- Appearance: Different species of wood come in different colors and have different grain patterns. Woods vary from light blond to nearly black, with tones of red, yellow, gray and orange in between. Many consumers pick the type of wood based in part on the color scheme in their home, and what woods will match their already existing furniture.
- Stain: Stains can be used to alter the color of a wood, but altering the color greatly beyond the natural color is not advised. The best pieces of wood furniture will often not have a stain, or will not have a stain that greatly varies from the wood’s own true hue. Some woods accept stain much more easily than others. The porousness and cut of the wood affects the way that a piece of furniture accepts stain. When purchasing naked furniture with the intent of staining, ask a professional at the store which pieces of furniture will accept stain readily.
Measuring Quality
Know the criteria for measuring quality in wood furniture before buying your own. This will help you buy the best pieces possible for your home.
- Construction: Quality wood furniture will have solid joints without staples, and no visible glue holding two joints together. Drawers in quality pieces should slide in and out easily, doors should open easily and remain flush with the furniture when closed.
- Appearance: In quality furniture, the wood grain will be somewhat visible and not cloudy or hidden by the stain. The color of the wood will be consistent, although it may vary in intensity.
- Surface: Unless the furniture is made from reclaimed or salvaged wood, the surface of the piece will not be pitted, dented or irregular. There should be no scratches in the wood.
Additional Help
True wood furniture has great value beyond the cheaply manufactured furniture that is so commonly sold in stores today. Although it may be more expensive up front, well-made and well-maintained wood furniture is a treasured asset that may be passed down for generations. Before you buy your wood furniture, do the extra research it takes to buy the best pieces possible.
There are a variety of sources on the Internet designed to help people choose the right wood furniture for their homes.
Of course, don’t hesitate to drop by Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture. We’re passionate about wood furniture and want to help you buy the best pieces for your home. We’re happy to answer all your questions, and look forward to seeing you in our store!
There are all kinds of wooden furniture: modern, antique and everything in between. We’ve talked about style differences, but what about how it’s made and what it’s made of? Is there a large difference between the wood furniture of today and yesterday?
Colors are so fascinating. They make us feel, they help us express how we feel. The right colors can really set the mood in a room, or on an outfit. There’s a lot to color theory and what each of the colors mean. This St. Patrick’s Day we thought it’d be fun to explore a little about green.
One of the wonderful things about good wood furniture is that it doesn’t have to be merely functional. It can be beautiful as well. We’ve seen some amazing pieces made with wood stains that are more than just furniture, they’re works of art. So if you’ve got an old table, desk or other piece of wood furniture that needs jazzed up, why don’t you consider using some of our great stains to try one of these ideas.
What's your furniture style? Here’s a few of the more popular styles and the kind of look they give your home.
Wood is our most basic raw material used for creating furniture. Wood furniture is timeless, and the aesthetic options are endless. Let’s talk about a few today, shall we?
The 2010s saw an uptick in modern interiors, bringing in clean lines to decor and furniture, so what does the new decade have in store? Restyle your home for the new year with the latest trends.
Are they bright and bold? Wild and wacky? It’s a thrill for our industry to learn what the latest “in” colors will be each year, and they never disappoint. The color trends for 2020 include shades of green, blue and pink, and each have an inherent welcoming quality.
Holiday parties are part of the magic of the season, but the cleanup is a pain—especially when furniture is involved. Prevent disasters with a few tips on how to protect your furniture during holiday parties.
The holiday season has arrived, and soon every corner will be decked out in red and green. But have you ever stopped to think about what holiday colors mean?
Restaining an old piece of furniture with a new varnish color can go a long way, but first you need to remove the old stain color.