You don’t have to be a cabinet-maker to buy furniture, but it is helpful to
know a little about furniture construction. Features such as joints,
drawers and finish tell a lot about the quality of casegoods (furniture
designed to provide storage space, including bedroom and dining room furniture,
desks, bookcases and chests). When looking at furniture, open the drawers,
look beneath chairs and table tops and jiggle the furniture a bit to assure
yourself of its stability.
Surfaces:
The surface of wood furniture is its
first quality indicator. Finishes and veneers should be smooth and well applied, with no
blemishes other than those intentionally added for interest. Edges should be smooth; there
should be no splinters, cracks or checks in the wood. For more information, read our Woods and Finishes Glossary or The Truth
about Veneers.
Joints:
A joint is the critical area where two pieces of wood are joined together. The strength of a joint determines the stability and
durability of furniture. The best joinery (such as dowels, dovetails or mortise-and-tenon
joints) is also glued, locking the pieces together and increasing glued surface areas.
Corner blocks glued into corners add even more stability.
Tables:
Dining and occasional tables should be balanced and stable, sitting solidly on
the floor. Look for bracing at stress points and corners; table leaves should fit properly
and match the table top.
Dining Chairs:
Chairs should also be well-balanced and stable, and constructed well enough to stand up to the stress of
movement and weight. Joints are especially important, not just under the seat but at the
points where stretchers connect to the legs.
Chests and Bureaus:
Sides and backs should be sturdy and well made. Pay special attention to doors and drawers, which should be well
aligned and non-wobbly.
- Drawers:
Drawers should fit well, glide easily and remain level. They should be
smooth inside with dust panels between drawers blocking dust and other material. Drawer
fronts should be attached to the sides with concealed dovetails; backs may be joined to
the sides by dovetailing or a simpler form of joinery. Corner blocks are often used for
extra stability.
- Hardware:
Hinges should be adequate to support their doors—the longer and/or
heavier the door, the sturdier the hinge. All hardware should be strong, firmly attached
and lacking rough edges.
Care:
The better care you take of wood furniture, the more beautiful it will grow over time. Never use soap and water or
window/countertop sprays on wood. Be careful of surrounding wood when cleaning mirrors on
wood pieces. If you do use a damp cloth with wax or another cleaning product, be sure to
dry immediately with a soft, clean cloth.
There are many good quality wood care products on the
market, but take a moment to read the instructions … they are not all used or applied
the same way. Pay close attention to any care instructions that come with your new
furniture.
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