Power Tools

We have all seen the adds that claim things like solid maple but what they really mean is a solid wood veneer. What is a veneer? Well a veneer is a very thin sliver of solid wood, this veneer is most often glued to an inferior substrate like MDF this allows the manufacture to produce the product at a much lower cost unfortunately this type of construction comes with a price, the MDF material usually often times is not nearly as strong as solid wood and in a short time the underlayment will begin to come apart and you are basically left with a pile of sawdust. So when looking to purchase a solid piece of furniture you want to be positive that it is made from solid wood whether it be Oak coat racks or a table.

When looking to buy a good quality chest of drawers take a look at the drawer configuration this will point out a lot about the quality of the piece, began with the drawer fronts are they constructed from solid wood or are they a veneer? Next examine the sides of the drawers are they constructed from MDF or a good grade of plywood or even better are they constructed from solid wood? Thirdly examine the joints, how are the pieces of the drawer fastened together a good quality drawer will be assembled using dovetail joints, this is the strongest joint available for drawers.

When looking to buy a wall mounted coat rack you will want to be positive that it is constructed from solid wood like Oak, cherry or Maple, these are very strong woods and will last a long time. Solid Oak coat racks can lasts long enough to be handed down from generation to generation. You may also want to inspect the types of hooks on the wall coat rack some manufactures advertise a “brass finish” this brass finish can be painted on or a plated finish either way over time it will come off. You need to insist on solid brass, a solid brass wall coat hook will last much longer longer. Another thing to inspect is how is the coat rack mounted to the wall and do they come with the necessary mounting hardware? Is the mounting system designed for 16 inch on center wall stud mounting? If the answer is no you may want to keep looking. Whatever you are looking to buy a piece of quality furniture will be priced higher than veneered furniture but in the long run it will last much longer as well as retaining its good looks for decades.

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