When wood isn’t good

The Green Brigade might have convinced many people that their living room is actually the graveyard of tropical rainforests, that the hole i...

The Green Brigade might have convinced many people that their living room is actually the graveyard of tropical rainforests, that the hole in the ozone layer dilates in terror everytime they decide to redo their house and opt for wood. Thus, most folks are convinced that there are better substitutes for timber. Trees need not be felled to make furniture. What takes years to grow into a beautiful, noble work of art that supports life, need not meet an ignoble death at a woodcutter’s hands.

Hence the importance of wood-based alternatives — affordable options which utilise shavings, sawdust, agricultural waste, scantlings and rapidly grown species like eucalyptus. Usually, these are chemically treated, mixed with resins and pressed into boards at high pressure and temperature. These options — like plywood, particle board, fibre board and block board — are accessible and easy to work with. In the right hands they can take on the same timeless beauty that solid wood furniture possesses. Yet, one should remember that boards should always be protected by veneers, laminates or paint.

Plywood is manufactured by assembling thin sheets of wood on both sides of a central core, with the grain in alternate sheets at right angles to each other. Though this increases its strength in both directions, it also makes it vulnerable to splittage when the adhesives used to bind the sheets start failing with age. Plywood can also be used in combination with particle boards or chip board. The latter uses chips of a natural timber like teak or rosewood, mixed with a resin like phenol formaldehyde. If used for doors, partitions or shutters, the board must be properly boxed within a solid wood frame.

Story continues below this ad

Here its cousin, the fibre board, is superior as it can be cut, planned and crafted like solid wood. And it doesn’t need any additional frames. Prelaminated boards, which are easily available in the market, are a very good option. As the plastic laminate is applied over the standard-sized board in the factory and only needs to beassembled into place by an enthusiastic DIYer. They are stronger than the laminate stuck by the carpenter and even cut down on time and labour costs. The only limitation is colour, as they are available in basic shades.

Speaking of colour, painted woodwork is growing in popularity these days for its rustic charm and the fun it can generate on a Sunday afternoon. Amateur painters should use flat paints as these will not show brush marks on the surface, unlike high gloss or oil paints. So the latter must be applied first with a small brush, sticking close to the woodwork, and moving away from it. Then a roller must be immediately run in the opposite direction.

Stencilled motifs can add more individuality to smaller pieces like chairs and tables. When the paint chips, you can cover it up by just using good quality fabric or poster paint. But first check that a sample held against the patch is an exact match. Poster paint can be fixed with a dot of shellac. Plastic laminates are eternal favourites, as they are available in a wide variety of shades and stand up nobly to abuse. Since this is a stiffly competitive market, the race among manufacturers is always to tickle the designer’s imagination by using weird and wonderful effects. Just when you thought how exciting can a laminate get, Company X impregnates their brand with silk and Brand Y responds by introducing a whole line of space age colours.

Just remember that the basics stay on, it’s never too difficult to build more and harmonise, whereas the more unusual types flit a bit around the market and either disappear or can be had at astronomical prices only. So when you finally embark on making that little corner table, the laminate you used earlier cannot be had for love or money.

Story continues below this ad

But apart from the cosmetic value, it is imperative to note that nothing beats good joinery as an age busting device for furniture. Drawers are the first victims of bad workmanship. Check that the corner joints are all firm dovetails. Dovetail is a joint, conceptually similar to that in a zipper — it even looks like a magnified length of a zip. The sides should not be wobbly.

Mitre joints are the neat 45 degree lines you see at the corner of picture frames. Shutters in display cases or bookcases should use mitre joints. But this demands a great deal of accuracy, as the angle has to be trimmed to be exactly 45 degrees. So unless your artisan is one who inspires confidence, don’t go in for this however much you yearn for the elegance of a shutter which frames a lovely collection within.