Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Know Your Wood Well
Lost when it comes to wooden furniture? Can’t make out ebony from teak? Can’t decide between Amish Oak Furniture and Antique Mahogany Furniture? Here’s a ready guide to make you an expert at recognizing different woods, decide their finishes and know what they are best suited for. So now you can go ahead and buy your hickory coffee table set or the Amish Furniture Set you’ve been eyeing with complete confidence.
The woods that are used for furniture making fall into three categories: Hardwoods, Softwoods and Composites.Even the term 'hardwood' or 'softwood' is deceptive. Hardwoods aren't necessarily harder, denser material. Softwood trees are evergreen trees while the hardwoods are got from deciduous trees. Hardwoods are considered the highest quality and are the most expensive. Hardwood furniture is least likely to warp or bend. Softwoods are less expensive than hardwoods, but they require extra care and are less durable. Composites are manufactured and not grown and are the cheapest form of wood. Provided it’s affordable, you should always go for hardwood furniture. Here we will look at the properties of some of the common hardwoods:
Ash
Strength: Very strong. Not likely to split.
Color: White to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture.
Uses: Secondary pieces in connection with Oak such as bentwood furniture, frames and veneers.
Beech
Strength: Very strong.
Color: Reddish brown with dark brown specks, slightly paler than that of birch.
Texture: Straight grain and coarse texture.
Uses: Bentwood furniture, framework of chairs, tables, and bedsteads, furniture joints etc.
Birch
Strength: Very strong.
Color: Pale yellowish brown color.
Texture: Fine grain and even texture. Works and finishes well.
Uses: It is used in the better kinds of low-priced furniture.
If polished or varnished, it looks like satinwood, but is darker, and by staining can be made to resemble Honduras mahogany.
Chestnut
Strength: Fairly strong. It is light, elastic and very durable.
Color: Grey to white. Looks like white oak.
Texture: Coarse grains and texture.
Uses: Large-scale infestation has depleted the availability.
EbonyStrength: Heavy and strong. High decay resistance but is brittle.
Color: Deep black color.
Texture: Straight or wavy grain with a fine even texture.
Uses: Luxury furniture, carving, musical instrument parts, primary pieces and inlay.
It is very expensive so Pear and other woods dyed black are often substituted for it.
MahoganyStrength: Very strong. Easy to work.
Color: Reddish brown to dark red.
Texture: Interlocked or straight grain, often with a ribbon figure, and a moderately coarse texture. Excellent finishing qualities.
Uses: Tables, chairs, carved pieces, cabinetry, high class joinery, interior trim, boat building, vehicle bodies, paneling, plywood, and decorative veneers.
As its value is so great, it is generally veneered on to some less valuable wood. The heaviest mahogany is generally the best.
MapleStrength: Very strong and hard. Difficult to work with. High resistance to abrasion, indentation, and shock.
Color: White to reddish yellow.
Texture: Straight or bird’s-eye grain and fine texture.
Uses: Furniture, flooring, cutting surfaces, cabinets, decorative woodwork, musical instruments, bowling pins and utensils
OakStrength: Heavy and strong.
Color: White to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Primary pieces which are not carved, joinery, turning and veneer.
RosewoodStrength: Very strong and hard.
Color: Dark, with some curl. Purple to black.
Texture: Straight grain, medium texture and streaked figure.
Uses: Furniture, cabinetry, paneling, mathematical instruments, brush backs, inlay, sculpture, boat construction, hammer heads, and decorative flooring.
SatinwoodStrength: Very hard and strong.
Color: Orange to golden brown.
Texture: Striped or interlocked grain and fine texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Furniture, cabinets, inlay, joinery and turning.
WalnutStrength: Strong and durable. Less inclined to warp.
Color: Dark brown to purple and black.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture.
Uses: Primary pieces, tables, chairs, cabinets, drawers, joinery, turning and veneer.
AlderStrength: Very strong. Easily carved and finished.
Color: Yellow to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture.
Uses: Turnery and primary pieces.
CherryStrength: Strong and hard. Easy to work.
Color: Red brown to red.
Texture: Straight grain and fine texture.
Uses: Primary pieces and turnery.
ElmStrength: Very strong.
Color: Light reddish brown.
Texture: Straight or interlocked grain and coarse texture.
Uses: Furniture frames and secondary pieces.
HickoryStrength: Very hard and strong. Difficult to work with.
Color: Sapwood is yellow white and heartwood is red brown.
Texture: Straight to wavy grain and coarse texture. Average finishing.
Uses: Bentwood furniture and rustic furniture.
TeakStrength: Moderately strong. Low stiffness and shock resistance. Moderate bending strength.
Color: Yellow brown to dark brown.
Texture: Straight to wavy grain with coarse, uneven texture and rich figuring.
Uses: Indoor or outdoor furniture, joinery, turning, and veneer.
