The alternative to solid wood?

Not everything that glitters is gold - and not everything called wood is wood. Therefore, a lot of things that have “wood” in their name have nothing to do with natural wood or solid wood. Under the umbrella term “wood chip materials” alone, the furniture and wood construction industry includes a number of materials that almost have the character of plastic because of the binding agents.

What exactly is chipboard or laminated wood?

Chipboard is cheap and easy to process. They are therefore often used in industrial furniture construction. At first glance, veneered chipboard looks like natural wood. At second glance it quickly becomes clear that it is just “substitute wood” that imitates a wood look. Because chipboard is wood chips and wood waste that is pressed into panels with glue.

Accordingly, the quality leaves a lot to be desired: Anyone who has dismantled chipboard furniture and reassembled it while moving can tell a story about torn holes or chipped edges and corners. In the worst case, these quality defects occur right from the first installation. This is particularly annoying and is expensive for your wallet in the long run because such furniture has to be replaced so often.

So if you value sustainability, you're with one Solid wood table or one Wooden bench much better advice. Because these furnishings, which are used every day, have to be able to withstand a lot. It therefore makes sense, both for the ecological footprint and for your nerves and your wallet, to use high-quality solid wood furniture that impresses with its extremely long service life.

Exposure to formaldehyde in chipboard

The stress caused by chipboard is particularly alarming formaldehyde due to the adhesive: a gas that is extremely harmful to health. Although the emissions are lower these days, the panels still emit gases permanently - depending on the emission class. This is absolutely unacceptable, especially for families with children.

MDF boards have been an alternative in furniture construction since the 1980s. The “medium-density fibreboard” is not pressed from chips, but from finely defibered softwood. This gives it more smoothness and homogeneity, which makes processing easier. However, the stability is even lower. And the fine components require even more dubious additives and binding agents. Both chipboard and MDF boards contain toxic and sometimes health-endangering adhesives.

Furniture made from solid wood, on the other hand, ensures a healthy and pollutant-free living environment. By the way: The wood glue used by quality manufacturers is completely free of harmful substances!

Plywood for cabinet backs

Another technique for producing panels is the cross-gluing of thin layers or parts of solid wood. A technique that the Egyptians used 4,000 years ago. Under the generic term “plywood” – which is traditionally used as thin, flexible panels for the backs of cabinets or in model making – there are now various types of multi-layer wood that are characterized by torsional stiffness, hardly any warping and less swelling and shrinkage behavior.

Multiplex panels: stable but heavy

The multiplex board is a type of veneer plywood: with at least five layers of veneer and a thickness of at least twelve millimeters, it is extremely stable - but also heavy. It is used for concrete formwork, wall cladding, in stage construction or for worktops. If it is coated with phenolic resin, it is called a screen printing plate: the weather-resistant material is used to cover vehicle trailers or scaffolding.

OSB panels: unsuitable for furniture construction

The so-called flat press panels also include the so-called OSB board . The name “Oriented Strand Board” means that much larger and longer chips are connected lengthwise and crosswise. OSB boards are highly load-bearing, flexible and inexpensive - but are hardly suitable for furniture construction simply because of their rough appearance. They are used primarily in carpentry as paneling for walls, floors and ceilings. They also release formaldehyde. When disposed of, they are even considered building rubble and must under no circumstances be burned in the fireplace at home.

Three-layer panels as structural wood

The three-layer board is also a popular construction wood, which - as the name suggests - consists of three layers. With their low weight and easy cutting ability, carpenters use them, for example, in canopies or dormers. Because of the greater thickness of the individual layers, it falls under the umbrella term cross-laminated timber.

Unlike veneer plywood, the layers of laminated veneer lumber are not glued crosswise, but in parallel. The focus here is not on flexibility, but on strength. This is why they are mainly encountered on transport pallets.

Blockboard: hardly ever used anymore

So-called stick or strip plywood also has a slightly different construction. Here, solid wood strips made of softwood are glued lengthways in a middle layer between two ceiling veneers. The popular name “carpenter's board” comes from the fact that it used to be made by carpenters themselves. Originally a very light and stable material, it has gone out of fashion due to its limited range of uses. You may still find them today on inexpensive room door panels or in caravan construction.

Oiled natural wood is a healthy and long-lasting alternative!

The bottom line is that chipboard and plywood have a certain justification in certain areas due to their physical properties, such as construction wood. However, compared to solid wood, they are always an inferior option in furniture construction. Above all, the exposure to toxic formaldehyde must be taken into account: If you want to be on the safe side, opt for solid wood in your four walls - ideally not varnished, but with Natural oil refined. This is how the wood retains its natural properties.

Various studies show that furnishing and surrounding yourself primarily with natural materials can have a significant positive effect on physical and mental health.