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Furniture

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Sep. ~ Nov.: Buyers Banter: Furniture users admin

Author Message
Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Monday, August 29, 2005 - 5:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Deesandy a private message Print Post    
Hello,

Has anyone ever purchased a dresser made of burch wood, and if so, how did it hold up over the years? Were you happy with it?

Thanks!



Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Monday, August 29, 2005 - 10:31 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Here's something that might help: Wood Furniture

All woods can be divided into deciduous and coniferous. There is some relationship between the hardness of the wood and the type of tree the wood comes from. In most cases deciduous trees consist of harder wood than coniferous trees, but not always. Deciduous simply refers to all leaf bearing trees such as
teak, walnut, oak, maple, mahogany, cherry, and birch.
Coniferous refers to cone-bearing trees such as pine, fir, redwood, and cedar. Most high-quality wooden furniture is made of deciduous trees. Generally, wood from coniferous trees
are used for the less expensive furniture. However, some high-quality furniture is now being made out of coniferous trees such as pine. While furniture made out of pine may be high quality, it is still more subject to scratches and dents than harder woods.

The most common hardwoods used to construct chairs are ash, beech, birch, cherry, mahogany, maple, oak, pecan, poplar, teak, and walnut. The most common softwoods used to construct furniture are cedar, pine, and redwood. Characteristics of these woods are the following:

Ash. The characteristics of ash are pleasant contrasting color when stained, distinct straight grain with open pores, toughness, heavy weight, hardness, and good shock resistance.
Ash is often used in constructing bentwood chairs.

Beech. The characteristics of beech are hardness, greater strength, good shock resistance, and conspicuous wood rays with tiny and virtually invisible wood pores. Beech is
used for curved parts of furniture and in Scandinavian type furniture.

Birch. The characteristics of birch are hardness, weight, greater strength, beautiful natural finish, small wood pores, and good shock resistance. Birch is used for structural and
exposed parts of furniture and veneers. It is also used as a substitute for mahogany and walnut.

Cherry. The characteristics of cherry are moderate hardness, greater strength, durability, good shock and wear resistance, rich color, and straight grain with small individual pores. Cherry is often used as a veneer and for Provincial and Early American Furniture.

Mahogany. The characteristics of mahogany are even texture, medium hardness, greater strength, heavy weight, easy to carve, beautiful finish, and predominate grain pattern with open wood pores. Mahogany is used for veneers and carved wood pieces. It is also an inexpensive wood that can be stained to look like more expensive woods.

Maple. The characteristics of maple are heavy weight, hardness, greater strength, good shock resistance, and straight grain with tiny wood pores. Maple is often used in bench tops.
The grain of maple is not very beautiful, unless it is birds eye maple.

Oak. The characteristics of oak are heavy weight, hardness, greater strength, durability, carvability, wearability, and striking grain pattern when stained. Oak is often used for paneling, veneers, and solid wood furniture.

Pecan. The characteristics of pecan are its greater weight, closed wood pores, contrasting grain color when stained, hardness, and strength. Pecan is used for furniture and wall paneling.

Poplar. The characteristics of poplar are its closed wood pores, even staining, durability, and greater strength. Poplar is often used inside of upholstered and wood furniture.

Teak. The characteristics of teak are heavy weight, expensive, greater strength, oiliness, and toughness. Teak is often used in paneling and furniture. Teak is often found in Oriental furniture.

Walnut. The characteristics of walnut are hardness, greater strength, great stability, expensive, heaviness, durability, carvability, and good shock resistance. Walnut is used for
veneers, paneling, and solid furniture.

Cedar. Cedar is knotty, highly aromatic, moderately hard, brittle, resistant to decay, light weight, holds paint, and (red cedar) repellent to moths. Cedar is used for unfinished and outdoor furniture. Red cedar is used for lining drawers and chests.

Pine. Pine is soft, light weight, easy to work, less strength, and holds paint and varnishes well. Western pine is a little harder than the other varieties of pine. Pine is used for cabinets, unfinished furniture, outdoor furniture, and some high-quality furniture.

Redwood. Redwood is light weight, moderately hard, stable, very strong, and resistant to decay, rot, and weather. Redwood is used for outdoor furniture and unfinished furniture.

QUALITY CHECKLIST
After each question, answer with a yes* or no.
1.
Is the wood furniture made from a hardwood?
2.
Are the joints tight fitting?
3.
Are the joints glued carefully without any glue showing?
4.
Are the joints either doweled, mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, bolted, or screwed, not stapled?
5.
Are the corner blocks tight fitting, glued, and screwed into the frame?
6. (chair)
Are the outside rungs or posts on each side of the chair back projected through the seat to the underside?
7.
Do the chair legs have stretcher bars and rungs for reinforcement?
8.
Are there vinyl or rubber tips on the ends of the chair legs to protect the floor?
9.
Does the chair or bench feel sturdy?
10.
If upholstery is used, can it be removed for reupholster?
11.
Are the legs sturdy when pressure is put on them?
12.
Are the legs level with the floor?
13.
Are the stained surfaces uniform in color?
14.
Is the finish satiny smooth and free of rough spots?
15.
Are the edges and ends finished evenly throughout without finger marks or tear-drops?
16.
Is the piece finished on the back and underside?
17.
If there is labeling, did you read the information?
18.
Is there a warranty?

* If you answered all these questions with a yes, you can be assured of getting high-
quality wood furniture.
Utah State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Robert L. Gilliland, Vice President and Director, Cooperative Extension
Service, Utah State University. (EP/05-95/DF)

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Monday, August 29, 2005 - 10:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Since it is a hard wood it should have strength. The color is interesting. Construction would be the thing I'd check, and if it's good it will probably last a long time.

Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 9:59 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Deesandy a private message Print Post    
Thank you Urgrace!

This is a piece from a unfinished wood store and everything is made on site. It is quite expensive at around one thousand dollars once it is finished. It measures 42 inches wide and 62 inches high with six drawers and a small section for hanging clothing as well. I get to choose the color(s) and we are having a mirror installed either outside the side door or inside, that is undecided.

This will be the most expensive item of furniture I have purchased and it is for my daughter. I picture her having it a long time and just want to make sure that I am making a good choice.

I will also check out some of the ready made furniture stores to compare but this is really a beautiful piece!

Thank you for all of your help. I am printing it out and will live by it!

xoxoxox

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 1:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lkunkel a private message Print Post    
Dee: I'd do the mirror on the inside to maintain the beauty of the furniture. While the mirror would reflect back the room, and make it look a little larger, having it on the inside keeps it cleaner (fewer accidental finger prints), less of a chance for the mirror to get "accidentally" broken during play, and it won't matter what style of mirror you choose to add, whereas on the outside, it would need to always reflect her personality.

Just my . myicon

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 7:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
YW Dee!

Deesandy
Member

08-12-2003

Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:26 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Deesandy a private message Print Post    
Walnut seems to be a good choice.

Do you mind sharing with me what kind of furniture you have personally?

I'm nosey!