Yellow PoplarStrength: Soft and light. Easy to work and finish.
Color: Sapwood is white, heartwood is greenish brown.
Texture: Straight grain and fine texture.
Uses: Carved members, joinery and smaller pieces.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
The woods that are used for furniture making fall into three categories: Hardwoods, Softwoods and Composites.Even the term 'hardwood' or 'softwood' is deceptive. Hardwoods aren't necessarily harder, denser material. Softwood trees are evergreen trees while the hardwoods are got from deciduous trees. Hardwoods are considered the highest quality and are the most expensive. Hardwood furniture is least likely to warp or bend. Softwoods are less expensive than hardwoods, but they require extra care and are less durable. Composites are manufactured and not grown and are the cheapest form of wood. Provided it’s affordable, you should always go for hardwood furniture. Here we will look at the properties of some of the common hardwoods:
Ash
Strength: Very strong. Not likely to split.
Color: White to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture.
Uses: Secondary pieces in connection with Oak such as bentwood furniture, frames and veneers.
Beech
Strength: Very strong.
Color: Reddish brown with dark brown specks, slightly paler than that of birch.
Texture: Straight grain and coarse texture.
Uses: Bentwood furniture, framework of chairs, tables, and bedsteads, furniture joints etc.
Birch
Strength: Very strong.
Color: Pale yellowish brown color.
Texture: Fine grain and even texture. Works and finishes well.
Uses: It is used in the better kinds of low-priced furniture.
If polished or varnished, it looks like satinwood, but is darker, and by staining can be made to resemble Honduras mahogany.
Chestnut
Strength: Fairly strong. It is light, elastic and very durable.
Color: Grey to white. Looks like white oak.
Texture: Coarse grains and texture.
Uses: Large-scale infestation has depleted the availability.
EbonyStrength: Heavy and strong. High decay resistance but is brittle.
Color: Deep black color.
Texture: Straight or wavy grain with a fine even texture.
Uses: Luxury furniture, carving, musical instrument parts, primary pieces and inlay.
It is very expensive so Pear and other woods dyed black are often substituted for it.
MahoganyStrength: Very strong. Easy to work.
Color: Reddish brown to dark red.
Texture: Interlocked or straight grain, often with a ribbon figure, and a moderately coarse texture. Excellent finishing qualities.
Uses: Tables, chairs, carved pieces, cabinetry, high class joinery, interior trim, boat building, vehicle bodies, paneling, plywood, and decorative veneers.
As its value is so great, it is generally veneered on to some less valuable wood. The heaviest mahogany is generally the best.
MapleStrength: Very strong and hard. Difficult to work with. High resistance to abrasion, indentation, and shock.
Color: White to reddish yellow.
Texture: Straight or bird’s-eye grain and fine texture.
Uses: Furniture, flooring, cutting surfaces, cabinets, decorative woodwork, musical instruments, bowling pins and utensils
OakStrength: Heavy and strong.
Color: White to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Primary pieces which are not carved, joinery, turning and veneer.
RosewoodStrength: Very strong and hard.
Color: Dark, with some curl. Purple to black.
Texture: Straight grain, medium texture and streaked figure.
Uses: Furniture, cabinetry, paneling, mathematical instruments, brush backs, inlay, sculpture, boat construction, hammer heads, and decorative flooring.
SatinwoodStrength: Very hard and strong.
Color: Orange to golden brown.
Texture: Striped or interlocked grain and fine texture. Finishes well.
Uses: Furniture, cabinets, inlay, joinery and turning.
WalnutStrength: Strong and durable. Less inclined to warp.
Color: Dark brown to purple and black.
Texture: Straight grain and medium to coarse texture.
Uses: Primary pieces, tables, chairs, cabinets, drawers, joinery, turning and veneer.
AlderStrength: Very strong. Easily carved and finished.
Color: Yellow to light brown.
Texture: Straight grain and even texture.
Uses: Turnery and primary pieces.
CherryStrength: Strong and hard. Easy to work.
Color: Red brown to red.
Texture: Straight grain and fine texture.
Uses: Primary pieces and turnery.
ElmStrength: Very strong.
Color: Light reddish brown.
Texture: Straight or interlocked grain and coarse texture.
Uses: Furniture frames and secondary pieces.
HickoryStrength: Very hard and strong. Difficult to work with.
Color: Sapwood is yellow white and heartwood is red brown.
Texture: Straight to wavy grain and coarse texture. Average finishing.
Uses: Bentwood furniture and rustic furniture.
TeakStrength: Moderately strong. Low stiffness and shock resistance. Moderate bending strength.
Color: Yellow brown to dark brown.
Texture: Straight to wavy grain with coarse, uneven texture and rich figuring.
Uses: Indoor or outdoor furniture, joinery, turning, and veneer.
