Interiors 101

What Is Solid Wood Furniture and How Is It Different from MDF?

By - March 12, 2021

With the advent of technology, designing homes with top-notch creativity is easily possible today. Home décor techniques have reached new heights, allowing potential owners to comprehend how the house will look from inside-out virtually. However, to live in your dream house, there are nuances of designing that one should know. For instance, what kind of wood should you pick for your house before actually building it. There are many unknown home décor factors that only an imminent interior expert could know. 

Insights on Solid Wood Furniture

Solid wood furniture is planks, boards, blocks that are crafted from the trees themselves. Their texture, strength, and weightage are directly proportional to the kind of tree it is extracted from. A few decades ago, this was the preferred choice of wood by home designers. 

Here are some factors that make solid wood furniture unique: 

  • It is more durable than MDF.
  • It has an essence of elegance to it.
  • Its strength is non-comparable.
  • It delivers distinction in terms of looks to any piece of wooden furniture.
  • Furniture antiques crafted from this wood are sold at great prices in auctions around the globe.
  • Screws used in these kinds of wooden pieces do not lose their grip easily. 

Insights Regarding MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard) 

MDF was introduced to the world in 1960, and since then, it remains a furniture cohort. Home interiors that have cabinets in them prefer MDF over solid wood. MDF is not harvested naturally; in fact, it is human-made. This type of wood is formed from the amalgamation of tiny wood residuals, wax, and resin binders. There are a plethora of MDF varieties. These are distinguished based on size, texture, durability, thickness, strength, wax, and extraction material.

Following are the main characteristics of MDF:

  • It does not tend to expand and contract during different weathers.
  • It is a perfect choice for places where the temperature fluctuates throughout the year.
  • More options in terms of colour, design and pattern are available in MDF.
  • It is more durable than some solid wood furniture items (depends on the wood species it is extracted from).

Despite having the same strength and weight characteristics, MDF and solid wood furniture differ in many ways. 

The Positive Side of Solid Wood

It stays as it is for decades

If you have a piece of furniture in your home for decades, then chances are, it is crafted from solid wood or natural wood. Woods harvested from trees directly were also used in manufacturing bridges, railings in ancient times. This showcases the strength, durability and resilience of solid wood. 

It adds more than just beauty to homes

Apart from making your home look appealing, it has the power of increasing its price value. If you ever consider selling your home, the pieces of furniture made from red oak, timber, and fir will help in grabbing some extra cash. 

Personalisation/Customisation is a crucial aspect

Today, we live in the ‘Do it Yourself’ kind of world. For DIY experiments, you should go for solid wood, as they are soft and are available in varied colours and patterns. 

The Positive Side of MDF 

Strength is a virtue

Furniture made from MDF species does not contract and expand. This makes it suitable for any weather. Also, MDF does not crack or wrap quickly. Therefore, durability is its unique selling point.

Easier availability

In comparison to solid wood, most MDF furniture is easily available in local shops. Even in terms of pricing, these are cheaper than solid wood. Wherever large-item furniture is required, MDF is the preferred choice as they are available in size ranging from 1.5 meters to 3.6 meters. This means no joints required! Yay! 

Blends well with paint

When choosing between MDF and solid wood, visible grain should be put in the comparison prism. The latter has visible grains, which make the blending of paints and stains very difficult. However, this is not the case if you consider MDF. Ensure you do not end up ruining all the hard work you did to craft a wooden piece. 

Perfect for cabinet doors

As MDF material is water-proof, most washroom and kitchen cabinets are made from it, unlike solid wood. Also, these are available in various styles; therefore, you can choose the ones that appeal to your eyes and enhance your home’s overall look. 

Conclusion: Which One of the Two Rule the Wooden Furniture Realm? 

As per the pointers mentioned above, it is challenging to say which overshadows the other. In fact, despite the pros and cons, the choice of wood that one should pick depends on his/her personal style statement. However, to make this easier for you, HomeLane aids you with 3D technology that gives you a virtual tour of how your home will look when constructed in reality. Our home décor understanding is such that we deliver what you have always wished for inside a home within your budget.

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