We often tend to overlook the kind of space taken up by wood in our home interiors. From furniture to furnishings, wood is always the top choice of material among homeowners due to their durability and convenience of use. But what if we tell you that natural wood isn’t the only choice you have?
That’s right. Made of particles and fibres joined together with adhesive, manufactured wood or engineered wood is becoming increasingly popular as a cheaper and more versatile alternative to natural wood. Read on to know everything about manufactured wood and if it is suitable for your requirements.
Benefits of manufactured wood
Why should you consider manufactured wood for your home furnishing needs? Here is a list of benefits provided by manufactured wood:
Cost savings
Manufactured wood is engineered by using smaller particles and the remains of natural wood. Since the raw materials used to make it are cheap, it reduces the overall cost of manufactured wood and results in cost savings for your furnishings as well.
Consistent quality
Since manufactured wood is man-made, it is easier to control the quality. Therefore, it is a more consistent and uniform solution than natural wood as flaws appearing in natural wood such as knots and warps can be easily avoided.
Dimensional stability
Being less prone to warping and shrinking, manufactured wood provides precise results and is easier to work with in case of furniture making.
Versatility
Manufactured wood can be designed and customised specifically to suit your needs. From durability to design, everything can be tailor-made for your requirements. Here you will find something for everyone with this!
Environmental sustainability
By making efficient use of waste from natural wood, manufactured wood reduces waste production as well as the need for cutting more trees to meet the demand for natural wood. This reduces the environmental impact of the construction process as a whole and results in conservation of natural resources.
Types of manufactured wood
Manufactured wood is available in various types for you to choose from according to your needs. Here are the available options:
| Type | Made by | Applications |
| Plywood | Putting together thin layers of wood veneers with adhesive with the grain of each layer placed perpendicularly to the adjacent one. | Construction, furniture making, flooring |
| Particle board | Binding together small particles, sawdust and chips with resin adhesive. | Furniture, cabinets, floor lamination core. |
| Medium density fibreboard (MDF) | Breaking down natural woods into fibres, binding them using resin and shaping them into panels under high temperature and pressure conditions | Furniture, cabinet doors, decoration |
| Oriented strand board (OSB) | Putting strands of wood in layers bound with adhesive under high temperature and pressure conditions. | Sheathing of roof and walls and subflooring |
| Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) | Binding thin wood veneers with adhesives and placing the grain of each layer parallel to each other. | Structural items in construction such as beams and headers |
| Hardboard | Compressed wood fibres under conditions of high temperature and pressure. | Furniture panelling, siding,
pegboard |
| Finger jointed wood | Joining small pieces of wood in a certain way to create finger joints to make longer pieces. | Construction, furniture |
| Glued laminated timber (Glulam) | Binding layers of dimensioned lumber with adhesives. | Structural items in construction such as beams, columns and arches |
| Cross laminated timber (CLT) | Putting layers of lumber perpendicularly to each other and binding with adhesive. | Walls, flooring, roofs |
Manufactured wood vs natural wood
So which one is better – manufactured wood or natural wood? Here is a concise guide comparing both of them for your perusal:
| Natural wood | Manufactured wood | |
| Composition | Is derived directly from trees in form of solid lumber pieces | Made by binding together wood particles, fibres and veneers with adhesive. |
| Manufacturing process | Obtained by cutting trees into usable pieces of lumber with natural properties of the wood retained. | Engineered mechanically in industrial settings with high temperature and pressure. |
| Properties | Varies in colour and texture according to natural properties of the wood and responsive to environmental changes. | Engineering processes can be tweaked according to durability and consistency needs, resilient to warping and splitting caused by environmental changes. |
| Environmental impact | Deforestation of mature trees can cause significant environmental damage. | Lesser environmental impact and waste production. |
| Cost | More expensive due to high quality and limited availability of some types. | Cheaper than natural wood since raw materials are readily available for use. |
FAQs
What is manufactured wood?
Manufactured wood or engineered wood refers to wood made mechanically in industrial settings.
How is manufactured wood made?
Manufactured wood is made by binding together wood particles, fibres and veneers with adhesive.
Which is the most commonly used manufactured wood?
Plywood is the most common type of manufactured wood.
Is manufactured wood safe to use?
Yes, manufactured wood is engineered with due importance to strength and durability considerations.
Is manufactured wood environmentally sustainable?
Yes, manufactured wood is more environmentally sustainable than natural wood as it is made from waste products.
Does manufactured wood ensure the same quality as natural wood?
Unlike natural wood with fixed qualities, manufactured wood can be made keeping in mind the required qualities and tweaking the process accordingly.
How much does manufactured wood cost?
The cost of manufactured wood depends on the type and durability of the wood but it is more cost-effective than natural wood.
| Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com |
