This is one question that is very complicated to answer. If you are furnishing your home, you realize the answer depends on your budget and the time you expect to use the furniture. Check US-Reviews for the reviews of various furniture makers in the US market.
Apart from the wood type and quality, creating the furniture piece affects the quality of the furniture you want to get. The kind you will need for pictures differs from the furniture type you need for your chairs and table—though the quality of the wood should be incontestable. Check here for a list of shops printing photos on wood.
Wood for furniture!
Wood is the basic material for constructing furniture. There are two types of wood materials, namely solid and engineered wood. Solid wood is purely from lumber—directly from the tree. There are two types of solid wood, and they are hardwood and softwood.
Hardwood is stronger than softwood and is from stronger and deciduous trees. High-quality furniture is made from the hardwood tree family. Some examples are Oak, Hickory, Maple, Beech, and Mahogany. On the other hand, softwood is from coniferous trees that grow more quickly than deciduous trees. You can have quality furniture from these, but not as high as hardwood. Examples are Spruce, Pine, and Fur.
Engineered woods contain various types of wood. Examples of these types of woods are Particleboard and Plywood.
What are the best woods for furniture?
The best woods for furniture are mainly from the hardwood family. However, they are very costly, so you might want to find something in the softwood category or engineering wood. Listed below, however, are the best woods in the furniture-making industry.
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Maple
Though there are different types of maple, all of them are ideal for furniture-making. They are durable and can be fashioned to make fascinating furniture pieces. It also takes a long time to wear and is non-toxic, so it is ideal for kitchen cutting boards. There are several grain patterns of maple, depending on the type in which you are interested.
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Mahogany
Mahogany has been a favored wood in the furniture-making industry for a very long time. It is light, at least compared to some hardwoods like oak, but very strong—as strong as the oak. While the more popular color of the wood is its reddish-brown variant, there are different and lighter colors of the wood. It is also very costly, and it is increasingly challenging to find genuine mahogany.
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Cedar
From the softwood family, cedar is not a good wood for indoor furniture. However, it is perfect for outdoor furniture. It is weather-resistant and is also a repellant for bugs and many insects.
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Oak
Another wood from the hardwood family, oak, is used for wooden floors and kitchen furniture. It is very durable, beautiful, and compared to the others; it is not expensive. Over time, the color can change to yellow. They are excellent for making furniture.
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Cherry
Many people find the color change phases of cherry quite fascinating. Cherry wood darkens over time, but like fine wine, the color gets richer with age. It is tough and can be resistant to scratches and dents. It also has an even texture, and like the mahogany wood, it is non-toxic.
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Pine
Pine is from the softwood family. It is inexpensive but can be damaged easily. Therefore, if used for furniture, it should not be used for heavy-duty. As an aesthetic, however, it can be perfect.
Quality should be prized above all else with furniture. This is because they last longer and add more beauty and fragrance to a home’s decor with age. However, you can go for better alternatives if you are shopping on a budget.