Finding the Best quality wood for furniture can be an easy task. Firstly, one must be clear with the need and purpose of the furniture. Secondly, one must focus upon different types of woods available in the market. And thirdly, certain factors contribute to the furniture with top quality wood. The material of the furniture depends upon the unit if it is heavy or light, durable or not. Before buying any wood, one needs to know about the various types of woods available.
There are 3 types of woods:
- Hardwood
- Softwood
- Man-made wood
Hardwood – Preferred Best Quality Wood for Furniture
Hardwood is obtained from deciduous trees. Hardwood trees have a slow growth process, so they are thick and dense. Hardwoods are more durable in comparison with other wood, which makes them costlier in the markets. Hardwood is a lot darker in shade than other woods. Also, most of the furniture in the market is made up of hardwoods.
Some hardwoods, used in making furniture.
Softwood
Softwood is obtained from conifer trees. These trees have needles and they do not produce seeds. Softwood is a little lighter in colour and also, it is cheaper in the markets, as compared to other woods. Softwood is usually used in production companies where it is used to make paper lumps or cards. So its considered the Best Quality Wood for Furniture.
Some softwoods, used in making furniture.
Man-made wood
Man-made wood is also known as Engineered wood. These are considered one of the Best Quality wood for furniture in the market cause It includes wooden materials made by man with the help of adhesives, fixation or binding of wooden particles, strands or fibers.
Some man-made woods in the market.
- Plywood
- Fiberboard
- Lamented timber
- Lamented strand
- Beams
A Detailed Explanation of Wood Types
Mahogany – The Mahogany wood is dark red or brownish in colour, as it grows in tropical forests. It is highly durable and so, it’s used in making materials such as doors, cabinets, boats and musical instruments. Mahogany is not a high maintenance wood, but it should be maintained by sanding and staining it. The cost of Mahogany wood in the Indian market is 1,200/Cubic feet to 1,350/Cubic feet in Indian Rupees so its considered one of the Best Quality wood for furniture.
Walnut – is America’s best hardwood found in the market, so it is one of the rarest and expensive wood. It has a unique pattern and a very bold, dark colour because they are found in Iran and eastern North America. The things made up of walnut wood are luxurious looking and have a perfect finish polish as it is easy to cut, shape, sand and maintain. It is used for making fine furniture, musical instruments, gunshots, cabinets and floors. Indian market price for Walnut wood is Rupees 3,000/Cubic feet to 4,000/Cubic feet.
Oak- Oak wood comes in two different types, the first one, is white oak and the second one is red oak. White oak is darker in colour than Red oak, although white oak is brown in colour, it has many variants available. It is more durable, strong, heavy, desirable and valuable wood as it has a good natural finish polish. Oakwood is used to make goods like furniture, cabinets, wine baskets, flooring, boats, barrels and kitchenware. The selling price of Oakwood differs according to the type, but it ranges somewhere between Rupees 1,400/Cubic feet to 2,250/Cubic feet in India.
Maple – Maple trees are grown all over the world, but the most common species of Maple trees are found in North America (Hard Maple). Maple wood is light and cream in colour and has a smooth, grain texture. It has strong and impressive durability, it is known for its strength. Maple is sold cheaper than other wood in the market and is used in making flooring, veneer, paper lumps, musical instruments, cutting boards, baseball bats and other wood items. In India, the cost of Maple wood is Rupees 1,200/Cubic feet to 1,700/Cubic feet in the market.
Teak – Teak is a large, deciduous tree that is found in mixed hardwood forest. Teakwood appears to be golden or medium brown in colour as it is a dense wood but, it fades with time. Teak- wood is also known as heartwood and is durable and resistant to water, termites, beetles, etc. It is used for making Ship and Boatbuilding, veneer, furniture, exterior construction, carvings and other wooden objects. Teak wood has a high demand in the Indian market and so, its price in India is 1,400/Cubic feet to 5,000/Cubic feet in Rupees. So we consider it the Best quality wood for furniture in the market.