Yellow PoplarStrength: Soft and light. Easy to work and finish.
Color: Sapwood is white, heartwood is greenish brown.
Texture: Straight grain and fine texture.
Uses: Carved members, joinery and smaller pieces.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Keep your Wooden Furniture Stain-Free!
Despite extreme care, accidents with your wooden furniture are bound to occur, especially when there are kids around the house. They invariably tend to spill something on or drag something across your wooden tables or your precious Amish Furniture causing stains and scratches which soon become eyesores.
But there is a lot you can do amend all that. A kind of wooden furniture first aid. Below is a ready guide for the most common stains and problems that may arise with your precious wooden or Amish Handcrafted Furniture.
Wax or Dirt:
To clean wooden furniture of wax or dirt, dampen a clean rag with some mineral spirit and wipe across the wooden surface. Do this until all the dirt is picked up into the rag. To remove the dirt that collects in the grooves and crevices of carved areas use a cotton swab dipped in spirit.
Water Stains:
For recent and mild stains, cover the stain with a clean, thick blotter and press down hard for a few minutes. If that doesn’t work, rub with salad oil, mayonnaise or white toothpaste and leave it on for about 15 minutes. For older or tougher stains leave it for more time, even overnight if required. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Milk or Alcohol:
For milk or alcohol stains rub it with a paste of boiled linseed oil and rottenstone with the grain. Substitute pumice instead of rottenstone for dull finishes. Or rub with a cloth dampened with some ammonia. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
White Marks:
Rub the stain with a clean cloth dipped in a mixture of cigarette ash with salad oil or lemon juice. Once the stain has been removed, wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Light Cigarette Burns:
Rub the stained surface with scratch-concealing polish. If that does not work you could try rubbing it with a paste of linseed oil and rottenstone with the grain until the burn mark is completely gone.
Nail Polish:
Try to blot the spilled nail polish as soon as possible while it is still wet. If it has become dry, rub it with fine steel wool dipped in wax. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Heat Marks:
This may be slightly tricky. Rub gently with dry steel wool soap pad or a cloth dampened with camphorated oil or mineral spirits. Be careful not to cause scratches. Use the finest steel wool available. Wipe the surface clean and wax or polish.
Paint Marks:
If the paint is still wet, it can be removed with water or oil-based paint solvents with mineral spirits. If it has become dry, put some boiled linseed oil on the stain and wait until the paint softens and scrape carefully with a knife or wipe with cloth dampened with boiled linseed oil. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Scratches:
Rub a shoe polish closest in shade into the scratch. This is a very effective and easy solution. You could also use a felt-tip pen of a matching shade to fill into the scratch.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
But there is a lot you can do amend all that. A kind of wooden furniture first aid. Below is a ready guide for the most common stains and problems that may arise with your precious wooden or Amish Handcrafted Furniture.
Wax or Dirt:
To clean wooden furniture of wax or dirt, dampen a clean rag with some mineral spirit and wipe across the wooden surface. Do this until all the dirt is picked up into the rag. To remove the dirt that collects in the grooves and crevices of carved areas use a cotton swab dipped in spirit.
Water Stains:
For recent and mild stains, cover the stain with a clean, thick blotter and press down hard for a few minutes. If that doesn’t work, rub with salad oil, mayonnaise or white toothpaste and leave it on for about 15 minutes. For older or tougher stains leave it for more time, even overnight if required. Then wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Milk or Alcohol:
For milk or alcohol stains rub it with a paste of boiled linseed oil and rottenstone with the grain. Substitute pumice instead of rottenstone for dull finishes. Or rub with a cloth dampened with some ammonia. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
White Marks:
Rub the stain with a clean cloth dipped in a mixture of cigarette ash with salad oil or lemon juice. Once the stain has been removed, wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Light Cigarette Burns:
Rub the stained surface with scratch-concealing polish. If that does not work you could try rubbing it with a paste of linseed oil and rottenstone with the grain until the burn mark is completely gone.
Nail Polish:
Try to blot the spilled nail polish as soon as possible while it is still wet. If it has become dry, rub it with fine steel wool dipped in wax. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Heat Marks:
This may be slightly tricky. Rub gently with dry steel wool soap pad or a cloth dampened with camphorated oil or mineral spirits. Be careful not to cause scratches. Use the finest steel wool available. Wipe the surface clean and wax or polish.
Paint Marks:
If the paint is still wet, it can be removed with water or oil-based paint solvents with mineral spirits. If it has become dry, put some boiled linseed oil on the stain and wait until the paint softens and scrape carefully with a knife or wipe with cloth dampened with boiled linseed oil. Wipe the surface dry and wax or polish.
Scratches:
Rub a shoe polish closest in shade into the scratch. This is a very effective and easy solution. You could also use a felt-tip pen of a matching shade to fill into the scratch.
For more information visit: http://www.amish-furniture-home.com
