Quality check for wooden furniture: This is what you need to pay attention to

High quality solid wood furniture are an extremely worthwhile investment. Because if the quality is right, shelves, benches and Solid wood tables last for generations. If you don't know right away, What you should pay attention to when buying wooden furniture – no problem: We have summarized the most important things for you.

Which wood is best for furniture?

There are numerous local wood species, which are ideal for furniture construction. In particular Hardwoods like Oak wood , ash wood , Walnut wood and fruit tree wood, cherry wood, for example, is very popular for dining tables etc. Because these types of wood are noble and at the same time extremely robust.

In addition, they grow in local areas and do not have to travel thousands of kilometers. Of course that happens too CO2 balance benefits. In addition, with these types of wood it can be ensured that they be obtained sustainably.

Find the right dealer for solid wood furniture

As a consumer you have the choice – Custom-made and individual pieces or series products from industrial production. Here we'll tell you why it makes a big difference where you buy your furniture.

Cheap furniture stores sell inferior furniture

Admittedly, it is tempting to flirt with the cheaper option. Because Furniture discounters and large furniture chains can offer their products at dumping prices because they produce them in enormous quantities. Under what conditions and with what materials is often a mystery to the customer.

Harmful substances in furniture: Impact on the environment and health

Extremely cheap furniture usually has one low service life due to poor workmanship and the use of cheap ones Chipboards and MDF boards. In addition, this furniture has a... high pollution levels can have and Toxins, such as formaldehyde, evaporate. These can cause discomfort, headaches and even allergies. When it comes to solid wood furniture, the origin of the wood is also crucial. Because it is often not possible to understand whether it is from sustainable forestry comes from.

The origin and quality of cheap furniture is often unclear

The origin of the wood in furniture mass-produced abroad is usually difficult to trace. They often correspond official information and labels on the type of wood are not true, so that cheap wood products made from different types of wood are offered. Here It's not just the quality that suffers. Also the The ecological balance and social and environmental consequences are catastrophic.

High-quality furniture from the wooden factory

In furniture However , from small production quantities and for individual pieces, this can be the case End use is much easier to understand, where and under what circumstances the pieces of furniture were produced. Here you can contact the seller individually and get advice. A clear plus point compared to mass-produced goods from abroad.

Recognize quality in wooden furniture

You can find out the quality of a piece of furniture by looking Get comprehensive information from the dealer. Find out about this during your consultation Origin of the wood and the method of processing. Reputable dealers with high-quality furniture will be happy to answer your questions and provide you with appropriate information.

Quality characteristics of solid wood furniture

There are also various characteristics that can be seen directly from the appearance of the wood. Important quality criteria for wooden furniture, which testing institutes also follow are:

• durability
• Safety (processing and construction)
• Material quality
• Health aspects (freedom from harmful substances)

Visual characteristics of good wood quality

Even if you're not an expert, you can learn a lot about the quality of the wood used with just a few glances. Also pay attention to this when buying furniture online the following quality instructions.

Grain and wood appearance provide information about the quality of the wood

If there are many light spots in the usually dark wood, it is of inferior quality Sapwood processed. Sapwood Is distorted much stronger when there are fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

The Grain and color of the wood so should as evenly as possible be. However, if you see a lot of color differences, several types of wood may have been glued together. However, since the individual types of wood have different properties, this often happens Warping and undesirable deformations. In the worst case, large cracks and... Stability of the piece of furniture is impaired.

Long-lasting solid wood furniture is made from high-quality wood and first-class workmanship

The The basis for high-quality solid wood furniture is sustainable wood from responsible forestry, that professionally and without materials containing harmful substances is processed.

The origin of the wood

Make sure you pay attention when buying furniture local wood species fall back. The Conditions for clearing tropical timber from the rainforest are often catastrophic. At the same time there is extremely high-quality and noble local woods out of sustainable European forestry. Therefore, before buying, find out where the processed wood comes from.

The processing of solid wood furniture

To the Wooden connections you can see whether the wood has been professionally processed. Traditional joinery connections are significantly more demanding than screw connections or mechanical bonding. Traditional tenon, tine or dovetail connections are extremely robust, as are ridge strips and last for many decades. These wooden connections are traditionally made by hand and are Sign of outstanding workmanship quality.

The precise processing down to the last detail is characteristic of the best furniture quality. Take a closer look, and Run your hand over the wood and feel the wood structure . Do the drawers slide smoothly on the rails? By the way: The use of chipboard for drawer bases is also common and even desirable for solid wood furniture. This can ensure that the drawer does not warp.

The edges and the surface should be finely ground and chamfered. Convince yourself of the high quality and quality of solid wood furniture cleanly worked Gluing of the individual slats. You can find more information about the different gluing techniques in our encyclopedia.

Surface treatment and adhesives

For the sake of health and the environment, furniture should definitely be free from harmful substances be. High-quality furniture manufacturers therefore avoid substances containing formaldehyde and toxic varnishes and instead use organic wood oil and pollutant-free wood glue. In particular Solid wood furniture has some advantages here. The price for solid wood is slightly higher than for fiberboard, but that's what they are Furniture made from high-quality solid wood is significantly more robust.

When you're in the store, smell the furniture. Even as a layperson you will notice that a Quality furniture made from solid natural wood have a completely different smell than furniture made from inexpensive wood materials.

When it comes to furniture made of veneer, you should definitely ask. what is hidden under the veneer. Fiberboard and MDF boards are often used here too. But there is also veneered solid wood furniture. You can find out more about veneer in our lexicon.

Furniture quality checklist