Buying real wood furniture can feel overwhelming. We hope these simple tips help you buy furniture with confidence, and have a piece that will serve your family for generations to come.
Style Matters
Style is something that is always changing. Real wood furniture will last generations. Choose a style that will too. Simple clean lines are always a good way to go. We always look to incorporate subtle details that pay homage to the times, without making the piece something undesired in 20 years. Use subway tile as an example…classic.
Growth Rings
Pay close attention to the end grain of a table or furniture top. Here you will see sections of tree rings (the kind you would count as a kid) most commonly looking like a “U.” It is important because of wood movement that the “U’s” are alternating up and down, like a smile next to a frown. As the table or furniture top expands and contracts having a pattern like this will keep the table flat and minimize negative wood movement. Avoid what is shown here.
Pine Whats It Good For?
Great for building houses, not to great for furniture. Species like pine are very common and can be easily bought at a big box store at a fraction of the cost of hardwoods.
Using this lumber has major down sides - this wood is not completely dry when purchased from the big box stores, which means it will continue to dry in your home, causing warping and cracking, usually at joints.
It also is extremely soft and will dent very easily. If you’re writing on a table like this I would recommend using many sheets of paper or a folder to avoid etching your furniture.
Typically spending around 25% more on nicer wood will give you a piece that will far outlast the same project made from pine.
So double check before you decide on that piece of furniture you’re getting a great deal on, it may not be as great of a deal as you think.
Wood Movement
Oh yeah... did I mention that wood moves? Wood structure consists of a bunch of straw like fibers that interact with the moisture around them, causing swelling and shrinking.
This is normal, so it is important that your table is built with wood movement in mind and in a room with 35%-50% relative moisture. This is the normal percentage in a typical home. If this is not done properly your furniture may warp or things such as drawers may not fit together as intended.
You may think, “this guy is obsessed with wood movement.” Well that’s true! I am obsessed with your furniture lasting the next 100 years. Controlling wood movement is a major aspect of that.
Finishing
Choose the right finish. Having the wrong finish on your furniture can cause problems with maintenance and long lasting durability. Put simply, there are two types of finishes.
1. Oil finishes - These absorb deep into the wood, are easy to refinish, and give your furniture the most natural feel. The downside is that it doesn't add much durability to the wood. So choosing the right wood species is important.
2. Urethane finishes - These finishing types sit on the surface of the material and create a protective film. They add durability, are easy to clean, and help protect your furniture from harsh moisture changes.
On the flip-side, unlike oil, when in need of refinishing, urethane cannot simply be added the topcoat has to be sanded and prepped before refinishing.
Both finishing types have their time to shine, we will work with you to select the best finish for your furniture application.
Don’t Buy If It’s Incomplete
This cutting board is nice and all, but it isn’t finished. Make sure the same doesn’t apply to your new piece of real wood furniture.
When looking at a piece of furniture, make sure 100% of all the wood surface has finish on it.
If the underside of a table is unfinished, more moisture can be absorbed into the bottom than the top, leading to a moisture imbalance which in the long term can lead to warping of the table top.