How to Distinguish Solid Oak Furniture
By Kathy Dawson
There are two kinds of oak furniture, solid oak or oak veneers. Solid oak furniture is made out of one hundred percent pure oak while oak veneers is made out of a sheet of oak attached onto another kind of wood.
Oak veneers were created to cater to individuals who wanted cheaper furniture that still looked beautiful. Although they can look good, there are a few disadvantages to purchasing veneered furniture. For one, the resale value on these items is a lot lower than solid oak.
Veneers can also peel, bubble, warp and are more prone to damage after a short period of time where as solid oak is known to be more damage resistant over long periods of time. If there is one thing certain about oak veneers, it is that it will simply not last. They are just not as strong or as durable and will lose its lustre soon enough.
There are few reasons why solid oak dining room furniture has more advantages over veneers. Chairs and tables are used daily so it only makes sense to use this sturdy material as it can withstand the wear and tear of ever day use.
Plus, it is a onetime investment as oak can last over one hundred years. The same can also be said for solid oak kitchen furniture. Aside from the bathroom, the kitchen and dining areas are the most common places where liquid is spilt and oak by nature is highly water resistant.
Veneers will simply not function the same way and will not be a practical investment. Lastly, once they are damaged, it will be beyond repair unlike solid oak furniture which can more easily be repaired.
Oak veneers, if done with superb craftsmanship can look like solid oak furniture. An average consumer might have difficulty in noticing the difference but here are a few tips on how to accurately tell the two apart.
Oak is an extremely dense hardwood so imagine how heavy furniture can be. Moving solid oak furniture around can be a real labour. So for instance, if you lift two chairs that look exactly alike but one is lighter than the other, then it is most likely made out of veneer. Furniture made of veneer is commonly lightweight and can be easily moved around.
Look around edges of tables and cabinets and look closely if you see a sheet of wood glued onto another. If you see something of the sort, then this is veneer. This is because veneer is usually an extremely thin slice of oak attached to another wood material.
Another way is to look at the colour stain under the table to check if it matches the top. Two differing colours mean it is not solid oak and only the top is. Do the same for furniture that comes with drawers. The inside of the drawer should match that of the outside.
Lastly, research about the company you plan to buy furniture from and read their customers testimonials. Reputable companies do not sell items cheap but within a reasonable price range. That is because you can be assured that what you are getting is authentic and is exactly the way they describe it.
If you browse their catalogues for oak dining room furniture or oak kitchen furniture, you should see individual pages with pictures of the item and a description underneath it. It usually describes the design of the furniture, enumerates all the materials that were used to craft the piece and the dimensions such as height, width and depth.
In most materials descriptions, you should also see that they emphasize that it is solid oak furniture and that no veneers were used. Also, if you plan to purchase furniture online, read their FAQs or Q and As.
This sets your expectations and might appease any doubts you may still have. You can also request for more information or call customer support.
With all these tips in mind, you could never go wrong. You can have peace of mind that your investment is truly worth it. Remember though, as with any piece of furniture whether cheap or expensive, the only way to maximize its true potential is by taking good care of it.
About The Author
Kathryn Dawson writes for Your Furniture Online, http://www.oakfurniture-uk.co.uk/how-to-distinguish-solid-oak-furniture/ a company providing solid oak furniture as well as oak dining room furniture online. http://www.yourfurnitureonline.co.uk