You cannot see a house without furniture. Every home has one, whether it be a makeshift console table using plywood or a luxury metal furniture table in Singapore.

When we move into our new home, we first shop for furniture, like Kitchen cabinets, dining tables and chairs, dresser tables, and so on. Are you planning to purchase indoor and outdoor furniture in Singapore as well?

You may get overwhelmed by the bunch of collections you can find that vary depending on the materials. This article will help you out with your choices by explaining the basics of furniture.

The Most Common Furniture Materials And Their Upkeep

Generally, there are a bunch of materials used in making furniture. Sometimes, artisans and manufacturers combine two or more of these materials in their fittings. This article will discuss the four most popular materials used in furniture. These are wood, metal, plastic, and leather.

Wood

Wood is the most common material used in fittings in the world. Many designer furniture in Singapore uses high-grade wood that usually costs a high price.

They are easy to find and always available in the market. There are at least five types of wood used in wood furniture. These are hardwood, softwood, manufactured wood, reclaimed lumber, and woody plants. 

Hardwood

Harwood is wood that comes from angiosperm trees. These trees have broad leaves. Angiosperm trees have slow growth and shed leaves during the autumn season in other countries.

Most hardwood comes in golden brown colour, but some species have rich brown and pale yellow colours. Oak, teak, beech, maple, and walnut are examples of hardwood.

Many luxury furniture in Singapore uses hardwood mainly because of its quality. They are durable, resilient, sturdy, and have incredible fire resistance. Wood floorings also use hardwood.

Designer furniture in Singapore made of hardwood is insanely expensive.

Softwood

Softwood comes from gymnosperm trees. These trees have needle-like leaves and produce cones to reproduce instead of fruits and flowers. They also grow much faster than hardwood.

Softwood has lighter colours, although some species may have a darker shade. Pine, spruce, juniper, and fir are examples of softwood.

Many indoor and outdoor furniture in Singapore use softwood because of the versatility and strength of the material. It is also lighter and more flexible than hardwood; however, they are less resilient. They are also cheaper than hardwood.

Manufactured wood

Manufactured wood is wood chips, shredded wood fibres, sawdust, and scrap wood glued together to form a wood board. The wood pieces used in manufactured wood came from waste hardwood and softwood from sawmills.

Laminated veneer lumber, plywood, medium-density fibreboard, and composite board are examples of manufactured woods.

Compared to hardwood and softwood, manufactured wood is less durable and resilient. Luxury furniture in Singapore rarely uses manufactured wood. Cheaper mass-produced fittings usually use this engineered wood. On the other hand, it is a famous material for flooring.

Reclaimed Lumber

Reclaimed lumber is upcycled wood. People retrieve these planks from old structures from repurposing. Most of these woods are hardwoods.

Many artisans use this reclaimed wood for indoor and outdoor furniture in Singapore because it is environmentally friendly and is still of high quality.

Woody plant

Some plant species produce wood that is as sturdy and high-quality as wood from trees.

Famous examples of these woody plants are bamboo and rattan. Bamboo is grass, while rattan is a vine.

Wicker is the process of weaving bamboo or rattan wood to form a shape of furniture, including a chair and basket. Many designer furniture in Singapore uses rattan and bamboo material. These fittings usually come at a high price.

Enemies

Its enemies are heat and cold, humidity, sharp objects, and termites.

Upkeep

• Dusting using a slightly damp cloth.
• Placemats and table covers to avoid direct heat and cold damage.
• Occasional waxing for moisture and retained look.
• Humidifier to control air moisture.

Metals

Many luxury furniture in Singapore uses metals as their main component because of its durability and elegant look. They are known to be resilient and lightweight. There are a bunch of metals used in many fittings.

The most popular metal for indoor and outdoor furniture in Singapore is stainless steel because of its rust resistance. Other types of metals include wrought iron, steel, aluminium, bronze, and copper.

Metal furniture has different finishes as well. Metal furnishing is the alteration of the texture and appearance of the metal surface for aesthetic and quality purposes.

Metal finishes include plating, brushing, blasting, polishing, and grinding.

Enemies

Its enemies are rust and scratches.

Upkeep

• Dusting using a soft polishing cloth.
• Use water and non-detergent soap as a cleaning agent.
• Touch-up paint on scratches for rust prevention.

Plastic

Plastic furniture is the most widely available in the market. Plastic furniture is durable, lightweight, insanely cheap, and comes in different colours.

However, plastic furniture has low resistance to heat, scratches, and excess pressure.

Plastic furniture is usually made of Polypropylene Resin and recycled plastics, including bottles.

Indoor and outdoor furniture in Singapore uses plastic material as well.

Enemies

Its enemies are heat, chemicals, extreme weight and force.

Upkeep

• Microfiber cloth, mild soap, and clean water for cleaning.
• Avoid placing plastic furniture near fire or under direct sunlight.
• Use placemat and table cover to prevent heat damage.

Leather

Leather is a material that comes from animal skin, including cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and crocodiles. The skin undergoes processes like tanning and re-tanning.

There are synthetic leathers that are made of plastic. There are also plant-based leathers.

Authentic leather is a durable material for designer furniture in Singapore, like couches. They are also expensive materials.

Enemies

Its enemies are sharp objects, heat, and humidity.

Upkeep

• Soft cloth and warm water for cleaning.
• Avoid direct contact with sharp objects.
• Keep pets at bay. Dogs and cats can scratch and gnaw your leather.

Conclusion

One good factor to consider when choosing furniture is the material. Materials matter when it comes to quality, price, maintenance, and aesthetics. You can now select which furniture material fits your needs.

Xtra Design

Xtra Design provides the best luxury furniture collections in Singapore. Visit Xtra Design for more furniture selection.