Furniture Materials – Cost And Durability

May 16
18:06

2008

Sarika Kabra

Sarika Kabra

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Furniture can be made of different materials. They are intended for different uses. Availability, durability and cost of each type vary widely. This article is a study about these factors.

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But of course,Furniture Materials – Cost And Durability Articles every household needs to have some furniture. The type of furniture each house owns varies widely in terms of its material, design and cost. Some will have a few and simple ones and some others may have very costly furniture sets. The requirements and taste vary considerably across various sections of society. You have to identify the furniture most suited to your tastes and needs to get it right.

 

If you visit a furniture store you can find different types of furniture. Most common materials used are wood, steel and plastic and accordingly these are called wooden furniture, steel furniture, and molded furniture. This article will provide you an idea about the different types of furniture depending on the material used for manufacturing and their suitability for various purposes.

 

The most common, versatile and oldest material that is used for making furniture is wood. Almost all varieties of furniture can be made of wood. Wood is a soft material and can be easily shaped. The finish obtained is very good and occasional polishing can make it look like new at all times. It can be carved easily and beautiful objects can be created. Carved living room furniture can give a royal look to your living room. Wooden furniture can be cheap or very costly depending on the type of wood and carving work involved. Furniture made of certain types of wood like oak, teak and rosewood are very durable and so, are costlier than others. Wooden furniture is best suited to homes as these provide elegance and lifelong service.

 

Metals are being increasingly used for making contemporary furniture. Earlier, among metals, only iron was used to make furniture. It was to be painted or electroplated in order to avoid rusting. Even then, on most occasions, rusting would occur. So lately aluminum and stainless steel are being used extensively. We may be tempted to believe that these are highly durable, but practically are not so. These are commonly used for making chairs and other light weight furniture. Such furniture is specifically suited to offices and waiting halls.

 

Another material used in furniture making is plastic fiber. Since it is made by molding, these are also known as molded furniture. Even though plastic can be molded to any shape, as far as making of furniture is concerned its use is mostly limited to making chairs and light tables. Such furniture is best suited for small time restaurants. Molded chairs generally find their way to auditoriums and other public gathering areas due to ease of storage by stacking up into one another.

 

Some of the other materials used are cane and reeds. Recliner made of a combination of cane and reed can be seen in the portico of traditional homes. Such furniture should be used carefully and delicately and so are suitable only for homes. These materials are available only in certain pockets of the country. Even if they are available, do ascertain if the climate of your home is suitable to these natural materials.

 

During the period of rule by kings and monarchs, ivory furniture was also used. These are extremely costly and highly durable.

 

All these kinds of furniture, except that made of ivory, are available in most furniture stores. One can also get to know about modern trends in furniture making at an organized furniture exhibition. As ivory trade is banned in most countries, it is not easy to find a piece of furniture made of it. A museum near you may be having one as an exhibit.

 

Whatever be your choice, take a firm decision and then stick to it. Do not regret later having chanced upon something else that you like. There are innumerable designs and styles available, so take your time to pick.