If you are seeking wood home furniture Ottawa homeowners love you might be surprised that with today’s believable laminates it can be easy to buy “wood” furniture that is in fact not wood at all. You want to be certain when shopping for wood you are in fact buying wood and there are some tell tale signs that can help you spot the faux wood products from the real McCoy. Here are a few things you can check to ensure you are buying quality wood home furniture for your Ottawa home.
Check the Drawers
If you are looking for home furniture with drawers a good way to check the quality is to pull out the drawers. The old school way of making quality wood furniture used dovetailed joints and this is still a sign of quality today. Dovetailed joints are triangular looking joints that slide into each other to affix the sides to the fronts of drawers. These cuts are quite distinct in appearance and they form a very long lasting and sturdy joint. Although not all well made drawers will have this feature it is a good place to start. Some manufacturers might choose to use plastics on the parts that are not visible. Although some of these manufacturers might be reputable there is a lot to be said for solid wood construction which will last longer and is a far more forgiving material than plastic. Another thing to check in the drawers is whether or not the wood is smoothly finished in the sides. This is important to show what wood was used if any. If you are planning to store linens or delicate clothing they can be snagged and worn by roughly hewn wood, laminates and plywood.
Floating Construction
Because wood will expand and contract over the years due to changing of temperature you want to look for furniture that uses floating construction. This allows for changes in the swell of the wood and will help prevent things such as cracking. You can also look for space balls that will assist with expansion and contraction. Further details you can look for include:
- Corner brackets which are used to strengthen shelving inside cabinets
- Mortise and tenon joints which make furniture more durable
- Pre drilled holes in entertainment units for your wires
Looking for a furniture shop that specializes in wood home furniture in Ottawa will help ensure you will find the quality wood furniture you are seeking for your home.
