2596 Chapter 22 



WOOD SPECIES FAVORED FOR FURNITURE 



Blomgren (1965) concluded that wood has a depth of psychological meaning 

 to people that other materials do not possess. Subconsciously, people feel that 

 wood represents the natural process of life and growth. The tree is a symbol of 

 life; its grows in the earth — and light, air, and water are vital to its growth. Wood 

 suggests strength and security. It is sensuous and intriguing; even the smell of 

 wood is sensuous and suggestive of romantic and idyllic imagery. Wood sug- 

 gests productive human activity — a man building something, a boat sailing, or a 

 tree growing. Wood is distinctive and evokes memories. It is seen as natural, 

 solid, and reliable. 



In Blomgren's survey of people's image of wood, he found that men and 

 women have different images of some wood species. Oaks emerged as the wood 

 with the most specific personality. Men and women both viewed oak as mascu- 

 line wood and agreed that it is durable, strong, practical, and associated with 

 security. Most men see oak as old fashioned, but only half the women inter- 

 viewed viewed it this way. 



Much of the furniture industry of the United States is concentrated in North 

 Carolina, and species preferences of the North Carolina furniture plants are 

 perhaps representative of most southern plants. Applefield (1971) determined 

 percentages of total lumber volume purchased by North Carolina plants accord- 

 ing to species and year of purchase (fig. 22-15). He found that in 1953 yellow- 

 poplar purchases were greatest, with gums (sweetgum and black tupelo) second, 

 oaks third, and maples fourth. By 1968, oaks were first, slightly ahead of yellow 

 poplar, and the maples were in third place. A decade later oak furniture dominat- 

 ed the market (Anonymous 1976a), the popularity of oak continues. 



Figures 29-16A through 29-16H show long-term trends in hardwood lumber 

 manufacture by species. Not all of this lumber went into furniture, but the 

 furniture industry is the largest user. 



Luppold* found that demand by furniture manufacturers for particular species 

 is price responsive, with demand for open-grain species being more price re- 

 sponsive than the demand for close-grain species. 



FIBERBOARDS AND PARTICLEBOARDS 



Multi-layer particleboards with fine particles on the faces have become strong 

 competitors of lumber in furniture and fixtures. Medium density fiberboard — 

 because it can be edge-machined, filled, finished, and printed — is capturing a 

 steadily increasing share of the furniture market at the expense of lumber and 

 plywood. The technology of manufacturing medium-density fiberboard, and a 

 description of its properties, are discussed in chapter 23. Particleboards are 

 discussed in chapter 24. Because of increasing costs of high-quality lumber of 

 premium furniture species, it is likely that use of particleboards and fiberboards 

 in furniture will continue to increase. 



* Luppold, William G. The effect of changes in lumber and furniture prices on wood furniture 

 manufacturers' lumber usage. Res. Pap. NE-514. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

 Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1983. 8 p. 



