Signs of Quality in Furniture

When it comes to buying furniture, customers will usually try to assess its design, style, and of course, the price. And, whenever you’re in a furniture showroom, you will be entertained with a wide array of furniture before your eyes. Almost all the displayed items look beautiful, but can you tell right away which furniture will withstand the test of time? How will you know if a certain piece of furniture is of high quality? The following are some tips in determinging signs of quality in furniture that you should keep in mind the next time you’ll visit a furniture store. These might help you decide which is worth buying and which is not.

Materials do Matter

Materials should be the first consideration when it comes to buying furniture. When you have the capacity to go all out, might as well look for the items that are made of solid wood with the highest quality. These types of wood include cherry, oak, maple, mahogany, birch, walnut, or teak. But if your budget cannot afford the hardwood, softer types such as cedar, fir, pine, or redwood would be fine because these are also considered quality materials.

If you have a limited budget, you can opt for furnishings that are made of veneer panels. Veneers are composite wood products that are also known as “engineered” woods. Though solid woods are still the best, veneers are also considered good quality that costs a fewer bucks than solid woods. Veneers come in hardwood and laminated. Whatever you choose, you are still assured of its quality.

Construction Method Also Counts

Although it is true that good materials are clear indicators of quality, if the construction is shoddy, it worth that much. Through the years, furniture manufacturers have developed construction techniques that produce exceptional and durable furnishings. Sad to say, as the demand increases, some manufacturers tend to do shortcuts and, as a result, cheaper mass production happens. Furniture items of this kind are of an inferior quality and they are also less durable.

Distressing Technique is a Big Factor

Distressing is a creative technique intended to produce a furniture that has a well-aged and has developed an antique feel. From that alone, it’s already an assurance of high quality as it takes much time and effort to give a piece of furniture body and specific character. With this technique, manufacturers now have an opportunity to provide an antique look with state of-the-art functions that were not available in yesteryears. Some of the distressing techniques entail wood markings by rasping or sanding down sharp edges to make them really rough. Other distressing techniques that add effects to the finish product include splattering, cow-tailing, ragging, and hand padding.

Strong Joints are Equally Important

Joints are the potential weak spots in any furniture. Hence, having strong joints is a sign of quality furniture. The highest quality joints are those made of two carved pieces of woods that lock together when joined. All the finest furnishings have this kind of joints. Some budget-friendly alternatives considered as having strong joints are those made of dowels or screws. However, do not go for staples or you may just regret it.

Flush-Fitting Back Panel

Each corner of the furniture is strengthened with blocks of wood inside the unit. High quality furniture have this flush-fitting back panel on each side of the furniture, giving a considerable strength and sturdiness, as well as preventing occurrence of racking or warping. Usually, gently nudging the piece reveals how stable it is. So when the blocks are in proper place, nudging the furniture may just cause little effect on its stability.

Other Considerations

These are just some of the signs of quality furniture. Other factors include dust-proof drawer panels, corner brace blocks, die cast hardware, and under drawers and behind mirrors among others. Buying high quality furniture is indeed a wise move. If you buy quality furniture today, this will serve as family heirlooms of tomorrow.