Get Design Advice: Wooden Furniture

All wood falls into two basic categories: hardwoods (usually from deciduous trees with leaves) and softwoods (usually from coniferous trees with needles and cones).

Most commonly used hardwoods include: cherry, known for its fine grain, handsome reddish color and strong resistance to warping; oak, with a pronounced grain and durable nature; and maple, a strong yet elastic hardwood with an interesting grain pattern.

Pine is the most common softwood used in furniture. It's prized for its lustrous patina, wide, straight grain and its ability to withstand changing humidity without swelling or shrinking. Naturally pale, pine is often used in furniture intended to be painted.

Aside from being classified into hardwoods and softwoods, wood can also be grouped into either coarse-grain or close-grain varieties. With coarse-grain oak and maple, the age rings in the wood are far apart, giving it added texture. In the case of close-grain woods, such as walnut and mahogany, the age rings are very close together, giving it a smooth, delicate appearance.

TIP: Don't judge wood by its color. Since any wood may be stained or bleached, color is not a good way to identify a wood type. Lighter woods such as ask, elm and maple may be stained to resemble a naturally darker mahogany or rosewood.

Wood Construction

Furniture construction consists of a few simple steps. First, raw lumber is dried, either in open air or inside a controlled heat chamber called a kiln. Kiln-drying is considered to be high quality because less moisture is left in the wood.

TIP: Avoid exposing solid-wood furniture to strong sunlight or direct heat sources.

Once it is dried, wood is cut into veneers or left solid and cut to size; then, the pieces are joined together to form the furniture.

Furniture described as "solid-wood" is constructed with all exposed parts made of the same species of all-natural wood.

One type of solid-wood furniture uses a "floating case system," in which table and case-piece surfaces are attached using a bracket method instead of screws. This enables furniture to respond to environmental changes without damage.

Joinery

Several joinery methods are used in furniture construction. As a rule, joints should be tight and a piece should not sway or creak when pressure is applied.

The most common joinery method uses a dowel set into a drilled hole and secured with glue. Better dowel joints employ a grooved dowel, which prevents air pockets from forming in the glue.

One of the strongest types of joinery uses durable interlocking dovetails. Dovetails come in three varieties: open, concealed and notched. Aside from being one of the strongest, dovetailing is also one of the most decorative joinery methods. Dovetails are most often used in drawer construction.

Mortise-and-tenon joints, made by inserting a tenon on one piece of wood into mortise holes in another piece, are common in table legs, chairs, chests and dressers.

Similarly, tongue-and-groove joints, variations of a mortise joint made by fitting a projection on the edge of one board into a matching groove on another, work well for flat surfaces.

Corner blocks at the joints of chairs and tables increase sturdiness and durability. This method of joinery support offers excellent strength and practicality. A table, for instance, may be disassembled for shipping or storage without diminishing the strength of its original construction.

Veneer Construction

Veneering is a technique in which very thin sheets of decorative wood are cut and glued to a solid-wood frame.

Quality veneer furniture begins with thin layers of wood glued together with the grain at right angles and secured to a solid core. This crisscross design reduces the chances of splitting or cracking. In addition, the glue used is the same strong, waterproof adhesive used in aircraft and marine construction, so the end result is actually stronger than the natural wood.

The legs, posts, doors and drawer fronts of quality veneer furniture are often made of straight-grain solid wood.

TIP: Veneered or solid? Look at the edges of the piece. If there appears to be a seam, it is veneered; If the edges of the piece are seamless, it is solid.

VENEER MOTIFS & EFFECTS

Depending on the way the wood is cut and glued together, veneering produces different effects.

Two of the most valued cuts in veneer construction are burl and curl veneers with unique grain patterns.

A burl veneer is a decorative veneer made from a knot-like tree growth known as a burl. When cut, a burl shows an intricately figured grain and is prized for its distinctive look.

A curl veneer is taken from the part of a tree where a branch sprouts from the trunk. This veneer has a curling, V-shaped grain.

Butterfly veneering occurs when two opposing-end grain veneers are diagonally cut from a branch and applied to mirror each other.

Similarly, bookmatched veneering occurs when a piece of wood is cut in half and folded open like a book, so that the wood patterns mirror each other from right to left.

Aside from unique cuts and positioning of veneers, veneer furniture often incorporates design elements into its construction. Most noteworthy of these designs are marquetry, parquetry and inlay, all of which first emerged during the Italian Renaissance.

