What does solid wood mean and how do you recognize solid wood?

Posted by John Smith on April 17th, 2019

Thanks to incredibly clever marketing experts, who are constantly inventing new terms and additions to the word wood, it seems that nowadays one would need a degree in wood technology in order not to lose track of the furniture purchase.

So what does solid wood mean?

Why massivholzdielen? Is not every wood massive? Do trees grow in the forest, whose wood is soft and unstable?

Thus, we can also fall back on the definition of the term solid wood on such an industry standard. This means that all parts of a piece of furniture except drawer bottoms and back walls must be made of a type of wood and must not be veneered.

Solid wood:

As we have just seen, the term refers only to the uniformity of the type of wood used. The cross-section of massivholzdielen furniture is cut directly from the tree trunk and is processed directly after required drying and storage.

It does not matter whether the boards are cut into lamellas or used as beams for further processing. For example, our beam beds are made of thick wooden beams, in which the structure and growth of the wood can still be seen. Peculiarities such as growth cracks or knotholes remain and contribute to the rustic charm of the furniture.

Another possibility is to firmly connect the slats by gluing together. The advantage of this production method is that the individual boards can be glued together according to grain, the direction of growth and color. Unattractive growth characteristics are laminated and a uniform overall picture is created.

How do you recognize solid wood?

It is not always so easy for the customer to recognize real massivholzdielen in the large selection of wooden furniture. With these tips, you should have better maps in the future.

Look at the edges: If these are not veneered, the chips are a clear indication that they are not solid wood. The varnishing of the wood can also be an indication of chipboard. Because with real solid wood furniture, the grain and surface structure of the wood shines through, chipboard, on the other hand, can be painted completely opaque.

Another indication is glued PVC edges: The growth direction of the wood also helps to identify solid wood furniture. Make sure that the grain and growth direction is consistent. For real solid wood furniture, this continues on the front side (cross-section). Follow a certain line in the wood with your finger and see if it continues along the edge.