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MATERIALS USED IN FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION

V. Yasodha

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Furniture are the movable objects like chairs, stools, sofas, beds, cupboards and shelves etc. intended to support various human activities such as seating, dining, relaxing, sleeping and to store our things.

 

Apart from the comfort and convenience in using them, the people also need the furniture to suit the interiors and exteriors of their houses. To satisfy such needs, newer materials which are versatile and more comfortable are available in the market. Each material has its own characteristics and is used for certain desired effect. For example, wood for warmth and elegance, wrought iron for sturdy simplicity and so on.

 

Let us discuss about the qualities and common uses of each type of furniture material – that is used for either structural or aesthetic purposes.

 

The Objectives of this lesson is

 

1.   To know the materials used in furniture construction

2.   To understand the steps involved in making wooden furniture.

3.   To know the different types of joints.

 

The range of materials covered by furniture design include the

• Wood
• Plywood
• MDF (Medium Density Fibre)
• Chip board
• Cane & Wicker
• Metal
• Plastic

• Glass

• Acrylic

•  Poly urethane

•  Leather

• Synthetic leather

• Fabrics

 

Wood (Solid wood): is the most versatile, renewable and is used for the construction of most of our furniture. It is liked for its beauty and individuality. Solid wood furniture means all exposed parts are made of the same species of all natural wood, with no other materials included, such as plywood or particle board.

 

Wood used for making furniture or building construction is classified as soft or hard. The division has been established by long usage and is not in accordance with the relative hardness of woods but is concerned with the specific species of the trees.

 

The difference between hard and soft wood

 

Hard wood trees cast their broad leaves in the fall autumn. These include the teak, oak, walnut, cherry, maple, mahogany etc.,

Soft wood trees have needle like leaves which they retain during the winter. The soft woods are group which is confined to coniferous which are evergreen trees. Examples are pine, fir, spruce, cedar, birch etc.,

 

The general characteristics of wood of wooden furniture.

 

Wooden furniture always makes the most favorite choice for people.

Here are the benefits:

 

1. Gorgeous Natural Look

Wood has beautiful grain pattern and lines. It has authentic and antique style. It is naturally beautiful with different colours. That’s why the finishing is made to show the beauty as well.

 

2. Resilient and Strong

 

Wood is naturally strong. Such durability will be reliable even on high duties as well. It means you do not need replacement very soon.

 

3. Easy to Keep

 

The durability also makes a pleasant benefit for owners to keep it. We can leave the outdoor set out there. For example, Teak wood has a natural oil content that resists termites, fungal stains, and also repels other insects that can destroy wood and this is the reason why teak wood is superior compared to many other wood species.

 

4.  Easy to Clean

 

All you need to do to clean it is just wiping it. For stain, you may need cleaning product, but it will be simple and easy.

 

5. Weathers Resistant

 

In all seasons, this furniture will be just fine. If you have outdoor wood furniture, you do not have to put it on storage.

 

6. Outstanding Décor

 

Being nice and excellent naturally, your wooden furniture will make nice focal points and décor where all eyes will look at. From a carpenter’s point of view, wood is a fantastic material to work with, because, it can be hand-carved to increase its beauty. Most of the antique wooden furniture often has interesting design patterns or shapes carved into the wood surface.

 

7. Worthy Investment

 

The price can be high especially the good one. However, it will make long lasting and smart investment. You get the beauty, quality, and comfort all at once.

 

8. Eco Friendly

The material is not damaging the environment like plastic. The tree grows fast, and you do not have to worry about environment side effect from it.

 

9. Flexible

 

We can modify the furniture anytime we want it. It will just fit the space and look great all the time. This is also a lot of reasons for consumers to choose solid wood furniture. At the same time, there are more reasons not to use wooden furniture. We will discuss about that

 

Disadvantages of wood:

 

1. Very Expensive

 

This is the only major drawback of wood is that its very costly. The reason for this is the declining natural resources over the years. The demand is as high as ever, but supply has reduced.

 

2. Hard to find high-quality wood

 

High quality and genuine wood is hard to identify for customers since it requires some knowledge and experience about woods. Perhaps the easiest way to fix this issue is to get suggestions and help from a trusted and reliable source.

 

3. Needs care

 

Solid wood furniture requires more care and maintenance. It needs to be polished every couple of years to maintain its beauty.

