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By: Sarika Kabra
With the advent of newer options everyday, furniture buying
has turned into a real chore. It has become really difficult
to pick the best from the good enough. There is metal, glass
and the good old wood. Even the types of wood, the qualities
and strengths of each, the durability and moisture content
can leave anyone terribly confused. In this situation, it
is not wise to completely trust the salesperson at the local
store. It is important that you do your basic homework before
stepping out to buy wooden furniture. What the salesperson
calls solid wood might just be plywood or particle board topped
with a veneer. There is a big difference between Amish handcrafted
furniture and plywood cabinets with oak doors.
Now one would wonder why so many furniture manufacturers
use plywood instead of solid wood. Here is why. One reason
why veneered panels of plywood are used extensively in furniture
making is the cost of plywood versus solid wood. Plywood can
be got at a small fraction of the cost of really good solid
wood. The more expensive solid woods like cherry can cost
as much as 3 to 4 times the price of sheet goods. Manufacturers
have now begun calling their cheap plyboards and flakeboards
as ‘Furniture Boards’ just to enhance its image.
Another reason is the cost of labor to machine and assemble
solid panels versus just cutting a rectangle of plywood or
veneering a panel. It is cheaper to work with sheet goods
than solid lumber in terms of man hours spent to put the piece
together. Many high end tabletops are simply veneered plyboards
with a wood edge. Despite the difficulty, true Amish furniture
is handcrafted out of solid wood and stained and finished
to perfection to give you a piece to last a lifetime.
Another reason is that it is easy to get thousands of plywood
sheets all looking identical. Solid wood by its nature would
differ slightly in terms of grain, color, shade and moisture
content. Cabinet parts, to many people, are more attractive
in the form of matched veneer than the random color and grain
matching of solids. Some people prefer the color variation
of solids and the sometimes wild grain patterns and try to
use these differences to make unique looking details.
In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission regulates the furniture
industry and its sales pitches, etc. They have ruled on solid
wood versus plywood and have indicated that there is a difference.
That is, plywood is not solid wood. Specifically, The Federal
Trade Commission has accepted for public comment a consent
agreement with Taylor Woodcraft, Inc., settling charges that
the company violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by deceptively
claiming in promotional materials that its household furniture
was constructed of solid maple or oak, when a number of its
pieces contained some veneered exposed surfaces.
So while plywood may be cheaper and easier to construct,
it is no match for solid wood furniture. It is more of an
escape route towards convenience and higher profits. Beware
of manufacturers who claim to be selling solid wood furniture
but use plywood or particleboard for most of the internal
parts. Do not feel shy to ask for details from the salesperson
before buying a piece. Buy something only if you are absolutely
sure. If the salesperson is not forthcoming with genuine information,
it is time to check another store.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
About The Author
Sarika Kabra is an expert in the field of interior design
and home improvement techniques. She has vast experience in
the manufacture of Amish Furniture.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
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