What is made from birch boards?

2019-05-17

Author: Belfan

Issues discussed in the material:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of solid birch furniture?
• What types of furniture are made from solid birch?
• What style does solid birch furniture look good in?
• How to choose the right solid birch furniture
• How to distinguish solid birch from a fake

Birch is a widespread tree in Russia. It is famous for its strong wood, which has been used since ancient times to make reliable, high-quality and environmentally friendly furniture. If you like wooden furnishings, then you should pay attention to solid birch furniture. This is an ideal option that is great for any room. In this article we will talk about the features of this furniture and the rules for choosing it.

What is an array of birch

Wood has long been considered the best material for the manufacture of various household items, including furniture. And even today, when manufacturers have no shortage of materials to choose from, such as plywood, chipboard and MDF, solid wood items remain in demand due to their qualities. The environmental friendliness of birch is especially important for children and adults with allergies.

Unlike particle boards impregnated with harmful resins, furniture made from natural solid wood spreads a slight smell of forest around it. Living in big cities, people still want to feel the closeness of nature, and wooden furniture gives them this opportunity. Only perhaps a real fireplace can compete with wooden furniture in terms of energy impact.

Wood is unique in its qualities, which is why it is used to create a wide variety of products that we see literally everywhere: at home, in factories and offices, in squares and on park paths. These include stairs, interior and exterior wall decoration, doors, window frames, gazebos and benches. Furniture items made of wood can decorate any room in the house, bathhouse, and even be located on the street.

The first, but not the only advantage of the array can be considered the level of its strength and durability compared to objects made from laminated chipboard. The quality of wood is judged by its density or mass/volume ratio. By type, wood is divided into: soft - up to 540 kg/m3, hard - from 550 to 740 kg/m3, very hard - over 740 kg/m3.

Birch is classified as an average tree species in terms of density. It does not rot and is quite easy to process. It has a beautiful cut pattern, light color with shades of gold and caramel. The structure is homogeneous, there are practically no knots, and the furniture parts are smooth, without flaws.

Features of birch as lumber

The fact that birch is widely used in industry speaks of the positive qualities of this material. Among all deciduous trees, birch is the most popular. Its key advantages: flexibility combined with a dense structure, as well as low price.

Let's talk about immediate characteristics. There are no kernels, the texture is smooth, the color of the wood is orange and uniform. The appearance after processing is very attractive, the material is pleasant to the touch and has a slight gloss. Birch is widely used for making plywood or veneer. In this production it occupies one of the leading positions. Also used for interior decoration. Separately, it is worth highlighting its position in furniture production. Here she is truly the queen of the market and a favorite of consumers! An incredibly beautiful texture, combined with an affordable price and good performance characteristics, makes it possible to actively produce furniture and consistently bring profit to furniture companies. But now we’ve come to the most important thing, the timber. Yes, it is made, but it is practically unsuitable for construction. Why? Let's take a closer look at this issue.

Advantages and disadvantages of solid birch furniture

People have long noted that in a room furnished with solid birch furniture, a delicate sweetish aroma is felt. And in general, there has always been a particularly reverent attitude towards birch. Landowners and representatives of the Russian aristocracy furnished their houses and estates with elite birch furniture.

Thus, elegant and sophisticated birch furniture has a lot of advantages that put it in a special place in the furniture market:

• As already mentioned, environmental safety makes it possible to use furniture sets made of solid birch to decorate a children’s room or a room where an allergy sufferer lives.
• Easy processing allows you to produce bent and elegant products that only seem fragile, but in fact have high reliability, elasticity and strength. During processing, parts are subjected to various procedures: they are bent, glued, turned, drilled, decorated with carvings and covered with stain or varnish.
• It is distinguished by its beauty and perfection of form. Each product made from solid wood during the production process is filled with special energy from the craftsman, who invests not only skills and abilities, but also a part of his soul. The natural color of birch is light yellow, and after several stages of coloring the product becomes golden-honey, smooth, and shining.
• Items made from strong and durable solid wood can withstand many types of loads without changing quality.

When making furniture, solid wood parts can be glued and joined using screws and nails. The high strength of birch allows its use as the main material in the manufacture of bed frames, wardrobes and chests of drawers. Solid birch sets can withstand significant loads. This material is successfully used in the production of children's furniture. The burl, or growth on the trunk of a birch, is a valuable raw material for the manufacture of decorative products.

Sets and individual solid wood products always attract furniture salon clients with their elegant appearance. After all, they can decorate any home.

However, the weaknesses of wood cannot be ignored. Birch boards and beams necessary for furniture production should not be left in conditions of high humidity, and those that are wet must be dried. Good raw materials during further processing will produce products that meet all quality indicators.

To ensure that finished products made from solid birch are moisture resistant, they are treated with special protective compounds. But in any case, excessive humidity can ruin your favorite furniture.

Wood is a living material; when working with it, a craftsman requires not only skills, but also a special flair to create real masterpieces. Also, birch raw materials can become the basis for simulating more valuable types of wood; pickling the blanks helps with this.

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Pros and cons of furniture

Before purchasing a piece of furniture made from solid wood, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the properties of wood in order to know whether furniture made from this raw material is suitable in a particular case. Advantages of birch:

1. The wood has a predominantly yellowish tint. During processing, it may turn slightly golden, which makes it more valuable. The structure is similar in appearance to marble, which gives things a special decorative effect.
2. In terms of strength, birch is comparable to beech. The properties of these materials are very similar, they differ only in cost.
3. Safe for allergy sufferers. That is why cribs and other furniture for children are made from it.
4. Does not harm the environment and does not emit odors.
5. It can easily absorb varnish coatings, stick well, bend when steamed - all these qualities are valuable in the production of the most exquisite interior items.

A variety of artificial rattan furniture, its advantages
Despite the large number of advantages, birch furniture has certain disadvantages:

1. This tree is very afraid of moisture. If the raw material is not properly dried, it will begin to mold and rot, so it is better not to make a bathroom from untreated solid birch. This drawback is eliminated by thoroughly impregnating the raw materials with special water-repellent agents.
2. The material is difficult to plan and profile. The fleecy surface is suitable for grinding only with special expensive equipment.

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How furniture is made from solid birch

Before making furniture, wood must go through the following preparatory stages:

• drying - all lumber is necessarily dried in special chambers; only thoroughly dried wood is sent for further processing;
• gluing - furniture panels are obtained from individual boards, from which furniture body parts will be made;
• polishing – at this stage the ideal evenness of the surface of the boards is achieved;
• etching - special compounds used to process the array help improve the quality and durability of products.

Birch furniture panels prepared in this way are further processed on milling and lathes.

Comparison of solid birch with other materials

• Beech or birch: which solid is better?

Beech is close in quality to oak, it is also reliable and durable, but it has higher microporosity, so it absorbs moisture well. Because of this, beech furniture can only be used indoors and not outdoors. Also, beech is not suitable as a finishing material for the bathroom. Workpieces made from this wood are easy to process, they bend well after steaming, but they are difficult to polish. Beech's ability to bend is used in the manufacture of Viennese chairs and other furniture with bent parts.

Beech wood is best used for interior work, for the manufacture of parquet, steps and other parts of stairs, wall panels.

As for birch, its solid wood is most often used in furniture production to create sets for living rooms, bedrooms, and children's rooms. The furniture is very durable and can withstand maximum loads. Beech and birch are similar in many respects, but beech wood is stronger and harder. But the texture of solid birch fibers can compete with beech and oak in its beauty. It is impossible not to mention Karelian birch, which is famous for its strength, unique fiber pattern and pinkish tint of wood.

• Comparison of alder and birch.

In terms of density, alder lags behind birch and, even more so, beech. But it is easier to process and dries faster. Alder tends to darken in a short time after sawing; its wood must be painted to give it a more attractive appearance. Etching and polishing give a good effect. Solid alder perfectly withstands high humidity, which is why it is used to make items for arranging country verandas and gazebos. Alder doors are also popular due to the fact that they are lightweight and do not sag on the hinges.

• Pine or birch: which to prefer?

Pine and birch are durable and resistant to deformation. Kitchen furniture is usually made from pine wood; it looks quite solid and beautiful. Conifers emit a particularly delicate resinous odor, which also has bactericidal properties. High quality materials are used by manufacturers to make cribs and sofa and armchair frames.

Solid birch is often used to produce entire furniture sets for any room: bedrooms, living rooms, children's rooms, hallways. One of the techniques is finishing furniture with birch veneer, imitating elite species. It is pre-tinted and painted, achieving full compliance. Birch wood treated with protective agents becomes resistant to moisture, so such furniture can be installed in open areas.

Carpentry specialists use wood in accordance with its predominant positive properties. If you need durable material, then use beech and birch. And when it is necessary to make a product that can withstand the effects of humidity, then they take pine or alder. And you should always remember that wooden furniture has a special living energy and helps create a cozy and soulful atmosphere in the house.

Combination with the interior

Today one of the most current styles is Provence. Birch furniture is perfect for implementing such a design, because it has the following shades: white, beige, light brown. Style requires harmony in the combination of all elements of the room. Furniture made from Karelian birch looks especially beautiful; in various photos in catalogs you can choose a light shade of any tone.