The layered and artificial wood

• Plywood is an artificial layered wood. It is made from numerous thin sheets of wood glued together. Each layer is at right angle to the grain of the other to give it great strength while also allowing it to remain quite pliable. The thinner the sheet, the more pliable it will be.
• Veneer is the thin sheet or slice of wood used to make plywood.

These veneers may be produced by

 

1.Sawing and slicing

2.Rotary cutting

 

Plywood is

• more economical
• serviceable
•  larger size
• flexible
•  beautiful

 

Hence its use has increased in today’s world than the solid wood.

 

The disadvantages of plywood are

• The process used to make plywood is more costly. Plywood does contain more material and it is heavier, which makes up part of the increased cost.
• Since plywood is made from veneer and glue, it is more easily prone to water damage. This material is porous, which allows water in. If it ever gets wet, it will warp and peel.
•  The plywood will decay faster compared to the normal hardwood
• It is not sand able like hard wood to stain as it is made up of compressed wood and glue so you can only paint it.

 

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MDF(Medium Density Fire) is an artificial wood made from powdered wood bonded with glue and compressed to form sheets usually 2400mm x 1200mm in size. It is quite soft, fairly pliable and very easy to work with. It cuts, sands and finishes very easily. It is used widely for interior projects especially for cupboards and shelving.

 

HDF (High Density Fibre) and MDF (medium Density Fibre) are available in any design and finish and are sure to enhance the beauty of your interiors

 

Chipboard is an artificial wood made like MDF but from actual wood chips, hence the name. It is widely used for the structural casing of kitchen furniture and cabinets which are then covered with a laminate or wood veneer. It is only useful in sheet form

 

Cane furniture was popularized in India as the garden furniture but now there is a tremendous change in its usage. Cane is relatively easier to reforest and replenish and is therefore termed as eco-friendly. It is available in any color, one desires to have and it is very easy to maintain.

 

Wicker furniture is more traditional and very durable made of natural material. Wicker is a slender flexible branch, vine or grass that is woven into a pattern. Wicker furniture is being made by interweaving the branches around a frame, and into shapes of table, chairs and sofa. It is available with natural, stained or painted surfaces and some wicker furniture is dipped in a special coating to resist fading or reduce flaking and cracking. It is light and airy, therefore lend casual and tropical look to the room. In others comparison wicker is light weight and easy to push and pull around the yard.

 

Stone furniture

 

Earth-friendly stone furniture will enhance the surroundings. Stone furniture is a practical choice for indoor and outdoor furnishings because of its

•  Durability
•   Low maintenance
•   Ever-lasting beauty
•  Comfort
•   Virtually indestructible
•  Water-repellent
•   Resists stains and fading
•   No need to refinish it every year

 

Metal furniture has gained entry into the modern homes, offices, waiting rooms, porches, gardens. Metal furniture is a type of furniture that uses metal parts in its construction.

 

Their advantages are

•  It is strong, highly durable, fire proof, light in weight and heat does not affect it.
•  The Metal furniture can give a beautiful look.
•  It can withstand weather conditions, and is therefore suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Although metals require low maintenance, they are long-lasting.
•  Moreover they are mass produced. And it has greatly lowered its cost.
• They are available in various sizes and shapes and are comfortable.

Let’s now proceed to the disadvantages.

 

First of all, these types of furnishings are expensive. It is a good conductor because of its material. This means that it can easily get too cold to touch during chilly weathers and too hot during summer. These types of furnishings are also vulnerable to oxidation so they can develop rust over time

 

There are various types of metal that can be used, such as iron, Wrought iron, steel, aluminium, and stainless steel.

 

Wrought iron – Wrought iron furniture has proved its longevity and appeal by its continuous use to this day. It has given us endless designs and we can choose from bedroom furniture to dining furniture.

 

Steel, especially tubular steel furniture is popular trend after wrought iron. This kind of furniture is tough and need less maintenance. A wide range of steel furniture is hitting the market which includes overall home furnishings. Steel furniture is good looking, elegant and demanding. It canbe    decorative at both   the sections  including  indoor and   outdoor.

 

 

Aluminium furniture looks ethnic. It can add charm as well which offers durability and comfort. It has resistance to rust and corrosion. It is high in quality and low in prices.

