The prospect of building a designer home or office is exciting. But shopping for furniture can be terribly painful if you don’t know what you are looking for. There are several designs, materials, aesthetics, and comfort levels to choose from. And usually, the most vital choice comes down to picking between engineered and solid wood products.
Both engineered wood and solid wood furniture come with their different sets of pros and cons. But which is the better option?
Let’s figure out the answer to those questions here.
What Is Solid Wood?
As the name indicates, solid wood is a natural wood that is abstained by cutting down trees. Traditional furniture is lovingly handcrafted from solid wood and has been a part of our homes for generations.
Solid wood is available in several varieties, including hardwood like oak, maple, teak, and rosewood, and softwood like pine, rubberwood, and white cedar. American walnut is a premium wood that is often used in creating sturdy luxury furniture.
Solid wood furniture is manufactured from slabs that are obtained from trees and has beautiful grains that give the furniture an entirely natural look. This means that no two surfaces are alike and every solid wood furniture is unique. Some other features of solid wood are:
It can be carved and shaped easily to feature inlays that enhance the natural beauty of the product.This type of wood is extremely durable and strong. This is why furniture built from solid wood lasts for decades and is even passed down from one generation to the next.
Wood colours can vary from light to dark shades of brown or even red, depending on the variety of the solid wood used.
Solid wood can get damaged if it is exposed to constant moisture. But the shine of the product can be restored by sanding and re-polishing it.
Solid wood tends to cost higher and is considered to be sustainable as solid wood furniture lasts for decades and is easily degradable.
What Is Engineered Wood?
Solid wood definitely helps in creating extremely beautiful furniture pieces but, at the same time, it is also quite expensive. As a result, furniture made out of engineered wood is becoming quite popular.
There are different varieties of engineered wood that are being used across the globe as substitutes for solid wood, including:
- Plywood
- HDF (High-Density Fibreboard)
- MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard)
- Particleboard
- Veneered Boards
All these engineered wood options are cheaper as they are built from composite materials like binding stands, particles, fibres, veneers, or thin wood boards together with adhesives. Other characteristics of engineered wood are:
MDF, Particle Board, and Plywood are the most popular engineered woods available in the market.Engineered woods are often used to enhance surfaces with wood veneers and decorative laminates.
Laminated surfaces are easier to clean and maintain as they are water-resistant and only need to be wiped down.
Veneer surfaces are somewhat similar to real wood as they are topped with a paper-thin slice of natural wood and can be polished like real wood.
Good quality engineered wood is durable and resistant to moisture. Marine ply is quite suited for use in bathrooms and kitchens.
Engineered wood can be used for making modular kitchens, bookshelves, and wardrobes by finishing surfaces with veneers and laminates.
Engineered wood furniture is easy to manufacture, which is why it is cheaper. But it does not match up to the timeless aesthetic appeal of solid wood.
Comparison: Solid Wood Vs Engineered Wood
Let’s compare solid and engineered wood furniture now.
|
Point Of Difference |
Solid Wood |
Engineered Wood |
|
Manufacture |
Solid wood slabs are used |
Composite materials formed by binding strands, particles, fibres, veneers, and thing wood boards are used |
|
Types |
Sourced from Maple, Oak, Walnut, Teak, Redwood, and Mahogany |
MDF, Particle Board, and Plywood |
|
Durability |
Lasts for decades |
Not as durable as solid wood. The surface is usually thin and gets chipped |
|
Resistance To Moisture |
Good quality wood is quite resistant to moisture |
Engineered wood is more moisture-resistant than solid wood |
|
Hardness |
Can range from very hard to soft woods |
HDF is hard and dense while MDF is medium-hard. Particleboards tend to be soft and not very durable |
|
Sanding |
Can be sanded and refinished a number of times |
Can be sanded or refinished once or twice, depending on the upper layer of the furniture |
|
Cost |
Expensive |
Affordable |
|
Sustainability |
Tend to last far longer than engineered wood products and is more sustainable |
It is environment-friendly as it is built by using wood products and derivatives. But some of the chemicals used as binders can be toxic |
The Verdict
Now you are in a good position to make the final verdict on whether you should get engineered or solid wood furniture. Make your decision while considering several factors like your budget, space, aesthetics, and weather conditions.
If your primary concern is to get furniture pieces that last you long, then you cannot go wrong with solid wood furniture. But if budget is a problem and you want to get something cheaper, engineered wood furniture is a good choice.
At NOOE, we use solid wood to create modern emotive work setups that inspire. Our products are meant to suit creatives who prefer the fluidity of the modern work setups. Check out our collection to learn more.
