The Pros & Cons of Engineered Wood Style Dressers

What is Engineered Wood?

• Engineered wood is also known as particle board or chip board. According to The American Wood Council, particle board is a composite product made from leftover wood, such as wood chips, shavings or saw dust and a resin. Once the resin and wood products are combined, they are pressed or extruded to get the boards.

Pros of Using Particle Board

• Particle board can be produced to lengths shorter or longer than its original lumber length, thus eliminating waste and natural defects that may be present in lumber.

  Particle board is cheaper than solid wood, and when veneered, it can have the same beauty of real wood.

  Particle board is relatively lightweight, so it's easy to rearrange.

  It won't warp from excess moisture if the edges are properly sealed.

Cons of Using Particleboard

• Since particle board comes from pieces of wood, it may have variations in its wood grain. You can use a darker stain to hide the grain faults.

  Particle board is cobbled and patched together to make furniture. If the production quality is poor, the pieces may not fit together properly.

  Particle board is not as durable as natural wood and will break down in time.

  If not properly sealed, once particle board gets damp or wet, it can lose its form and buckle or bend.

  It is susceptible to marring and can easily be pulled loose and stripped in small pieces.

  You cannot put too much weight on particle board as it may not withstand the stress and strain.

  Assembling particle board furniture can be time consuming and difficult if you are not accustomed to working with particle board. For instance, if you put the screws in at the wrong angle, it could come out on the other side, spoiling the look of the furniture.

Advice

• Consider carefully the pros and cons of particle board before purchasing your dresser. If you choose your furniture well, you may be able to take advantage of an affordable dresser that has the elegant appearance of natural wood without its faults. However, you should also be cognizant that your dresser will not last forever. You should be prepared to replace it after a period of time.