 

Stainless steel The multi-purpose furniture that can be folded and kept away after use is made out of this material. They can be manufactured in any shape you desire. They last for a long time without any damage or corrosion.

 

Other than these metals, brass and bronze are used for decoration.

 

Plastic

 

Plastic furniture is present in every house hold today. It has dominated its presence in every industry. There are two types of plastics used for making furniture:

 

·         Thermoplastics

·         Thermosetting plastics.

 

Furniture made of thermoplastic has loose molecular chain bond that makes it flexible.

 

Advantages of using plastic furniture:

• Plastic furniture is inexpensive when compared to wood or metal. Comfortable and stylish furniture can be made with plastic with a very low cost. .
• It is light weighted. You can move around the furniture without any help to any convenient locations without much strain.
• Generally the plastic furniture is unbreakable. It does not break when it is handled roughly.
• Plastic furniture has low or no maintenance cost. It is generally unbreakable and does not require regular maintenance like wooden furniture. etc.
• Plastic furniture is available in vibrant colours and can change the appearance and the mood of the room.
•   Plastic can be easily moulded to any desired shape and carvings can be easily made to get variety of designs.
• Usage of plastic reduces cutting of trees and thereby deforestation. This goes a long way in protecting our forests. Wooden furniture on the other hand involves wood to be cut for making furniture which leads to ecological problems.
• Plastic furniture is water proof. Even when left unattended in rain, it does not get rusted or cracked
• It is harmless as generally these furniture do not have any sharp corners and very light in weight.
• Furniture made of plastic can be easily stored. They can be piled in the storeroom together with other items.

Disadvantages of Plastic furniture:

•   Plastic furniture lacks longevity. within a short span of time. It is pressure.
• It has a tendency to break or fall apart very easily not sturdy and cannot withstand heavy weight and
• It lacks elegance. Especially, when compared to wooden furniture, plastic furniture lacks boldness and elegance.
• Making plastic furniture is not eco friendly. Even if people say that you do not need to cut trees for making furniture in plastic, the other side of the coin is that plastic is not bio degradable. Hence, it has lot of environmental hazards.

   Glass. No one needs an introduction on glass furniture. They are seen in almost all houses in one form or the other.

 

Glass furniture have the following advantages:

•  It gives modern look to decor, particularly when combined with metal or wood.
• It is easy to maintain and there is
• No danger of termite attacks.
• The best part is its transparency. It gives the illusion of space, which makes a room look bigger and more spacious.
• Tempered glass is very sturdy and this increases the life of the furniture.
•  It is extremely durable. It doesn’t require any extra maintenance effort.

The disadvantages of glass furniture are

• It’s expensive.
•   Glass needs more care to avoid breakage, cracks, scratches and chipping of the glassMoreover, the removal of the fingerprints gets difficult at times.

 

Acrylic –These materials have a fluid design and looks very much like glass. These are 17 times stronger than glass though they have only half the thickness of glass. These can be manufactured in any shapes and designs using thermo setting process.

 

Poly urethane -This material which is available in over a hundred colours. Majority of the sofa sets being imported to India are made out of poly urethane material. The frame of this furniture are made out of wood and then given a coating of poly urethane. They also have an excellent finishing.

 

Leather -Even though they are a bit expensive, there is no match for the comfort of leather furniture. They offer a comfortable seating in any climate and can be cleaned using a special leather cleaning liquid.

 

Synthetic leather, which is a clone of leather, is cheaper than latter but is the same in quality. Normally  cushions  placed  over  the  wooden  furniture  are  covered  using  synthetic  leather.Another advantage of these is that they don’t require much maintenance.

 

Fabric: Fabric furniture is a symbol of sophistication and luxury. While purchasing Fabric furniture and sofa sets, take special care to buy the ones whose upholstery can be removed. This will help in the cleaning of dirty fabric. Jute, cotton, velvet and linen are of the highest demand in the market.

 

Let me conclude the topic on furniture materials Steps involved in Furniture Construction I am going to elaborate on the steps involved in furniture construction

 

The style and quality of any particular furniture will determine how many steps are necessary from its production till its end. Naturally, the more labour involved the higher the cost and it gets reflected in the retail price. Furniture construction is a complicated process. It is necessary to discuss about some of the steps because they influence the quality and cost.

