When does "solid- wood" become "not- solid wood"

[Max Power]

I recently followed a link to a "solid wood" kitchen company and the panels were all made up of hundreds of tiny pieces joined together.http://www.solidwoodkitchencabinets.co.uk/
Fair enough if you've seen the product and are happy to go along with their description ( I wouldnt ) but would you be happy if you had something delivered having not seen it first and that arrived ?
Its got me wondering, at what point does wood cease to be solid obviously chipboard is not and full solid pieces are, so where does the demarcation point lie

 

[Harbo]

Well I suppose it's made from lumps of solid wood rather than pressed crumbs or slivers?

What about veneered ply - some expensive furniture is made that way?

I bought some long lengths of softwood from a timber merchant that had been spliced together?

Rod

 

[Max Power]

C

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I'm inclined to the view that quite a lot of words have slightly different meanings when used in a marketing context.

For example, the phrase, "Makers of Traditional Kitchens". Traditional? As in coal-fired range, dresser and big four-legged scrubbed-top table in the middle of the room? Or as in chipboard boxes with posh doors stuck on the front and a Formica worktop?

Personally, I rarely take any notice of what the marketing wallahs put in their hype, but you can sort of see their problem. "Solid Wood Kitchen" does sound better than "Kitchen with some of the visible bits made up of cob-ends of dodgy junglewood", doesn't it?

 

[Lons]

Some one posted a link to a supplier of "solid wood" kitchens. I followed the link and found that the "solid wood kitchens" were in fact made up of hundreds of tiny pieces glued together .

I did exactly the same and personally I don't like the cabinets though the doors look ok. They should describe it as engineered from harwood blocks.

having said that, I've just fitted to external doors from Howdens described as engineered oak. I discovered the core is softwood so cr*p really.
The words "buyer beware" have never been more relevant!

Bob

 

[nathandavies]

as far as trading standards are concerned, veneered ply can be described as solid wood.

 

[mailee]

What about veneered MDF then? Still derived from wood......even if it is dust!

 

[nathandavies]

no

 

[RogerS]

To my mind, solid wood is wood that is still as it came off the tree. Not chipped. Not bits of dust. Not manufactured or glued together.

So I would say that veneer was solid wood. But plywood was not. Even though plywood is made from thin sheets of wood, it fails my definition as it has had a manufacturing process applied.

 

[MARK.B.]

Oak Furniture Land sell according to the adverts "Solid oak furniture" but on closer inspection and you dont need to get very close it is clear that the items are made up from small pieces glued together to form larger panels. The stuff they sell is imho nasty , i would have said cheap and nasty but it aint cheap ,little care if any in matching boards and grain orientation .Large amounts of stain and polish used to try and blend all the bits into a single unit and lure the unwary into buying. As the law stands they can continue to advertise solid wood because apart from the glue it is indeed solid wood just lots and lots of little pieces of solid wood.

 

[bugbear]

To my mind, solid wood is wood that is still as it came off the tree. Not chipped. Not bits of dust. Not manufactured or glued together.

So I would say that veneer was solid wood. But plywood was not. Even though plywood is made from thin sheets of wood, it fails my definition as it has had a manufacturing process applied.

Where do you stand on curved doors made by coopering, or "bombe" cabinets?

BugBear

 

[RogerS]

To my mind, solid wood is wood that is still as it came off the tree. Not chipped. Not bits of dust. Not manufactured or glued together.

So I would say that veneer was solid wood. But plywood was not. Even though plywood is made from thin sheets of wood, it fails my definition as it has had a manufacturing process applied.

Where do you stand on curved doors made by coopering, or "bombe" cabinets?

BugBear

Are you actually interested or just being deliberately provocative/"funny"?

 

[bugbear]

To my mind, solid wood is wood that is still as it came off the tree. Not chipped. Not bits of dust. Not manufactured or glued together.

So I would say that veneer was solid wood. But plywood was not. Even though plywood is made from thin sheets of wood, it fails my definition as it has had a manufacturing process applied.

Where do you stand on curved doors made by coopering, or "bombe" cabinets?

BugBear

Are you actually interested or just being deliberately provocative/"funny"?

I'm implicitly pointing out that some constructional techniques involve cutting and glueing. I'm thus pointing out that there may be some complexity to this apparently simple question.

BugBear

 

[ChrisR]

I think that RogerS, definition is as close as makes no difference. (hammer)

Take care.

Chris R.

 

[Max Power]

s

 

[Max Power]

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