Pine Pine is a wood obtained from coniferous trees in a lot of locations in the northern hemisphere. Pinewood is yellowish or whitish to reddish-brown in colour. Also, it is water-resistant and strong just like hardwoods. Pinewood is best known for its availability, workability appearance and durability from 100 to 1,000 years. It is used to make goods such as flooring, windows frames, panelling, furniture and roofing. The selling price of Pinewood in the Indian market is Rupees 400/Cubic feet to 800/Cubic feet.
Podo – Podo is a very rare kind of softwood, as it is not available everywhere. It is known for its hardness and density so, its texture is very fine and even but not durable if exposed to outside conditions. The use of Podo wood makes the goods lustrous and smooth, so it is used in making high-class furniture and cabinets, panelling, flooring, staircase, decorative works, interior finishing, mouldings, pencils, etc. The price of Podo wood in India is 250/Cubic feet to 1,150/Cubic feet in Rupees.
Fir- Fir is a premium quality softwood commonly found in northern parts of America. Fir is easy to paint and polish because of its colors and grains that are big and strong, but with time it becomes darker because of the exposure to light. Fir wood is used to make building frames on construction sites, as it is stable and strong but it is also used to create furniture items such as tables and chairs because it is not too expensive to buy. Price of Fir wood in the market is Rupees 500/Cubic feet to 900/Cubic feet.
Cedar – Cedar wood has the least hardness all the softwoods and not dense at all. It is a wood that is naturally beautiful and aromatic so it is used in construction industry from many years. Cedar has two types- eastern red cedar and northern white cedar. Many qualities like its durability, insect repellent nature, sound proofing and its beauty makes it the best choice for people. Cedar wood is sold at Rupees 1,000/Cubic feet to 3,000/Cubic feet in the market. So we consider it the Best quality wood for furniture in the market
Cypress – Cypress trees are conifers but they grow up like deciduous trees and grow in the middle of hardwood trees. The colour of the wood is light yellowish-brown but it becomes brown if attacked by fungus. It has straight grains and mixed texture, which also makes it durable and rot-resistant. It is most commonly used for the Exterior construction industry, docks, boatbuilding, veneer, interior works, doors, stadium seats, posts and railroad ties. The price of Cyprus wood in the market is Rupees 300 to 500 Sqft.
Plywood – Plywood is made up of other wood. It is given four grades, A, B, C and D, based on its qualities and appearance. A grade Plywood is the best, because of its smooth and knot-free finish. It is used for structural, interior and exterior applications. The prices of Plywood varies with their sizes like 6’x4’ Rupees 45/Sqft to 56/Sqft and 9’x3’ Rupees 39/Sqft to 350/Sqft. So we consider it the Best quality wood for furniture in the market cause its the Top Quality you can get.
Fiberwood – Fiberboard is an artificial wood with an even texture that is made up of wood. It is made from jute, bamboo and other wood. Fiberboards are used as wall slabs, door board, floor, furniture and other decors. Fiberboard is sold in India at the price of 4/Sqft to 90/Sqft in Indian Rupees.
Lamented Timber – Lamented Timber is known for its strength and high stability. Laminated timber is resistant to abrasion, external loads and it is dent-free. It is eco-friendly and cheap. It is used to build bridges, sports structure, religious buildings, schools, libraries, etc. The price of lamented timber in the market is Rupees 120/Piece to 1,300/Piece.
Beams – Beams are frames made of timber, used as frames constructed for buildings. There are different types of beams but wooden beams are slightly less strong than steel beams and also a little expensive than the others. The market price for wooden beams in India is Rupees 500/Cubic feet to 3,200/Cubic feet, varying from each other because of the use of different types of wood. So we consider it the Best quality wood for furniture in the market.
In India, customers buy furniture by considering all the points such as durability, use, textures, etc. Few of the furniture wood used for making furniture in india are
- Teak wood- Teak wood is denser in colour. It is the strongest wood and lasts up to 100 years.
- Sheesham wood- Sheesham wood is very tough and flexible. It is used in making kitchen and bathroom cabinets, because of its beauty and flexibility.
- Satinwood- Satinwood is known for its perfect finish with polish and durability. Satinwood is used in floor making and decorative arts.
A customer chooses to buy the best quality of wooden furniture based on these factors of woods mentioned above. The concept of buying the best wood for furniture also varies from region to region and its market value.