Marquetry is a technique in which various types of wood are applied to a surface to produce a picture. Flowers and birds are typical subjects.

Parquetry uses the same technique to create geometric patterns and often appears in ornate tabletops and chessboards or hardwood parquet flooring.

Inlay is a decorative treatment in which non-wood materials such as bone, ivory, mother of pearl, brass and tortoise shell are used to create the design.

Finishes

There are many ways to finish a wooden product. Some finishing treatments absorb into the wood and act as a sealant, while others form a protective film above the wood and provide varying degrees of glossiness.

Stain, paint and finish are the three primary classifications for wood treatments. Stains contain pigments and are used to tint the wood. Staining enhances the beauty of wooden furniture with rich color and brings out vivid grain patterns. Paints contain colored pigments and sit on the wood to form a protective coating. Often clear, a finish is a protective topcoat that makes wood shine. A finished wood product may undergo one or all of the above-mentioned finishing processes.

STAINING & PAINTING TECHNIQUES

Manufacturers use many different staining and painting techniques to coat their furniture. Each creates a unique look.

Color-washing: Using thinned paint or glaze, the color is applied over a dry surface and then wiped off using a cloth, feathers or a brush. Surfaces look best if only a thin layer of wash remains.

Combing: A cloth, cardboard or decorator's comb is run through wet paint, glaze or a light plaster, producing a lined or checkered effect.

Distressing: A technique that creates vintage, timeworn looks on new furniture, distressing is done by applying a coat of stain and allowing it to dry completely. The stain is then removed from selected areas, usually edges and corners, using fine-grit sandpaper.

Gilding: Thin gold leaves are applied through the process of water-gilding or oil-gilding.

Pickling: A softer look often associated with the cottage style, pickling is achieved by applying one or two coats of white or cream stain, then wiping off the excess to expose the beauty of the wood.

Spattering: Paint is flecked onto a dry surface from a wet brush using a variety of hand movements.

TOPCOAT FINISHES

After staining or painting, or in the absence of either, wooden furniture is covered with one or several layers of a topcoat finish. Varying in clarity and levels of protection, here are some commonly used topcoat finishes:

Lacquer: Often high-gloss, lacquer is used most frequently by furniture factories because its fast drying properties reduce dust-related finish problems.

Polyurethane: A durable, fast-drying clear matte finish, it enhances a wood's natural amber or yellowish color.

Shellac: One of the few natural resins still in use today, although not as durable as lacquer or varnish, shellac still provides a modest amount of protection. The great advantage of shellac is its alcohol base, which allows it to dry very quickly.

Varnish: One of the most protective finishes available, this level of protection increases with additional layers. Varnish, however, dries slowly, which can allow dust and dirt time to settle and damage the finish.

Water-based finishes: A new class of finishes developed due to increasing environmental concerns. Water-based finishes are basically latex paints without a pigment. They tend to hold visible brush marks and are less durable than more conventional finishes.

Wax: Various natural waxes, such as beeswax, can be used as a finish or as a polish over another finish. Wax by itself, however, is too soft to provide much protection over time.

TOP DRAWER

Drawer construction is generally a good indication of overall furniture quality.

To assess quality, remove the drawer and inspect it from every angle to appraise materials and workmanship. Interior surfaces should be smooth and free of excess glue.

Drawers should slide in and out smoothly with a center guide and a stop to prevent it from tipping or falling out.

Look for "dust proofing," a horizontal board that prevents air, dust and contents from passing through or collecting inside. If dust proofing is in place, the contents of one drawer should not be visible when another drawer is removed.

Cedar-lined drawers offer the added benefit of clothing preservation. The aromatic properties of cedar serve as a natural pest deterrent, keeping moths and other damaging insects away from your clothing.

Quality Checklist For Wooden Furniture

• Make sure wood grains match.
• Doors should swing open easily without squeaking or rubbing.
• Doors and drawers should fit well without any gaps.
• Drawers should have glides and stops and slide easily when pulled.
• Drawer corners should be securely joined.
• Insides of drawers should be smooth and snag-free.
• Long shelves should have center supports.
• Hardware should be securely fastened and have smooth edges.
• Table leaves should fit properly and match the grain and finish of the table.
• Chair slats and rungs should fit snugly.
• The finish should be smooth to the touch (except distressed finishes).