 

The following Steps are involved in furniture construction

• Shaping
•  Carving
• Turning
•    Fluting
•   Reeding
•  Joining

 

Shaping: For whole pieces that will be made of solid wood or for some parts such as pedestals and legs, the timber is cut to the desired size and shapes by saws. A plane may be used to shape the edges. If there is no decorative edges are required the next step may be sanding. Much of this can be done by machine but some areas still need hand finishing.

 

Carving: This is a type of decorative cutting done on wood. It can be done by machine or by hand. Machine carving is used on mass produced inexpensive furniture only. For better quality initial work may be done by machine but hand labour is used for finishing. Hand carving is done only on expensive furniture because the process is slow, laborious, and time-consuming. It must be done by skilled craftsman who are trained in the art.

 

Turning: Woodturning is a form of woodworking that is used to create wooden objects on a lathe. Woodturning differs from most other forms of woodworking in that the wood is moving while a stationary tool is used to cut and shape it. Legs, base etc., may be shaped by a turning lathe which cut symmetrical indentation to form a design. The effect of twisted rope is achieved by turning.

 

Fluting is lengthwise grooves may be cut into posts and legs. Fluting is linear concave (meaning inward curving) channels with narrow upcurved channels separating each fluted section

 

Reeding: It is the decorative process of applying parallel rows of beaded mountings that project from the surface. It is the opposite of fluting and is used on legs.

 

Joining: It is an art of cutting, preparing, and jointing the individual pieces of furniture, so as to form the framework of the desired shape, size, and finish.

 

There are various types of joints used in furniture construction such as

• Butt
• Miter
• Dove-tailed
• Mortise and tenon
• Tongue and groove
• Dado
• Dowel
•  Lap

Now I will explain the types of joints and their uses in furniture making

 

Butt Joint: is a simple joining made by nailing or gluing the two ends together. It will not withstand much strain and furniture made of such joint is strengthened by the use of nailed or screwed angle iron.

 

Miter: As you can observe in the figure, square corners are often mitered. Each edge is cut on 45 degree angle and the two are held together with glue or nails.

 

Dove-tailed joint: In this method of joint, series of wedge-shaped pieces are cut out of each member(wooden piece) and the joint is formed by hooking the projection of one member into the other one. This joint is specially used in cabinet work.

 

Mortise and Tenon joint: This is one of the strongest and fundamental joint. It efficiently holds the pieces together and is simple in construction. This joint is formed by cutting one of the members, so as to form a projection termed as tongue or tenon which fits into a slot known as mortise, out into the other member. The joint is strengthened by inserting the wooden wedges from back or by inserting dowel pins from the face.

 

Tongue and groove joint: This type of joint is similar to mortise and tenon joint except that the tongue and the groove extend the width of the boards. Therefore a lengthwise projection on one edge fits into a matching groove on the other edge. It is generally used on drawers and contributed to free movement when put into use.

 

Dado joint: This joint is somewhat similar to mortise and tenon joint in technique. Mortise like slot is made on one piece of wood. The size of this slot is made exactly to the size of the other piece of wood which is going to be placed on the slot. Both the wood pieces can be held together strongly by means of nails or screws

 

Dowel Joints: In this kind of furniture joints, a small peg of wood is used to joint two edges. Usually the dowels are shaped like a nail with a head and a sharp edge on the other side. The dowel pins are used for various types of joining on chairs, frames, for upholstered places and so on. Double dowel provide added stability.

 

Lap Joints: Two pieces have equal-sized grooves so that they are flush when placed together.

Thus the various sections of a piece of furniture should be joined firmly and securely. Careful joining is very important to the construction. In high quality furniture the joining are as nearly and perfectly matched as possible.

 

you can view video on MATERIALS USED IN FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION

 

Web links

 

Suggested References

 

• Seetharaman, P and Pannu, P. Interior Design and Decoration, CBS Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.
• Veena et al, (2010), Introduction to Interior Design and Decoration Dominant Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.
• Rush,H.T. and Rush, O. D. Homes with Character, D.C. Heath and Company, Boston.
• Faukner,S. and Faulkner,R. (1987), Inside Today’s home, Rinehart publishing company, New York.
• Wilhide,E and Stick,C (2000) Contemporary Decorating, Conron Octopus Ltd., London
• Stepat, D.D, (1971), Introduction to Home furnishings, The Mac Millan Co, New York.
• Levine M (1998), Living rooms, Rockport publishers, USA.

 

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