Solid Wood Furniture – Good or Bad?

Is it worth buying solid wood furniture?

Article by Sarah Morris

Sarah Morris

    

Sarah Morris is an avid writer specializing in home decor and product reviews. She covers furniture products and more for Chosen Furniture.

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| Updated on January 6, 2025

Tired of buying flimsy furniture that falls apart after a few years? Looking for something that can withstand the test of time and still look fabulous?

I know – it can be frustrating to invest in furniture only to have it break or wear out quickly. You deserve furniture that lasts and adds a touch of elegance to your home.

Solid wood furniture is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a hard surface with a clean, natural finish. The beauty and durability of solid wood furniture are unbeatable. No matter your style or preferences, it will always be in style and eco-friendly.

What is Solid Wood Furniture?

Solid wood furniture is a type of furniture that is both durable and strong. This type of furniture comprises a single piece of wood sanded, shaped, and finished with a sealant. The sanding process often exposes the wood’s natural colors and grain and removes imperfections. When sanding is complete, the wood is sealed with several layers of finish. These finishes are specially made to enhance the natural beauty of the wood.

Advantages of Solid Wood Furniture

• Exceptional Durability: The furniture is renowned for its strength and longevity, lasting for generations with proper care.
• Timeless Beauty: Solid wood develops a rich patina over time, enhancing its aesthetic value.
• Repair and Refinishing Potential: Sometimes, minor nicks and blemishes can be managed through sanding and refinishing, rejuvenating the furniture’s initial shine and appeal.
• Natural Variation: Each piece of furniture has unique wood grain patterns, ensuring a distinctive character.
• Sound Investment: Quality wood furniture retains its value over time, making it worthwhile.

Disadvantages of Solid Wood Furniture

• Higher Initial Cost: Solid wood pieces typically carry a premium price tag compared to engineered wood options.
• Susceptibility to Climate: Solid wood can react to extreme temperature and humidity fluctuations, requiring environmental control.
• Maintenance Requirements: Regular dusting, cleaning, and occasional conditioning are necessary to preserve the wood’s beauty.
• Natural Imperfections: Knots and variations in grain are inherent characteristics that some may find undesirable.

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Types of Solid Wood Furniture

Before buying any wood furniture, you should first know what type is right for you. Solid wood can be either hardwood or softwood. Hardwoods are more robust and have a higher density than softwoods.

Among other hardwoods, oak, and mahogany imbue your home with a profound and weighty resonance, whereas pine introduces a more buoyant, earthy tonality. Birch imparts a gentle and refined ambiance, contrasting with Maple’s distinct grain and pale hue. Furniture crafted from oak typically exudes a traditional allure, adorning tables and chairs, while pine often graces bed frames like headboards and nightstands.

Birch furniture can be found in dressers and desks, while Maple is more prevalent in desk chairs and bookcases. Walnut is more expensive and highly diverse, and it can be used for flooring, kitchen cabinets, and wood veneers. Ash, Maple, and Cherry wood are more abundant as they grow larger but have highly sought-after aesthetics in the grain, which makes them less expensive than walnuts but more expensive than some hardwoods.

Wood furniture is usually made from a single type of wood. The specific type of wood you select will also be reflected in the price of your furniture because some types are more common than others. Although the initial cost of hardwood furniture may be higher than softwood, the lifetime value will be much greater.

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Differences Between Engineered Wood and Solid Wood

Engineered wood comprises multiple layers of wood veneers or particles bonded with adhesives. It provides stability and resistance to moisture and temperature fluctuations, offers uniformity in appearance, and is typically more affordable than solid wood.

In contrast, solid wood is crafted from a single piece of timber, showcasing natural variations in grain and texture. While solid wood tends to be more durable and aesthetically pleasing, it may be susceptible to warping and requires more maintenance.

What are Veneers?

Another term tossed around in the wood furniture world is “veneer.” So, what exactly is a veneer? Veneer has different quality levels and is a less expensive alternative to hardwood. It is simple to put a thin piece of premium wood over a type of manufactured wood.

The veneer is made of a single layer to provide the look of hardwood grains, but the underlying pieces are made of different lower-quality materials, keeping the cost down. As a downside, the veneer limits the number of times you can refinish a piece of furniture. That’s why it is not recommended on tables.

A cheap veneer is the easiest way to make particle boards or chipboards look like real wood. You will likely see wear and tear if you have a lower-quality particle board underneath your veneer. A dent or chip in the veneer is not easily repairable. And how it is made matters just as much as what!

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Why Does Solid Wood Furniture Cost More?

While it is undoubtedly complex to find inexpensive furniture today, it is almost impossible to find cheap wood furniture—for a good reason! Quality furniture from solid wood always has a premium price compared to options made from particleboard, MDF, plywood, or veneers.

Below, we explore the reason behind the pricing decisions so you can understand why solid wood furniture has such a high price point (and is almost always worth the investment).

Solid Wood Furniture Costs: Size of Furniture

Of course, larger pieces of furniture will have a higher material cost than smaller pieces. For example, a dining room table will cost more than its matching dining room chair.

The reason behind this is relatively straightforward: crafting these more oversized items necessitates more timber. When strategizing the layout of your space, it’s advisable to bear this notion in consideration and ensure alignment with your financial parameters.

Solid Wood Furniture Costs: Craftsmanship

Because furniture is handcrafted in America by master craftsmen, it is made of solid wood and has solid value. So, the time and craftsmanship put into each piece of furniture is another factor in its ticket price. There are various construction methods to improve the form and function of each piece.

The devil is in the details when we talk about finely made furnishings. Some special touches which impact cost include:

• Using a human set of eyes to match wood grains for drawer fronts or tabletop carefully
• Hand-oiling a finished piece to give hardwood furniture its most natural sheen and texture
• Creating proprietary finishes or hand waxing the inside of drawers to reduce VOCs and carbon footprint

These construction techniques are marks of quality craftsmanship. Doing them right will take more time and skill, so labor costs will always be higher.

And don’t forget custom furniture. Nowadays, customers can shop and get exactly what they want. Each piece of furniture can be customized to match their home décor and personal tastes.

Solid Wood Furniture Costs: Design

In an age where production values are low, and design is king, designers have managed to maintain a level of craftsmanship that was once reserved for those with high fashion tastes. With one significant impediment: not having the same top-quality construction.

The finest original design – by all means, a design that looks good and feels good – will cost more than boring mass-production compositions.

Good furniture is always an investment. When furnishing your home, consider long-term costs over short-term costs. Would you instead buy cheap wood furniture every few years or buy one knowing that you won’t have to replace it in a couple of years?

Wood Furniture Costs: Joint Construction

Inevitably, when you build solid wood furniture, you’ll always use joint constructions, which is more labor-intensive than simply screwing or nailing everything together.

Joint constructions are better than staples, nails, or glue. Joint construction is more costly than the other options, but it’s reliable, simple, and secure. Dowels and screws are more than ok, although dovetail or mortise-and-tenon joints are best. Solid wood furnishings must be finished (sanded, stained, and sealed), and this labor-intensive work creates a higher price tag.

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So How Much Does Solid Wood Furniture Cost?

The average price of solid wood furniture can range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the size, craftsmanship, (luxury) materials, and level of customization. Solid wood furniture lasts much longer than furniture built with veneers, plastic, or particleboard.

Yes, top-quality solid wood furniture is expensive, so be sure you’re getting the best value and price. Although you may pay more up-front, the lifetime value of solid wood furniture will be much higher than low-cost options. And it would be best if you always bought solid furnishings from the best furniture brands.

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Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve made a new investment in your home décor. The great news is that solid wood furniture is built to last. Made from high-quality materials, natural solid wood furniture is a wise investment that can withstand the test of time. It requires minimal maintenance and will remain a timeless piece in your home. The artisanal craftsmanship that goes into creating wooden furniture adds a warm, cozy, and rustic charm unmatched by any other material.

Sarah Morris

Sarah Morris is a passionate home décor expert, a how-to reviewer of furniture products, and a fact checker for Chosen Furniture. She is passionate about all types of design and prefers traditional, rustic, and modern. She has over ten years of writing and editing experience, covering the kitchen, living room, outdoor decor choices, and more.