Many people say that the kitchen is the only room that can be designed in a rustic country style, but this is far from true. Birch furniture is ideal for this design in any room. Such headsets should have a rough appearance with the effect of poor processing. The color can be either light or dark - it all depends on the lighting of the room.

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There will always be people who love the classic style, which is why it is always in fashion. Absolutely any elements of birch furniture can be decorated with light carvings, which is typical for this design. The preferred shade is dark brown - it gives the room a nobility, especially for offices and living rooms. Furniture with curves, which are achieved by steaming raw materials, is used to decorate the interior in the Art Deco style.

Country

Classic style

Art Deco

Solid birch furniture

It is no coincidence that solid birch attracts specialists in furniture production, because a wide variety of furniture can be created from it. It can be:

• Individual modules and complete kitchen sets.
  Facades are sometimes finished with veneer to give a more attractive appearance. The array is especially good for classic design options, but in principle it is suitable for the implementation of various directions. When installing furniture, it is especially important to carefully seal joints and seams.
• Sets for organizing dining areas.
  Tables, chairs and even stools for bar counters perfectly complement any interior.
• An elegant coffee table or a solid desk
  - these products are usually decorated with carvings, they may have bent legs, and the tabletop is covered with several layers of varnish, through which the pattern of natural wood is clearly visible.
• The birch bedroom set looks great.
  Polishing emphasizes the rich texture; the natural beauty of wood does not initially require the use of additional decorations.
• Children's sets made from solid wood are always at the peak of popularity.
  Wood fills a child's room with coziness and comfort. The quality of the items must ensure safe use; all surfaces must be carefully sanded. Naturalness and environmental safety help create a favorable atmosphere. Even one birch crib can bring genuine joy to a baby, let alone a whole set.
• Bent furniture.
  Parts that have been steamed bend well and are used to make furniture products for various purposes, for example, boxes and baskets. Another direction is the production of garden furniture sets. Surely you won’t refuse to sit with your favorite book in a birch rocking chair.
• A wall in the living room, a chest of drawers, a wardrobe or a set
  will be a wonderful addition to a classic interior. These items are usually decorated with elegant carved patterns in accordance with the classic style. For cabinet furniture, you can purchase a sofa with bent thin legs.

Wooden pieces of furniture are distinguished by their originality, and at the same time they easily fit into any interior.

Furniture options

Birch, furniture from which can be very diverse, is a fertile material for craftsmen. Most often it is made from:

1. Kitchen units - they are usually made of veneer and installed on the walls opposite the stove and sink. Designers can work with drawings, proposing unique forms of decoration - all this is possible when working with this type of wood. When making kitchen furniture, it is important to seal particularly vulnerable areas to extend their service life;
2. Dining tables made of this wood look very beautiful. In combination with massive stools, they create interesting ensembles;
3. Coffee tables and massive desks for offices are complemented by carved legs. And tabletops coated with transparent varnish convey all the beauty of the material;
4. Bedroom sets with polished surfaces look simply luxurious. The natural pattern of birch makes the products highly decorative and does not require additional decoration. Beds are usually equipped with a high headboard, on which natural patterns look especially beautiful;
5. Children's furniture is especially popular. With its help, the room is filled with warmth and softness visually. At the same time, safety is ensured for the child’s hands, since the furniture has a smooth surface and does not form splinters. Birch furniture is environmentally friendly, which has a beneficial effect on the child’s health. The optimal use of birch is the manufacture of beds and furniture sets;
6. Furniture made of bent birch. Steamed wood can be used to make various boxes and baskets for storing things. Another option is to create elegant garden furniture. Wood can also be used to make rocking chairs that will decorate the country style;
7. For a living room in a classic style, chests of drawers, walls and sets decorated with fine carvings are suitable. Soft armchairs and sofas with curly legs will complement the magnificent ensemble.

Whatever the interior item is chosen, it will look original and fresh in any interior.

Children's furniture made of solid birch

When choosing furniture for a children's room, parents first of all think about the safety and reliability of the furniture. Modern manufacturers supply the market with a wide variety of furniture sets. It’s great if you choose solid birch furniture.

The furnishings in the children's room should correspond to the age and height of its owner. The formation of correct posture is facilitated by suitable furniture, especially his chair and table. The books and toys on the shelves must be accessible to the child; it is necessary that he can independently use the necessary things.

In order not to change furniture in the nursery too often as the baby develops, it is more rational to use transformable objects. Buy a pull-out bed, height-adjustable tables and chairs.

Children's furniture is manufactured in compliance with special safety requirements; varnishes and paints of special brands and preferably water-based must be used. Before purchasing, be sure to study the certificates provided and make sure that this information is accurate. Find out your child’s opinion about the furniture you are purchasing; he should like it, because he will spend almost all his time in his room.

