Misunderstanding 1: Only solid wood is good
Many customers walk into a furniture store and immediately ask if the product is made entirely of solid wood. If they hear a no, they quickly turn away. This reflects a misunderstanding about modern panel furniture.
Modern panel furniture, as opposed to traditional solid wood furniture, centers around artificial panels. One of the most commonly used materials, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), is made from wood fibers or other plant fibers, mixed with a resin-based adhesive, and then subjected to high temperature and pressure. In terms of material, MDF is dense, thick, and dense in texture, with a high strength-to-weight ratio, low moisture content, and resistance to deformation. It’s one of the most versatile and high-quality furniture materials in the world. From the veneer side, natural veneers are not only aesthetically pleasing but also add a protective layer, with a thickness of about 0.3-0.6mm. This makes veneered panel furniture highly durable, even in imported high-end European furniture where solid wood is typically reserved for smaller parts like edging and trim. Additionally, both traditional and modern furniture vary in quality depending on the type of wood used, its texture, and availability. Lower-grade solid wood isn’t as valuable as higher-grade veneers. Moreover, many medium and low-grade solid woods aren’t ideal for proper drying processes (furniture wood usually needs kiln drying and a moisture content of 10-12%), leading to a high risk of warping and cracking once made into furniture. High-end solid wood furniture can also be quite expensive.
In short, the biggest advantage of panel furniture is that it generally outperforms solid wood in mechanical properties. Customers holding this belief aren’t entirely wrong, as "there's no formaldehyde and no panel."
Objectively speaking, from an "environmental protection" standpoint, solid wood has a much lower VOC content compared to panels. From a "global environmental protection" perspective, using panels helps alleviate resource constraints and contributes to sustainable development.
There are also many solid wood and veneer combinations in modern wood furniture. Here are some commonly found in the Guangdong market:
1. Black walnut, the highest grade of walnut wood, primarily sourced from North America and Europe.
Domestic walnuts are lighter in color, while black walnut is a dark brown with a hint of purple, and its tangential cut shows a beautiful large parabolic pattern (resembling a large mountain). Black walnut is extremely expensive, so furniture is typically made using veneer, with solid wood rarely used.
2. Cherry, imported cherry wood mainly comes from Europe and North America. The wood is light yellow-brown, with an elegant texture, and its tangential cut displays a medium parabolic pattern with small circular patterns. Cherry wood is also considered high-grade, and furniture is commonly veneered, with solid wood usage being rare.
3. Beech, the coffin mentioned here refers to beech, which is different from the "Nanbeibei" coffin in traditional Chinese furniture. Beech wood is bright and light yellow, with dense "needle-like" (wood rays) and a mountain-like pattern. Imported beech from Europe is superior to domestic varieties. Imported beech is considered mid-to-high grade in China, commonly used as veneer, and solid wood is also used for dining chairs and small square bars.
4. Maple, maple wood is light yellow with a hill-like pattern, and its standout feature is the "shadow" effect (partial luster is prominent). Maple is a mid-range wood, and both veneer and solid wood are common.
5. Birch, birch wood is light yellow, with distinct features including more "waterlines" (black lines). Birch is also a mid-range wood, used both as solid wood and veneer.
6. Rubberwood, the primary color is light yellow-brown, with messy small rays, the material is light and soft, making it a low-grade solid wood material. Merchants sometimes call it "oak," which is misleading. True oak is more expensive. European white oak has an elegant texture, while North American red oak has a large mountain-like pattern. Both are hard and heavy, and their appearance, structure, and material are all incompatible with rubberwood.
Other woods like pine, fir, and eucalyptus are relatively low-grade furniture materials.
Misunderstanding 2: Confusion of solid wood, veneer, and stickers
Since the advent of modern wood furniture, the market has developed into a diverse landscape with a wide variety of styles, complete product lines, and varying grades. While this diversity offers consumers plenty of options, it also brings challenges in distinguishing quality and authenticity. As a customer, it's crucial to stay vigilant when purchasing.
Solid wood is primarily used for items and parts requiring less material, with precious woods rarely used in solid form. For instance, solid wood dining chairs are common, but they’re generally made from mid-to-high-grade imported beech, mid-grade maple, birch, domestic eucalyptus, or low-grade rubberwood. If someone claims to sell an "imported black walnut solid wood dining chair" for five or six hundred yuan, it’s likely a scam. Most of these chairs are actually painted birch with black walnut finish, a practice common in both Chinese and international furniture industries. However, what was initially meant to save costs has now become a deceptive tactic.
There are many modern panel furniture facing materials, among which veneer and stickers are particularly common but differ greatly in quality. Veneer furniture is rich in natural texture, beautiful, and durable, but it comes at a higher price. Sticker furniture, on the other hand, is prone to wear, water damage, and is less durable, but it’s cheaper and more popular. Some types of furniture that don’t experience much wear and aren’t near water sources are predominantly sticker-based, such as shoe cabinets and bookshelves.
When visiting a furniture store, customers often see labels like "walnut wardrobe," "cherry coffee table," or "wooden dining chair" on price tags. It’s essential to determine whether these items are solid wood, veneer, or sticker. Solid wood and veneer furniture can be labeled as "cherry wood furniture," but sticker furniture cannot, or it risks being misleading.
Solid wood — wood grain and wood rays (often referred to as "needles") are clearly visible, with some natural imperfections like knots, plaques, black lines, etc. For the same piece of solid wood, whether it’s in its raw or finished state, the wood grain at both ends should show a natural connection between the longitudinal and cross sections.
Veneer — wood grain and wood rays are clear. There should also be natural flaws. Since veneer has a certain thickness (about 0.5mm), when furniture is made, two adjacent surfaces typically don’t align perfectly but are joined separately, meaning the wood grain at the two interfaces shouldn’t connect.
Stickers — Wood grain and wood rays are clearly visible. Even high-grade imported paper can mimic wood, but it differs from natural veneer. Sticker furniture tends to expose flaws at the edges. Additionally, because the grain paper is very thin (0.08mm), it wraps directly around the joint of two planes, causing the wood grain at the two interfaces to appear connected (typically on the longitudinal section).
4. Soft furniture primarily refers to sofas and bed furniture.
Sofa
(1) American-style sofas, the biggest charm of American sofas is their softness and comfort, making people feel gently embraced when seated. Many sofas today are made with frames using different hardness foams. Many American sofa seats are still designed with springs and foam, making the sofa very durable. Before purchasing this type of sofa, it’s important to measure your living room space. Generally, only a large living room of 20 square meters or more can consider buying such a sofa.
(2) Japanese-style sofas, the defining feature of Japanese-style sofas is their small, fence-like armrests and short design. This type of sofa is ideal for those who appreciate a natural and simple home style. The compact Japanese-style sofa reflects a rigorous attitude toward life. Therefore, Japanese-style sofas are often used in office spaces. This type of sofa is also suitable for the elderly. For some elderly individuals who have difficulty walking and sitting, the firmness of Japanese sofas provides greater comfort and makes it easier to get up.
(3) Chinese-style sofas, Chinese-style sofas are characterized by their fully exposed solid wood frames. The top sponge cushions can be replaced as needed. This flexibility makes Chinese sofas popular with many people; they are cool in winter and comfortable in summer, offering convenience and practicality.
(4) Modern and avant-garde European-style sofas, European-style sofas with modern designs are typically elegant in color and simple in line, suitable for general household selection. This type of sofa is versatile and works well in various living room styles. Recently, light-colored sofas like white rice and beige have become popular. Sofas are classified by material as fabric sofas, leather sofas, and microfiber sofas.
Soft beds, often sold with bed sets and mattresses, are common in the market. In reality, the bed primarily depends on the mattress. Nowadays, mattresses are increasingly focusing on comfort and practicality. The main components include springs, foam, and outer fabric. Currently, mattresses on the market vary widely in price, ranging from a few hundred yuan to tens of thousands. For example, Lizian imports mattresses from Australia known as Denglupu. His mattresses are all over 10,000 yuan. Furniture is becoming more and more decorative, and the bed is no exception. From the bed's background wall to the bedding decoration, it’s very luxurious, creating a desire to purchase. Nowadays, it’s not just about having a good mattress; attention is also paid to the overall look. The Sweet Dream store in Octagon is a good example.
5. Rattan furniture is mostly categorized into three series: bedroom, living room, and garden furniture, offering both European and American styles with rough luxury, Southeast Asian styles that are exquisite and delicate, and a simple yet elegant representation of Chinese traditional culture. Beyond its practicality, rattan furniture emphasizes artistry, becoming a true fashion statement. Across major furniture markets, rattan furniture on the market is largely divided into the following categories: outdoor furniture, such as garden furniture, small round tables on porches, armchairs, recliners, and swinging sofa armrests filled with a casual atmosphere.
Living room furniture is the most perfect and stylish in rattan furniture. A set of red rattan core living room furniture is delicate and smooth, with simple and elegant shapes and colors, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. Dining room furniture is particularly structured and colorful, combining elegance and artistic features. The five-piece and seven-piece rough rattan chairs and tables are modern and contemporary. Additionally, small rattan ornaments come in various forms. Rattan table lamps have a chic shape, soft lighting, and a warm elegance. Rattan chandeliers are simple and unadorned, harmonizing with the modern pursuit of natural style. Occasionally placing a few pieces of rattan furniture in a modern home adds beauty and tradition, with a touch of simplicity in fashion, reflecting the owner's style and taste.
In terms of color, modern rattan furniture has poetic tones, silver, quiet, bronzed, reddish-brown, dark green, mysterious, crystal-clear, smooth and rounded. Lacquer finishes are often transparent, preserving the unique style of rattan itself. Its natural and simple nature allows people weary of the bustling and noisy city to naturally find solace for their souls. Currently, the most renowned rattan brand in China should be Yitengju, Ming Tengxuan, and Jade Teng.
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