When it comes to dining room furniture, there can be many options to choose from, but nothing gives the impression of quiet luxury and solid beauty like solid wood furniture does. Wood can be literally hundreds of different types, differing in terms of color, grain, hardness, patterns, markings, and individual character and personality.
You can’t do better when shopping for dining room furniture to opt for solid wood – durable, strong, shock resistant, great to look at, and very durable. Before choosing a dining room set, it is a good idea to understand the different types of wood available and their different and individual characteristics.
The most widely used types of wood, both for dining room furniture and for other types of furniture, are types of wood such as mahogany, oak, maple, beech and pine. Cherry and walnut are also very popular, with their distinctive and luxurious color.
Mahogany – This is a hard wood that has a characteristic rich, dark color; usually reddish brown in color. This wood lends itself very well to carving, such is its structure. So if you are thinking of buying a fairly ornate dining room set, mahogany would be an ideal type of wood to select from. Since this type of wood is generally not prone to swelling or shrinking, and is very durable, it retains its shape and structure very well over the years. It is a heavy and stable wood, which results in high quality furniture.
Oak: the very term evokes the feeling of solid, durable and good quality furniture. Oak is a hard and heavy wood, found in two clearly recognizable varieties: white and red or black oak. Oak wood rings are highly visible and easy to stain in different colors, making it a very popular choice due to its rustic appearance.
Maple – This is a distinctive light colored wood that is medium hard, but again a very popular choice for furniture, paneling, or flooring. Again, this is a very durable type of wood, making it a popular choice. This wood can be stained in different colors, with its uniform grain and fine texture. This makes it a very versatile type of wood. Furniture manufacturers frequently stain this wood light in color to resemble cherry or walnut woods, which are often more expensive.
Beech: it is a wood of medium hardness and is usually light or pale in color. This type of wood is a popular choice for stools and chairs, with a fine, firm grain and a birch-like appearance. This type of wood is popular because it can be used to make a number of different things in addition to furniture, such as toys, flooring, etc.
Pine – This is a soft wood, which is nonetheless very popular around the world for its typical knotty look that can appear warm, rustic, and inviting. A distinctive yellowish tint to the wood and wide groove patterns make this an attractive, lighter-toned option suitable for less formal furniture.