Solid wood furniture does not lose popularity, despite the abundance of different types of and more affordable materials on the market. The fact is that natural wood not only has a pleasant appearance and creates a cozy atmosphere in an apartment or private house.
Its performance qualities are also unmatched - products made from solid wood will last for decades, while the safety and environmental friendliness of the material makes it suitable even for people prone to allergies.
Some types of wood even have medicinal properties, disinfecting the air in the room with the help of phytoncides contained in wood resins. Aesthetic appeal, durability, useful properties of wood have long made this material traditional for home furnishings. The only downside of such furniture is its high cost on the market - but if you decide to create solid wood furniture with your own hands, you will save significantly on the services of a master.
Content
Design
The creation of a piece of furniture begins with careful development of the project. This is another advantage of self-production - an item made taking into account specific dimensions will fit perfectly into the interior, and you will not need to rearrange it. You can make almost any furniture from solid wood - wardrobes for the bedroom, a table for the living room, a crib or a chair for the veranda. You only need to choose a suitable design or develop your own, and then make a drawing according to your dimensions.
Materials
When choosing a material, you should consider the conditions of future use of the item. If you want the furniture to last for many decades, or it will be subject to constant load (for example, bookshelves in a home library), it is better to choose hardwood.
- Oak is the most common option for furniture manufacturing. Oak is characterized by high strength, hardness, and at the same time is quite easy to process, very durable. Oak wood is not subject to moisture, rotting, and is also rarely affected by bugs and other insects.
Any furniture can be made from solid oak, even for damp rooms - Beech - in terms of hardness and durability, this wood is comparable to oak. Its disadvantage is vulnerability to water, so beech furniture cannot be placed in rooms with high humidity. During manufacturing, moisture protection treatment is also mandatory using special impregnations.
Furniture made from solid beech can be used for structures that must bear heavy weights.
In addition to these two most commonly used materials, hardwoods also include ash, rowan, apple, elm, yew, and sycamore. Their use is recommended in the manufacture of load-bearing frames, such as for wardrobes.
For structures that are not subject to heavy loads or if you want to decorate the furniture with decorative elements, you should take soft wood.
- Pine is the most popular material due to its low cost and pleasant light color. Pine is easy to process, but has low resistance to mechanical damage.
Children's furniture set made of solid pine - Cedar is suitable for making furniture for the kitchen or bathroom, as it is moisture resistant.
Luxurious wardrobe made of solid cedar - Birch is a soft, light wood that is very easy to work with, allowing you to create original decorative elements for decoration.
Furniture made from solid birch is incredibly beautiful, but not very durable and shock-resistant.
Soft wood also includes cherry, alder, maple, poplar, willow, and fir.
Mahogany, wenge, and mahogany are considered noble wood species with a beautiful wood texture, but are quite expensive.
Tools
A standard set of wood tools is suitable for the job:
- saw or hacksaw;
- jigsaw;
- plane;
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- screwdriver.
Depending on the chosen project, you will need to select suitable fittings - furniture corners, ties, door hinges, handles. All this is sold in construction stores. There you can also buy special impregnations, wood paint, varnishes for finishing the product.
Features of manufacturing technique
When deciding to make solid wood furniture with your own hands, you must first familiarize yourself with the operating principle. If you cannot consult with an experienced craftsman, videos on the Internet will help you understand many of the features. In a professional workshop, wood is cut using a circular saw, which is quite difficult to install at home.
You can cut out the parts yourself using a saw and a jigsaw – this solution will be effective when cutting rectangular blanks.
If the project requires parts of a complex shape, it is recommended to seek help from a craftsman or a furniture factory, where they will make an even cut exactly according to the drawing.
Finished parts are connected to each other in several ways:
- spikes - the product is assembled by cutting matching lugs and spikes; to connect the parts, they are tightly knocked together; sometimes glue is used for greater strength;
Tenon joint of parts - fasteners – parts are fastened using a screwdriver, self-tapping screws, fittings are also used – corners, ties.
Connection with the Confirmat system
The tenon joint will require special tools and additional knowledge, so it is recommended to start with simpler use of fasteners.
Decoration and processing
Decorating solid wood furniture with your own hands will give them an individual style and better fit into the overall interior design idea.
Most often, wooden products are decorated by making carved elements on facades and doors; sometimes furniture is decorated with a pattern using burning or special paint.
The finishing of the finished product is required not only for its visual qualities, it also helps to protect the wood from various external influences and ensure a longer service life. First of all, the surface is sanded using special materials (sandpaper, powders).
Then, depending on the selected species, impregnation is carried out with stains or synthetic compounds in water.
Such impregnation will improve the waterproofing properties of wood, protect it from insects, and in some cases, give it a certain color. The final stage is usually the application of varnish or wax, which gives the product an aesthetic appearance and additionally protects the surface.
Video: DIY Wooden Secretary (Cabinet-Table)
50 photo ideas for creating solid wood furniture with your own hands:
