Why Buy Real Wood Furniture?

At the risk of sounding biased (I work at a wood furniture store in Clearwater, Florida) I have decided to undertake one of the questions people ask about wood furniture… Why buy real wood furniture? At the risk of ticking off the big box stores, when I say “real wood”, I don’t mean wood veneer that conceals a MDF (medium density fiberboard) underbelly; I don’t mean pieces that include just wood molding or trim; I mean all wood furniture, inside and out. So as you read my reasons below, these will be things to keep in mind about real “real wood” furniture, not what others pass off as real wood… that subject will most likely be a topic for another day. 

My first reason to buy real wood I would attribute to being a lover of home makeover shows and channels… the ability to customize. Getting real wood (and specifically unfinished real wood) furniture allows you to pick the colors that it is finished in whether it be paint or stain (see my article  Paint vs Stain- What’s the Difference to find out, you know, the difference). This means that your home can come in YOUR color pallet, not just what is currently saturating the typical furniture market. That means the same table, given the right color combination can be traditional, coastal, or farmhouse… how cool is that? If we’re talking about fully customizable pieces, as in those made to your dimensions and in your style, that can be done in real wood too, you can’t really find that option with the MDF big boys. (This of course requires knowing someone who does woodworking, luckily for me, I do.)

I would say the second reason would be your wallet. Now don’t get me wrong, real wood furniture isn’t “cheap”, BUT because of the quality of the wood (mother nature does it best), that table you buy from a real wood furniture store will last 20-30 yrs(or more) with moves, kids, dogs, and… you know, real life. With other types of furniture you can’t say this, you get that veneered, particle board, or MDF piece nicked it will begin the process of falling apart in quick succession. What’s more, should you get your wood table nicked, there are ways to fix those as well, for less than the price of a new table! If you’re looking for some quality touch up products we recommend, click here.

So, we’ve covered customization and your wallet, what else? Well, how about the Earth itself? That's a pretty good reason, right? Now you may be asking yourself, HOW does buying wood furniture help the Earth? Well, first some types of trees such as Parawood and maple are actually harvested like a crop. They are planted for their sap and once they have stopped producing it, they are cut down to make furniture and new trees are planted in their place. Second, if you aren’t getting “throw away” furniture (see mdf, particle board or veneered furniture) then it doesn’t end up in the landfill. If it gets dented or dinged; it can be fixed. If you are sick of the finish; you can have it refinished. Many families we know pass down their furniture to their children as well, because it LASTS. 

Wood furniture itself may not be “trendy”, but because of your ability to customize it, it  can come in ANY style or color that you choose! It’s also something that will last a lifetime or longer, saving your wallet, and our planet! Finally, many of the real wood furniture brick and mortar stores are small businesses (like mine!) and by buying small, you are actually HELPING people in the process! Now the real question is why WOULD you buy anything other than real wood furniture?