Is Solid Wood Furniture Triumphing Over Cheaper Alternatives?

Affordable furniture has been around for many years now and there are numerous retailers that stock cheap, throw away furniture which is ideal for student houses, first homes or a quick fix. While there is not much character in any such pieces, low cost furniture has been undeniably helpful for many people. However, lately it seems that many consumers are moving away from cheaper, generic products and are investing in more traditional pieces, particularly those made from solid wood. To find out why this is, it is perhaps necessary to compare cheaper furniture to solid wood furniture across various categories:

Durability
Solid wood furniture is a lot more durable than cheaper alternatives which tend to be made from cheaper softwoods or engineered wood products such as mdf or plywood. Traditional hardwoods such as oak or mahogany are very strong so they are less prone to warping, scratches or dents. This makes them a far better choice for furniture as strong pieces will last for years and may well serve a few generations. Cheaper products on the other hand are a little less reliable. Often the backs of cheap wardrobes come loose, drawers stick in cabinets and shelves are not properly secured.

Aesthetics
While some cheaper pieces are designed to fit with a certain style, to look quirky or to stand out, for the most part, cheap furniture is very generic. Low price beds, wardrobes and cabinets are generally mass produced or flat packed, so the result is that a lot of people end up with the same or very similar looking furniture. Choosing solid wood furniture enables consumers to choose more unique designs or gives them the option of purchasing hand crafted pieces. Certainly, there are plenty of mass produced solid wooden pieces but even so, these pieces stand out in any home as the quality is instantly noticeable and they are also nice to the touch.

Furthermore, there is a great range of distinctive, rich colours of hardwoods to choose from so solid wooden furniture can be incorporated with many different designs and pieces can become features in themselves. Cheaper pieces do often have an attractive exterior by having a veneer of a nice material on the outside but the rest of the construction has none of the properties a hardwood piece would offer such as durability and strength.

Cost
Cost is where solid wood furniture loses out to alternative furniture pieces made from mixed materials. Solid wood furniture is quite an expensive choice, particularly when it is possible to pick up a flat pack wardrobe for less than £100. However, in the long run, it actually proves more economical to invest in good quality pieces that will last rather than pieces that may well need replacing every year or frequent repairs.

Overall, as expected, solid wood furniture comes out on top and it is because of this that recently people are trying their best to buy quality pieces as much as they can afford to. There is definitely a place for cheap, easy furniture and if you’re renting, likely to move or just a little low on cash, it could be the perfect solution. Otherwise, if you are intending to furnish your home, it is probably worth saving up for some durable, attractive pieces.

Harry Forman is employed by Holly Farm Furniture, a mail order supplier of solid wood furniture throughout the UK. They sell ranges of both contemporary and traditional furniture in real wood. Their ranges include furniture for every room of your home and your garden.