How do you choose new furniture for your interior? You should not look on the design and colour or decor only, which are eye-catching, however it is necessary to consider other parameters, so that the furniture could serve you well.
Interior furniture can be made of many materials, although wood-based boards prevail. But that is not all you need to know before you buy a beautiful new chest of drawers, a wardrobe or maybe a desk.
The Thickness Is An advantage
You can see different thicknesses of the base. A thicker base, optimally 18 mm, is stronger and better because the furniture will be more stable, strong and it will last longer. The thickness of the doors or fronts of drawers is important, because you handle with them frequently. The stronger ones are preferable also from the decorative point of view, if you wish decorative milling on the doors or on their edges.
How To Assemble It
There are several ways to put individual parts together. The connecting screws are better than wood screws because if you needed to disassemble and re-assemble the furniture, you can do it without destroying it. Anyway, both types of connections are visible. So if you wish an “invisible” connection, e.g. on the faces, there is another solution: the wooden pegs.
If An Angle, Then The Right Angle
Examine the furniture very carefully: are there all the angles perpendicular and all the joints straight? Any gaps or inequalities can become an issue later. If you find this shortage on your furniture after you brought it home, do not hesitate and claim it, if you have a warranty for the product.
Can It Stand Free?
The furniture that will not stand by the wall must be visually resolved from all sides and stable enough, above all. It is expectable on the furniture made of solid wood, but not on the furniture made of engineered wood boards. If a producer or a vendor encourages you to attach it to the wall, do obey them. This is not a purposeless remark, as some consumers can confirm; they have experienced the weight of their dresser themselves, when they opened the top full drawer and the whole piece of furniture fell on them…
Glass Panels Or Surfaces
Ask the salesperson, if the glass is tempered or toughened, as it is considered virtually unbreakable for normal household use. And it does not matter whether a bookcase has the doors with partial glass panels or if the doors are fully glazed. The hardened glass in larger formats is stronger, it does neither bend, nor vibrate.
Finishes – Can They Be Repaired?
The common types of finishes are films or varnishes. The varnishes can stand minor scratches or abrasions the best. Acrylic finishes are often used and any abrasions can be polished – although there are several repair methods available. Any damage to the film is irreversible.
The Edges And Gluing
The paper edges are gone, nowadays the ABS edges made of special thermoplastic are used. When gluing them, both the technological progress and the type of glue are important. The PUR glue is preferred, as you do not needs it in such an amount, the edge sits tightly against the front surface and the joint is almost invisible. Moreover, it is waterproof and heat-resistant. Other adhesives must be used in large quantities and the joints are more evident.
Let us have a look on the furniture fittings. You can probably guess that the plastic ones do not last long, while the metal ones do. In this case, you can follow a simple guide: the length of the warranty. If it is a lifetime warranty, there is probably no problem.
Wooden Pegs Assembly
A special machine drills holes into individual parts first. Then glue is injected into the holes and wooden pegs are inserted. On their protruding ends a counterpart is placed, which is a part with drilled holes.
Lacquered Furniture
The furniture with lacquer finish, especially in high gloss, is trendy nowadays. The quality of the lacquered surface is affected by these factors: a smooth base material (if it is sanded badly, the surface is uneven), respecting the drying time of each layer (when applied hastily, bubbles are formed in the finish) and the cleanliness in the workplace, to avoid covering dirt and dust with the laquer.
