There is still a lot of debate about which furniture is better - plastic or wooden. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to make a choice based on individual significant criteria. Today the HouseChief editors will try to figure out why wooden furniture is in most cases better than plastic.
Read in the article
- 1 Safety
- 2 Environmental friendliness
- 3 Style
- 4 Versatility
- 5 Appearance
- 6 Exploitation
- 7 Comparison of wood and plastic products
- 8 Finally
Safety
Wood products are a great option for allergy sufferers. They will never provoke allergies that can appear from plastic furniture. So, if plastic chairs or tables are made at high enough temperatures, then of them melamine begins to be released - a dangerous substance that causes kidney stones and allergic reactions.
Environmental friendliness
Today, the environmental movement is gaining momentum, and in this regard, it is also more expedient to use wooden furniture. Wood is a renewable resource, and it doesn't pollute the planet, unlike plastic.
Natural wood has many advantages: it does not contain toxic substances that can be dangerous for children and allergy sufferers. So, if someone in the family suffers from skin diseases, you should choose wooden tables and chairs. In addition, if you have preserved cabinets and other pieces of furniture inherited from grandmothers, it is best to update them and use them further - they will last more than a decade.
If you are looking to purchase new furniture, pay attention to wood products - there are a lot of them, and most of the models look very stylish and modern, while remaining completely safe.
In addition, some psychologists and esotericists argue that wooden furniture has a beneficial effect on a person's mood and self-awareness, since it is a natural, natural material. It is best to choose quality species - oak, pine, birch and beech.
Wooden furniture can be made with your own hands so as not to overpay. If you know how to craft and the house has the necessary tools, then you can make beautiful and convenient book racks, cabinets, shelves, dining and desks and even chairs. Choose pine, cedar, maple, larch or cherry for your own furniture production - these species are the easiest to work with for novice craftsmen.
Style
Wooden furniture not only does not harm your health, but also decorates the interior, adding style. It is not necessary to choose furniture made of wood with unusual carved legs, like those that were made tens and hundreds of years ago. On the contrary, give preference to modern laconic models.
Today it is best to buy stylish and simple classic furniture made of oak or other precious woods.
Wooden furniture is a sign of good taste, however, when choosing tables, cabinets and chairs, it is important to pay attention to details so as not to "run into" a low-quality product.
The advantages of oak furniture include the following:
- high quality;
- a small variety of shades - you can choose furniture in different stores, and it will match the previously purchased models;
- oak is a noble tree that was used for the production of furniture in ancient times and is used now;
- the wood does not require special care, it is enough just to wipe off the dust and from time to time wipe the surfaces with polish to make them shine.
If you want all the furniture in your home to be tastefully selected and serve for more than a dozen years, pay attention to wood products.
Plastic products can also look stylish, but more often than not, those options that are in the mass market look too cheap. In order to choose quality and stylish household items, you need to have good taste. Plastic hanging shelves and cabinets in acid shades can ruin even the most thoughtful interior. If the choice is limited, give preference to models of a neutral color, made of dense matte plastic.
Versatility
The main and main advantage of wooden furniture is that it can be used for different tasks and adapt to different styles. Wood products are present in interiors decorated in a classic, modern, loft, eco-style. Even if you bought tables and chairs a year ago for the same style and decided to completely change the interior, you do not have to change the entire set.
Plastic tables and chairs are very difficult to fit into the interior so that they look harmonious with the rest of the objects and decor.
Appearance
Wooden furniture is the main element in any room. Tables, cabinets, chairs and shelves made of wood always stand out and attract attention. The advantage is that, when “aging”, wooden furniture does not spoil its appearance, and small scratches and cracks can be easily painted over, unlike scratches left on plastic surfaces.
"Visual" advantages of wooden furniture:
- it is enough to make a simple carving so that the table or cabinet looks unusual and resembles a vintage product;
- obsolete furniture can be quickly restored;
- for a person who does not have an education received at a design university, it is much easier to choose tables and chairs made of wood than plastic products, so that they are combined with each other;
- the stores offer a huge selection of wooden furniture.
If you are not satisfied with the initial look of the product, arm yourself with sandpaper, stain, paint or oil and give the cabinet or chairs the look you like. Such a maneuver will not work with plastic furniture.
Exploitation
One of the most important arguments that people take into account when purchasing wooden furniture is high quality, reliability and ease of use. Wood is durable, and wardrobes, tables, beds and shelves made of this material can not be changed for decades.
Despite the fact that the material is very environmentally friendly and beautiful, it is quite easy to use - you just need to wipe the dust and once in to update the appearance for several years using simple and very affordable tools that can be bought in any household store.
Comparison of wood and plastic products
Before deciding to buy a bed or wardrobe made of plastic or wood, study the characteristics of both materials.
| Index | Wood | Plastic |
| Safety | Completely safe | A dangerous substance is released - melamine |
| Economy / price | It costs expensive | Affordable prices |
| Operational reliability | Can retain its original appearance for decades | Scratches and chips do not appear on high-quality pieces of furniture for a long time, on cheap models they appear very quickly |
| Environmental friendliness | Environmentally friendly, renewable resource | Harmful to the environment, most plastic items are not recyclable |
| Beauty / style | Almost all products look beautiful and fit into the interior | Mid-range models look good |
| Relevance | Always up to date | Some models lose their relevance |
The choice of plastic or wood is individual. If you want to choose the most budgetary option and there are no allergy sufferers in the family, then plastic products are the best solution. For those who prefer to preserve nature and want to create an eco-friendly environment in their apartment, a huge number of wooden beds, wardrobes, tables, chairs and stools are on sale.
Finally
The decision about which furniture to choose is made up of several factors - price, safety, reliability and beautiful appearance. Both wood and plastic can meet all these requirements, so consider your own preferences and choose furniture that will delight you for more than one year.
What material do you prefer - wood or plastic?