3 Wooden Furniture Types That You Must Know

For generations, wood has been used as a common material to build furniture, houses, cottages, decks, fences and a lot more. With being such a universal material, no wonder that wooden furniture has been high on the list of a lot of households worldwide. The question is, do you know the difference between different wooden furniture types so you can make an informed decision for your next purchase?

In this article, we’ve put together a simple guide to help you pick the right wood for your furniture. We’ll be looking at various wooden furniture types available, and explain their characteristics between hardwood and softwood as well as grains and colours.

Types of wood furniture

Hardwood

This type of wood comes from trees that do drop their leaves every year and produce seeds. Hard wood is usually darker in colour and is usually more expensive when compared to softwood but don’t let that get in the way of purchasing both hardwood or softwood as both are of good quality.

Softwood

This type of wood comes from trees that have needles and that do not produce seeds. Softwood trees usually grow much faster than hardwood ones and the colour is much lighter.

Let’s look at each category in more details now so you have a better understanding of wooden furniture types available on the market:

1. Hardwood Furniture Include: 
   1. Walnut furniture
   2. Oak furniture
   3. Ash furniture
   4. Birch furniture
   5. Maple furniture
   6. Cherry furniture
   7. Mahogany furniture
2. Softwood Furniture Include:
   1. Spruce furniture
   2. Cedar furniture
   3. Pine furniture
   4. Larch furniture
   5. Fir furniture

Most popular wooden furniture types are broken down into the following:

1. Oak – this wooden furniture type is popular due to its durability and and grain marking which makes the wood very unique.
2. Pine – this is a very affordable and light wood to work with. Great for staining it for your favourite shade, this type of wooden furniture makes it ideal for any home decor as it can blend within any home.
3. Ash – this is known as being a very hardwood choice, good for chairs and curved furniture due to its ability to be bend. Look for chairs made of ash and you should be able to find some great pieces for your home.
4. Mahogany – everyone loves this wood as it’s beautiful in appearance, provides a medium to dark brown colour and is very versatile.
5. Maple – this type of wood is very durable and it can take any stain and paint. With its durability, maple can withstand years of wear and tear.

In addition to the wooden furniture types mentioned above, there are also “value wood types” that you can consider such as MDF, Plywood or Veneer.

Conclusion and our recommendation:

Given the extensive range of wood available on the market, we recommend that you look at:

1. Mahogany – with its beautiful natural medium to dark colour and the ability to be versatile, this type of furniture is a best choice for most homes that would like a timeless, classic look that will last for generations.
2. Walnut – with its versatile nature and its strength, this rich brown wood offers various grains and shades to match any decor in your house.
3. Maple/Oak – great at handling moisture, maple is known to be a very durable wood that can withstand years of wear. With its natural swirls and twists in the wood grain, this wood provides a unique and classic addition to any home.

Please consider the above when looking at purchasing your next piece of furniture. There are other economical alternatives but you get what you pay for. In our experience, the above mentioned woods are best to consider. Let us know what your thoughts are and what your preference is when considering a new piece of furniture for your home.