Wood Office Furniture
Office furniture was traditionally made of wood. Customers prefer wooden office furniture for its rich look and its strength.
The wood that is available is divided into two categories, namely hardwoods and softwoods. But the word doesn’t really mean how hard or soft the wood is. “Hardwood” refers to trees that lose their leaves seasonally and “softwood” refers to those that keep their foliage all year. Ash, cherry, maple, oak, pecan, teak, rosewood, walnut, mahogany and poplar are some of the hardwood trees used for furniture. Among softwood trees, cedar, cypress, fir, pine and redwood are used for furniture.
Wooden office furniture consists of desks, credenzas, bookcases, file cabinets, seating, and more. The wooden furniture varies according to the type of wood used; some may be light weight for balancing light objects, and others might be heavy to balance heavy objects. The cost also varies depending on the strength and the workmanship of the furniture.
In general, more expensive furniture usually is made of fine hardwoods such as maple, cherry or oak, or selected softwoods such as pine. Medium-priced furniture may have a combination of different woods on exposed surfaces. As trees don’t grow in the shapes and sizes required for making furniture, the branches or pieces of wood are bonded together in different ways to achieve the necessary sizes and shapes. Hence, wooden furniture is costly compared to other types.
Wooden furniture is more suitable for homes, hotels and small offices, but it isn’t feasible to use wooden furniture for a huge office, because of the cost, availability and maintenance. They will lose their new look as days go by, so you have to repaint or varnish them for that new look. When we consider all these circumstances, cheaper materials that require less maintenance are often a better choice.
When you go to buy wooden furniture take a note of the following points. See that the doors and drawers fit well and are provided with glides and stops. Drawers should glide easily when pulled. Drawer corners must be jointed securely, and the insides of drawers should be smooth and snag-free. Doors should swing open easily without squeaking or rubbing. Hardware should be secure and strong, without rough edges. Entertainment units must have holes for electrical cords. Make sure that tables are steady, and finishes feel smooth to the touch.
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Office Furniture FAQ:
Question: How can I identify an old piece of office furniture?
I think this piece came from an architects office, it’s a tower of 10 drawers, made of oak, possibly from the 1920’s – 30’s.
It has cast iron drawer handles, with space in the handles for drawer content cards.
Answer: Looks to me as if it could be a storage cabinet for drawings. If so the inside width of the drawers would be likely at least 36″ or 48″.
Question: Does anyone know of a reputable on-line site that sells cheap office furniture?
I’m creating a small office space in my basement and I’m looking for a good site on-line to buy a desk with hutch and a bookcase from. I’ve tried walmart, target, office max, staples, and office depot.
Answer: Try Ikea, they have cheap furniture and shipping is usually cheap.
Question: Can I change the colour of my beech finish office furniture?
I have some old furniture in my study – its in good condition but Id like to brighten it rather then change it all. Can I restain the beech finish furniture? I’d like it darker. Would it mean stripping it and starting again? How do I do it? How hard is the job (I’ve never done it before)?
Answer: If it’s solid wood then it’s easy to change the colour. Simply sand down the existing finish for a smooth base and apply a new layer of varnish, matt or gloss, in the colour of your choice. So long as you’re going darker it’s no problem at all.
In truth, the more work you spend on preparation, the better the end product, but so long as the surface is smooth and grease free, you’ll get away with it.
With the varnish, use it sparingly, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. A few thin layers give a much better finish than one thick layer.
If it’s laminate beech then you can by specialist products to cover laminate, but you’re unlikely to find a good wood finish in these products.
Question: What colors to match with burgandy office furniture?
We are going to paint our office. We are having a hard time picking good colors.
Answer: I think Burgandy Furniture and Hunter Green Walls, with White Latex Gloss Trim are Lovely together. I see it in a lot of Professional Offices and Homes.
Question: Can someone (who has purchased Bush office furniture) tell me what you think of the quality and value?
Answer: It’s a good brand for the price. I had a Bush computer desk for at least 20 years already and I’ve had no problems with it. Just be prepared to put it together yourself.
Question: Where can I find used office furniture?
I am looking for just 1 item. A wooden stationary cupboard to tidy up my little home study.I need somewhere in Gloucestershire really.
Answer: Check your local newspaper to see when there are any office furniture sales coming up. An auction is the cheapest way to buy one. My friend recently bought a wooden 5 draw desk and a 4`6″ high 4 draw metal filing cabinet at an auction for £.4.50+VAT.
Question: Does anyone know where I could find affordable office furniture, and front room furniture?
I need an executive desk and a leather couch with two sitting chairs. I don’t want to spend a lot but every where I have look on the internet it is so expensive. I just wondered if there was a really decent priced site that I didn’t know of.
Answer: You could always try Ikea, they are pretty inexpensive if you have one near you. The shipping on any furniture is going to be outrageous so I would avoid internet shopping. Try your local newspaper. Or, furniture stores sometimes have scratch and dent stuff that is marked down considerably and usually in pretty good shape. And you can usually dicker with them on the price. A leather couch is going to be somewhat costly no matter what. You could always try to find a cheap couch that you like the shape of and reupholster it with leather or faux leather.
Question: What should I use to decorate an empty wall in my office, furniture wise?
Not a bookcase or anything that would require something to put on it. It should be something fairly simple.
Answer: What about hall trees, filing cabinets, a love seat, a console table, a cabinet or a bench?