Our homes are no longer built of wood in the traditional sense of the term. However, wood and wood-like materials continue to be an integral part of home interiors. In fact, it is almost impossible to find a house that has no wood at all! But do you really know what kind of wood materials are being used in your home interiors? Can you look at a piece of furniture or a cabinet and tell what type or quality of wood it is made of?

Most homeowners end up paying hefty amounts for furniture (loose and modular) because they have little knowledge when it comes to wood materials. So here’s a detailed guide that explains all kinds of wood materials, mainly split into solid and engineered wood, so that you may make more informed decisions based on your requirements and budget.

Solid Wood

Solid wood refers to wood materials that don’t have any hollow spaces and are derived from the lumber of trees. It is categorized as hardwood—which includes Mahogany, Walnut, Oak, Maple, Cherry and Birch—and softwood—which includes Pine, Sal, Red Cedar and Redwood.

Engineered Wood.

A derivative wood product, engineered or manufactured wood is made by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibers etc. of wood together with adhesives or by using other methods to form a composite material. The different types of engineered wood materials have been listed below with their respective properties and uses.

#1: Plywood

When thin sheets of wood veneers are cross-laminated and bonded with moisture-resistant adhesives under heat and pressure, you get plywood that is a type of wood material. 

#2: MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

First, hardwood and softwood particles are broken down into wood fibres. Next, the wood fibres are combined with wax and a resin binder to form panels by applying high temperature and pressure to form MDF. 

#3: Particle Board

Particle board is an affordable type of wood materials. It is manufactured by pressing and extruding various wood wastes like wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even sawdust.