Solid Wood, Particle Board, Plywood, MDF, Veneer....What does it mean? Should I really Care??

Ever go to a furniture store and have the salesperson tell you, "This table is made from solid wood!" or "You can also opt for a veneer table top, maybe MDF cabinets?" To a layman, wood is WOOD! One nods and smiles and chooses the preferred furniture piece in the end. Here are a few basics as to exactly what these terms mean:

Timber can be classified in hardwood and softwood, though when it comes to furniture, hardwoods are the most preferred, specifically due to the strength, density and thus durability.

Since wood is an expensive material, solid wood products tend to cost more than their counterparts. Wood, with its natural warmth, give's ones home an up-market feel and is definitely a lifestyle product.

As the price of timber increased, in-expensive and more affordable options came into play. These options, though look good at first sight, do not last and are nothing compared to solid wood.

Getting back to the point:

Particle Board:

• As the name suggests, it is a type of manufactured board made from wood chips or 'particles' that are glued together, compressed under heat in the shape of a large board and then sold.
• Mostly found in large pieces of furniture like table tops, desks, etc. since it saves costs as opposed to gluing two pieces of solid wood together to achieve the same size.

Plywood:

• Manufactured board made from layers of solid wood veneer, which is usually around 3mm thick.
• The layers inside are usually made from cheaper wood while the outer veneer layers are made from expensive timber, thus giving the board a nice wood-grain appearance.
• Mostly seen in school furniture - desks, tables, panelling.

MDF or Medium Density Fibreboard:

• Similar to particle board. The major difference being that particle board is made out of larger wood chips whereas MDF is made out of very very fine wood dust. 
• Mainly used in cabinet making and is usually covered with a laminate and sealant. This increases its visual beauty while also preventing the fibres from getting loose and flying around in the air.

Veneer:

• Very thin wood, that is approximately 3mm or even less.
• Used to cover particle board or MDF. Also used in plywood to make one's furniture look good and appear high quality.

These are some of the alternatives to using solid wood. Each has its own benefits and dis-advantages. More on that coming soon......