Wood has been the preferred choice of material for making furniture down the ages. Well-crafted wooden furniture is durable and strong, and looks more beautiful with age. It adds warmth to any space and is a living material that has an inherent connection with nature and the environment. What are the different kinds of wood that can be used for furniture in Indian homes, and what are the pros and cons of each? We bring you the lowdown!
Hardwood and Softwood
Loosely based on how dense the wood is, it can be classified as hard or soft. Teak wood and rosewood are examples of hardwood, while white cedar and pine are examples of softwood.
In general, hardwood is slow-growing and has a dense grain, and typically comes from trees that have broad leaves and are deciduous. They have greater resistance to fire than softwoods, as they are low in sap content. Softwoods come from trees that grow fast, and are evergreen. They are usually lighter in colour and are high in sap content, so have relatively poor resistance to fire. These are very broad distinctions, however, and there are many exceptions to these broad classifications.
Common type of woods used in Home interior
Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most commonly used wood types to find out what works for your home!
Teak Wood
Despite being one of the most expensive woods in India, teak is still the most preferred wood type for making high-quality furniture and doors and windows for homes. Teak is prized for its many superior qualities; high resistance to fire, long life and durability, and resistance to rot and decay. Its high tensile strength and dense grains give it dimensional stability, which means that furniture and frames made of teak will pretty much last forever. In fact, most of the vintage hand-me-down pieces in your family are most likely to be made of teak!
Teak can be used to make high-quality beautiful furniture that looks very attractive because of the sheer beauty of the grains. It is obtained from the southern and central states and can cost between Rs 2000 to Rs 4500 per cft.
Sheesham Wood
Very popularly used for making furniture, Sheesham wood (also called sissoo wood in some parts of India) has lovely grains and takes up polish beautifully, imparting a rich, lustrous look to furniture and flooring. It is strong and durable and can be worked on very easily, and carpenters love the way it can be sculpted into decorative cornices and edge mouldings.
It is relatively inexpensive, with a price range between Rs 900 and Rs 1750 depending on the quality and texture. Sheesham is obtained from the forests of Bengal and Assam.
Mahogany
Known for its rich reddish-brown grains, mahogany is very popularly used to make furniture that is durable and strong. The colour of the wood darkens over time, making it look even more appealing, and the grains have a lovely quality, especially when polished. It is a dense hardwood that is easy to work with and shape, making it suitable for ornamental and decorative pieces of furniture.
It costs between Rs 900 to Rs 2500 per cubic foot, based on the fineness of the grains and the quality of wood. Mahogany is found in the forests of Kerala, Bengal and Assam.
Sal Wood
One of the most durable forms of timber available, sal wood has high tensile strength and is immune to decay. It is used in construction for making doors and windows, frames and for scaffolding support. Sal wood is very good at withstanding damp conditions and is resistant to termites.
It can be bought for Rs 1250 to 1750 per cft, and is sourced from the states of Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
Rosewood
Dark and with the most beautiful grains, rosewood is very popularly used to make fine, decorative furniture. It has among the highest crushing and bending strengths of any kind of wood and is considered to be among the most attractive kinds of wood available.
Superior quality of rosewood is among the most expensive woods in the market today and the cost can even go as high as Rs 6000 per cft. It is not as readily available as other types of wood, which also contributes to its high price. Rosewood is sourced from the dense forests of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
White Cedar Wood
The light coloured grains of white cedar make it the preferred choice for Scandinavian-style minimalistic interiors. It is a softwood that has easy workability, and is resistant to decay and termites. It has lovely grains that are still light even when polished.
This wood is commonly used for cabinetry and as flooring and wall panelling. White cedar is imported from Malaysia and costs around Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 per cft.
Cane and Rattan Furniture
Easily renewable materials are very popular among homeowners who have their eye on sustainability, and rattan and cane are two such versatile materials used to make indoor as well as outdoor furniture. The rattan vine grows in the tropical forests of south-east Asia, and most of the rattan we use is imported from Indonesia. It is used to make rattan and cane furniture, wickerwork baskets, mats and handicrafts.
Rattan furniture is usually handmade by skilled artisans for whom it is a valuable source of income. When paired with rich ethnic handloom material, cane and rattan become lovely statement pieces that you can show off in your home.
Bamboo Furniture
One of the most inexpensive yet stylish furniture options, bamboo has a very low environmental footprint as it grows rapidly and can be harvested very quickly. The bamboo plant is highly tensile and structurally stable, and can even be used in the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings as it ‘gives’ easily without losing its strength or breaking.
This versatile material can be used for a variety of furniture, from beds to storage cabinets, tables and chairs. It is lightweight but extremely strong, and can last a very long time when used with care.
We hope we’ve been able to give you a fair understanding of the various kinds of wood available for different uses in your home. Still confused, and unable to make the right buying decisions? Talk to HomeLane’s design experts today to get the right advice!
