FT NEWS

Solid wood is used not only for fabricating different styles of furniture but also for making the structural framework for beds and sofas, paneling for walls and ceilings, doors, window sections, and so on. Wood is widely available in a variety of types, but with so many kinds and qualities of wood on offer, making a choice can get confusing. So, here are the parameters that will help you to make your choice.

1. Hardness

Different types of wood have different strengths and hardness. Wood can be broadly classified into hardwood, which comes from flowering trees such as mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut. Softwood comes from coniferous trees such as pine, deodar and redwood. Hardwood is denser than softwood. Additionally, hardwood has a rough texture while softwood is smooth.

2. Grain

Depending on the cellular structure of the wood, it can be classified as open-grained or closed-grained. Hardwood comprises of closed grains which are prominently visible while softwood comprises of open grains that are very light.

3. Color

Different colours of wood impart different looks to the furniture and woodwork. Trees like birch and pine have a pale, yellowish tinge, cedar has a light reddish colour, mahogany has a reddish-brown colour, walnut is chocolate-brown, teak varies from golden brown to dark brown, wenge is deep brown in colour and so on. Take your pick.

4. Fire resistance

Hardwood trees grow more slowly and are denser than softwood. Hence hardwood has better fire-resistance properties than softwood.

5. Moisture content

Wood is hygroscopic in nature – it has the tendency to absorb water from the atmosphere, depending on the level of humidity and the kind of wood. Good-quality wood has high resistance to water and does not warp, while poor-quality wood retains moisture, warps and is prone to fungal attacks.

Also, newly felled wood is still full of moisture. It is essential to go only for seasoned (dried) wood or to dry the wood completely before using it for carpentry work.

6. Defects

Wood is available in the form of logs that are cut to different sectional sizes as per the homeowner’s requirements. Avoid wooden sections or boards with structural defects such as cracks (that are an obvious fault) and knots, which make the wood difficult to cut.

Good-quality wood will give out a clear, ringing sound when struck while decayed timber produces a dull, heavy sound.

Check for any type of termite infestation; this can be done by tapping the wood. A low or flat sound may indicate hollow spaces within the wood with the possibility of termites inside the wood. Termites need damp conditions to thrive, so if the wood is properly seasoned or dried, it should be termite-free.

7. Cost

Generally hardwood is more expensive than softwood. Some types of wood, such as teak and rosewood, are used for making premium-quality furniture, where the final look of the furniture is most important, such as a table top or a headboard design. Rosewood is popularly used for intricately carved ornamental furniture. Pine and oak are reasonably priced and commonly used for making most wooden furniture.