Children's furniture according to its functional purpose is divided into two groups:

• Hull. This furniture is distinguished by its versatility and durability. Depending on the needs and development of the child, the composition of the environment may change. The nightstand will replace the changing chest, and the small crib will be replaced by a teenage version. Basic items - a chest of drawers, a wardrobe and a desk - can be bought for a long time. It is good to update the interior with various child’s handicrafts, drawings, as well as decorative lamps and fresh flowers.
• Modular. This is a table, a children's chair, a desk, a wardrobe, a bed. Individual products are built into the interior like puzzle pieces and form an integral composition. Mandatory functional elements are various drawers, sections and compartments in cabinets and chests of drawers. The child will always find a place for his things, books and toys. The composition can be composed according to the child's needs.

Children's furniture is designed to organize different areas of the children's room:

• the recreation area includes a bed, sofa or loft bed;
• a set of table and chair is used for the baby’s meals; the small child also uses these pieces of furniture for activities;
• study area - organized with a desk, desk and chair;
• storage space is a closet, cabinet, chest of drawers.

You should start with a minimal set, which consists of a sofa or bed and a computer desk with a chair.

Kitchen furniture made of solid birch

Birch wood is suitable for creating kitchen furniture in different styles. Its light tone and uniform texture will harmoniously fit into country, Provence, classic and eco. Only when choosing solid wood as a material, one characteristic feature should be taken into account - wood shades, by their nature, cannot be too bright and saturated.

The most durable and unusually beautiful wood is Karelian birch; it is distinguished by its high density, and in addition, it does not warp during use. Other popular varieties are downy and silver birch. The difference between them is that the fluffy one has greater strength, viscosity and resistance to mechanical deformation.

There are different options for making kitchen sets, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:

• Solid wood furniture is undoubtedly considered the highest quality and most durable.
• It is possible to combine arrays of different species, for example, you can take oak and birch. This is done in order to expand color options and play with different textures. Oak wood has brighter shades, and the texture of birch is more uniform. In general, the combinations turn out to be very interesting and original.
• Furniture with birch facades, and pine wood or chipboard and plywood are used to make the body. This option is much more affordable.
• Finishing with birch veneer is also a way to reduce the cost of the set. The main body is often made of laminated chipboard and more budget options. Externally, the furniture is practically indistinguishable from solid wood products.

How to choose and buy solid birch furniture that will last a long time

1. Analyze quality indicators.

The quality of furniture is influenced not only by the material used, but also by production and assembly technologies. Let's look at the main parameters: the connection of parts and the strength of the product.

• Connecting parts.

Various types of joints have been developed, but, as a rule, these places are additionally strengthened by gluing. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully inspect all joints to identify traces of glue.

In pursuit of savings, the manufacturer can fasten furniture parts only with the help of metal staples; in the future they will become loose and rust, and the furniture will quickly fail. According to the technology, the master temporarily connects the parts with such staples to allow the glue to dry.

• Strength.

You can verify the strength of the product in a simple way - press it in several places. If pressing is accompanied by characteristic creaks, then, most likely, the furniture is not reliable and durable enough. If you are planning to purchase a table or a set of chairs made of solid wood, try lightly “beating” the legs and swaying them from side to side. A quality product will stand firmly and without sound.

2. Check the quality of processing.

The complete finishing process consists of sanding, painting and polishing. Insufficient quality performance of any operation will certainly affect the final result.

• Grinding stage.

During this operation, it is very important to remove all rough irregularities, chips and small scratches, since subsequent stages of painting and polishing will not be able to smooth out these defects, and they will spoil the impression.

You can identify unevenness and grinding errors by looking at the surface of the product from different angles to see the reflection of light. Grainy areas, spots and dark spots indicate poor surface grinding.

• Coloring.

Using staining, you can effectively imitate elite wood species or emphasize the natural beauty of birch. The paint must be applied evenly, without leaving sagging or unpainted areas. Parts of one item must have the same color. Sometimes furniture is artificially aged. For example, in order for a network of cracks to be visible in some places of the product, special techniques are used - the parts are locally heated over a hot stove.

• Polishing.

Polishing brings the surface of solid wood furniture to perfect smoothness. The surface feels evenly polished, there are no internal bubbles or dust particles. Run your hand over the surface and make sure it is smooth and level.

It’s a shame when wood furniture is not made of very high quality and has the following disadvantages: rough finish, excessive gloss or cloudiness that hides the beautiful texture, scratches, internal bubbles, dents.

Before placing an order for the manufacture of solid birch furniture from a manufacturer, make sure that this company employs specialists with a good reputation. Manufactured items should be carefully inspected to ensure proper quality of workmanship.

Only high-quality solid wood furniture will serve you for a long time and delight you with an attractive appearance.