Furniture
Construction
5.02
Types of Wood

Hardwoods: come from deciduous trees (lose
their leaves). Walnut, mahogany, pecan,
cherry, maple, oak. Expensive, does not dent
easily.
 Softwoods: come from coniferous or
evergreen trees (do not shed leaves & can
have a cone). Cedar, redwood, pine, fir,
spruce. Dents easily, grain is not as attractive
as hardwoods.
Wood

Solid Wood: all exposed parts of a piece
of furniture is made from whole pieces
of wood, usually $$$$, has a tendency
to warp, swell, and crack or split

Bonded wood: bonded by glue and
pressure, includes veneered & pressed
wood

Veneered wood or plywood: created by
bonding 3,5,or 7 thin layers of wood to one
another, to a solid core, or pressed wood
core. Fine wood is used on the outside and
cheaper wood on inside.
 ADV: Makes fragile wood stronger
 Dis.Adv: adhesive that bonds veneer may not
stick, causing veneer to loosen and chip or
crack.
Pressed wood: made of shavings,
veneer scraps, chips, & other small
pieces of wood and is called
particleboard, wafer board, composite
board
 Used on parts of wood that do not show
and can be covered with
laminate/plastic covering for durability

Wood Grain or pattern
Lumber is cut to show off the pattern
 Stump wood: irregular grain formed by
twisted and irregular growth of tree’s
roots
 Crotch wood: special grain caused by
branches growing out from trunk of tree
 Burls: woody, flattened outgrowths on
tree, unique and $$$$$

Finished and Unfinished Wood

Solid walnut: exposed wood is same
throughout entire piece
 Walnut veneer: surface is covered with thin
sheets of walnut wood while rest of piece is
usually particle board or other inexpensive
wood
 Walnut finish: has a finish (paint/varnish)
whose color is same as walnut
Wood Joints

Mortise-and –tenon: one of the
strongest joints, glued tenon fits into
mortise (hole), no nails/screws used.
Legs of chairs

Dowel joint: small wood pegs that are
glued into the holes of pieces of wood
being joined together. Used as
reinforcement

Dovetail joint: Used to fasten corner
joints in drawers. Found in good-quality
furniture. Can take strong pulls or
strains

Butt joint: weakest joint. One board is
glued or nailed to another.

Corner Block: small pieces of wood
attached between corner boards,
reinforce & support joints. Used in
tables, chairs, upholstered furniture
frames

Tongue-and-groove: tongue is cut on
one board and matching groove is cut
on another. If done correctly, joint is
invisible.

Mitered joint: 2 edges are cut at a 45
degree angle and joined to form a
square corner. Joint is then glued and
sometimes reinforced with nails,
dowels, a spline or glue blocks
Upholstered furniture
Chairs, sofas, and other pieces of
padded furniture
 All exposed surfaces are covered with
fabric so all inner construction details
are hidden.
 Good quality furniture has durable, welltailored upholstery fabric

Plastic Furniture
Less expensive than wood
 Lightweight, sturdy, easy to clean
 Looks best in modern/contemporary
settings

Plastic furniture
Metal
Popular as indoor and outdoor furniture
 Wrought iron, aluminum, chrome…often
combined with wood, glass, & fabric

Rattan, Wicker, Bamboo

Combines natural wood frames with
woven stems or branches
Rattan
Made from stringy, tough stems of palm
trees.
 Bend easily and are strong, works best
in casual setting

Wicker

Made by weaving thin, flexible branches
around a frame, can be varnished or
painted, water resistant, durable, natural
gloss, lightweight
Bamboo

Made from tall tropical grasses with
hollow stems. Can be combined with
rattan
Glass
Usually combined with metal or wood.
 Good for tabletops and cabinet doors

Frames, Springs, Cushions

Frames: Upholstered furniture frames
are usually made of solid wood or
metal. Joints should be secured with
screws and corner blocks
Springs: part of the inner construction.
The type and number determine the
quality.
 Coil springs: spiral shaped without
padding and covering. Used in heavier
furniture. Average chair has 9-12
springs per seat.

Flat or zigzag springs: used with
lightweight pieces of furniture and are
flat, S-shaped springs that may have
metal support strips banded across
them
 Offers firm comfort at a lower price

Cushions:

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
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

Need to be proper size
Fit snugly into furniture
Give body and support
Usually made of urethane foam or foam
rubber. Down or feathers are not durable
Loose fill can also be used for pillows. Will
lose shape
Can be molded into any size or shape.
Finishes
Include stains, sealers, waxes and
paints that protect and improve the
appearance of the wood surface
 Water-based and oil-based stains bring
out the natural beauty of woods
 Sealers can be penetrating or on the
surface of the wood

Finishes con’t
Plastic sealers resists moisture
 Wax is used to preserve the wood and
gives an attractive look
 Paint is used to hide unattractive
surfaces. Can also be used to enhance
the look by being decorative

Resources
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Housing Decisions pages 343-354
Housing and Interiors, pages 600-614
www.pierone.com
www.target.com
www.plowandhearth.com
www.wickerparadise.com

www.furniturebrains.com
 www.dixieline.com/woodjoint/woodjoints.htm
 www.orinda.k12.ca.us/OIS/IT/wood-joints.htm
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