Many people make the mistake of thinking veneered furniture is solid wood. Understanding the difference between solid wood and veneered furniture can help when you’re seeking to purchase solid wood furniture that will last.

What Is Solid Wood Furniture?

When many people walk past a piece of furniture made of solid wood, they think, “Wow, that looks beautiful and so natural.” What they mean by this is that the furniture looks like it’s made out of real wood. For instance, if a tree is cut down, the wood exposed is what the furniture shows. It’s completely normal to see dark spots, rings, and other natural wood markings on solid wood furniture.

Solid wood furniture is much more expensive than other types of furniture because it’s the best quality you can buy. When you buy a piece of solid wood furniture, you are making an investment. This piece of furniture will last for many years, and can be the perfect heirloom to pass on to future generations.

It can withstand most types of damage such as scratches, dents, watermarks, dings, and more. Damage to solid wood isn’t anything to worry about. Most people will sand away the visible marks and refinish it, or they will leave the damage as is to add character to the piece. Often times, the older it looks, the better it looks.

What Is Veneer Furniture?

Veneer wood furniture has an overlay on it to make it attractive. The furniture itself is made of inexpensive wood and may include other materials to take the place of the wood. There are three types of veneer:

  1. Raw
  2. Paper-backed
  3. Phenolic backed

Raw veneer is double sided. When manufacturers use this type on wood, they glue one side of the veneer onto the furniture. It doesn’t matter which side they choose because it looks the same on both sides.

The paper-backed veneer variety looks exactly how it’s named. It has a paper backing, which easily applies to edges and corners of furniture.

The phenolic-backed veneer is a man-made material. Manufacturers glue this onto the surface of furniture. The best part of this type is that it doesn’t use natural resources.

How to Tell the Difference between Solid Wood and Veneer

It’s quite easy to tell the difference between solid and veneer. The first test is to pick up the piece of furniture. If it’s heavy, it’s likely it’s made of solid wood. If it’s light, it’s usually made of some other material with a wood overlay.

Another way to tell if it’s solid wood or veneer is to look at the edges of the furniture. If you see that the edges have a crease in them or there’s a lift  piece, it’s most likely veneer.

Check underneath the furniture to look for differences in the wood. If the wood appears different on the outside than underneath, it’s possibly veneered.

Finally, ask the salesperson about it. He will be able to tell you if the furniture is solid wood, veneered, or part veneered. Some manufacturers will make wood furniture, but still use veneer just to be able to make the piece look more attractive to the people they believe would like the design of that particular piece of furniture.

When to Choose Solid Wood over Veneered Wood

Solid wood is best for those looking to buy furniture that will last a lifetime, while veneered furniture is better for those that just need something to get them by until they are ready to invest in high quality, long lasting, and impressive solid wood. Now that you know the differences between solid wood and veneered furniture, which one do you believe is best for you?