Choosing durable furniture is any homeowner’s priority. Will it be wood or metal furniture?
Renovations are costly and so are the furnishing you choose. Hence a penny-wise homeowner should and will opt for furniture which will stand the test of time and money. These leads us to two prominent types of furniture makes, ones of steel or wood.
Both materials are known for their sturdiness in the composition of a frame. However, there are some important differences too. Here are some quick facts to help you make a well-informed decision.
Pros and Cons of Wooden Furniture
Let’s start with wood. Categorised into either hard or softwoods, they differ in density, durability, depth of colour and of course, dollars. Despite their qualitative differences, we see both types of wood used in furniture. Hardwoods like oak and birch wood tend to be thicker, age better and is also darker. Expect also to pay higher prices for hardwood furniture. Softwoods like pine are the opposite.
Another popular category is manufactured wood such as chipboard and fibreboard typically found in IKEA. Pieces of wood bits are compressed to form a single board. This makes the product affordable although it may not be able to stand the test of time.
Unlike steel, wood cannot be bent into fanciful shapes. However, a skilled carpenter can carve ornate designs to add aesthetic value to the piece and to your home.
Pros and Cons of Steel Furniture
Moving on to steel.
The greatest advantage of steel furniture is its strength and lifespan. Although there are about 3000 varieties of steel, only one is used in furniture. That’s stainless steel.
Most contemporary type furniture use steel. Given the manufacturing process, the alloy is easily bent into any design and shape, and is a fraction of the cost of wood.