Objective 5.02:CRITIQUE

components of quality furniture

construction

1. Start on page 343.

2. Define – wood grain– solid wood– veneer– pressed wood

3. Draw and label each of these wood joints. Tell an advantage and disadvantage of each type of joint.

– Mortise and tenon– Double dowel– Dovetail– Tongue and groove– Butt– Corner block– Mitre (not in our book)

Understanding furniture construction will help you choose the highest quality furniture for your money

USING WOOD IN FURNITUREUSING WOOD IN FURNITURE

• A wood grain, or pattern, is formed as a tree grows

• Wood grain influences the construction of furniture.

SOLID WOOD: Whole pieces of the same wood used to make

exposed furniture surfaces.

SOLID WOODAdvantages

• Can be sanded and refinished

Disadvantages

• Expensive

• Can crack, swell, and warp if exposed to humidity.

VENEER (plywood): 3-7 thin layers of fine wood glued to an inexpensive

base.

VENEERS (plywood)Advantages

• Cheaper than solid wood

• Resists shrinking & warping (losing its straightness)

• Strong

Disadvantages• Difficult to repair –

cannot be sanded or refinished.

PRESSED WOOD (particle board)

• Wood shavings, chips, and sawdust mixed with glue

• May be used as the base for veneers.

PRESSED WOOD (particle board)

Advantages

• Cheap• Tough and durable

Disadvantages

• Not pretty!

BASIC FURNITURE CONSTRUCTIONBASIC FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION

•Joint – the place where one piece of wood is connected to another

•The joint determines the furniture’s strength.

Mortise-and-Tenon Strongest of all joints Cannot wobble and difficult to pull out Joins legs and rails in chairs and beds Difficult to mark and cut out.

Dowel (can be single double, triple) Quick and easy to make Drilling accurate holes difficult.

Dovetail Very strong joint and resists being pulled apart Good for joining all sides of drawers Difficult to mark and cut out.

Tongue and Groove Easy to measure and cut; invisible Used for table tops and floors Tongues can break easily; cannot be disassembled.

Butt Easiest to make Weakest type of joint.

Corner Blocks

Added to make joints more secure, such as the frames of chairs and tables.

Mitered Aesthetically pleasing

Not very strong.

Complete and turn in

“Wood Joints”

FURNITURE FINISHESFURNITURE FINISHES

Furniture finishes protect wood, and enhance or change the wood color.

Stain: adds color without covering the grain.

Varnish, lacquer, or polyurethane: clear and adds

protection.

Paint: covers the wood and is the least expensive

UPHOLSTERED FURNITUREUPHOLSTERED FURNITURE

Upholstered Furniture Components

• Hard wood frame secured with a corner block

• Hand-tied springs to prevent sagging

• Padding• Cushions• Fabric.

OTHER FURNITURE MATERIALSOTHER FURNITURE MATERIALS

Plastic• Inexpensive, lightweight, easy to clean.

Metals: wrought iron, steel, aluminum, and chrome

Rattan, Wicker, and Bamboo combine natural wood frames

with woven stems or branches.

Glass should be tempered - break into small pebbles instead of sharp pieces.

Wood

Plastic

Metal

Rattan

Wicker

Bamboo

Glass

Individual Project• Create a BROCHURE, OR 8 ½ x 11 FLYER that

explains ONE of the following:materials used in furniture construction; important facts,

advantages/disadvantageshow to judge upholstered furniturefinishes for furniture and their purposestypes of wood joints and their advantages and

disadvantages

• Use pictures• Spelling, grammar, neatness, and a professional look

count.