When buying furniture, you want to know you're getting the most bang for your buck! But how to make sure there's more to a piece than good looks? Here are a few quick and easy tips to gauge the quality of wood, and wood-based, furniture.
A quick way to know if the furniture piece you're contemplating to buy is worth the expense is to have a closer look at the joinery. Dovetails and mortise and tenon – two of the oldest ways of putting furniture together – make for the strongest and best looking numbers. Dowels and screws can be used, but you should avoid pieces with stapled joints.
The type of wood used to build a furniture piece is a great indicator of its quality and durability. Quality pieces are generally made out of hard woods such as oak, maple, mahogany, teak, walnut, cherry or birch. Soft woods like pine, fir, redwood or cedar are also used, though they are more prone to scratches and dents and are generally less sturdy. Engineered woods are used extensively because they provide strength. Paired with quality veneer, they can make for very attractive pieces.
When trying to evaluate the quality and durability of a piece of furniture, don't forget to check the finish. A high-quality finish is satiny smooth, free of asperities, and has great depth and richness. Signs of poorly finished wood include a rough or very glossy surface that hides the wood grain, splintered edges, scratches, dents or dust specks. A professional use of these effects to age new furniture and create a rustic look should not, however, be mistaken for a lack of quality.