Materials
Choosing what type of wood you want for your home is very important. There is an incredible variety, and each has its own characteristics, colour, and properties. Here at J G HOME SOLUTIONS, we will advise you on which wood is best suited to your specific project.
Hardwood
A wood is classified as a hardwood if the seeds produced by the tree have a coating, such as a fruit or a shell. Common examples of hardwood trees include walnut, maple, and oak.
Hardwood contains pores, which softwood does not. These pores help in transporting water throughout the tree, keeping it healthy. Visually, the presence of pores gives hardwood a more defined and prominent grain, while softwood appears to have a lighter and smoother grain due to the absence of visible pores.
Hardwoods are generally denser and more durable than softwoods. Because of their strength and lasting quality, they are widely used in flooring, construction, decking, and high-quality furniture.
Softwood
A wood is classified as a softwood if the seeds do not have any type of coating and are instead dropped directly to the ground. Softwood comes from trees that have needles and produce cones—these are usually evergreen conifers such as spruce or pine. Common softwood trees include pine, redwood, fir, and cedar.
Softwood timber is widely used for feature walls, ceilings, furniture, doors, and windows, owing to its versatility, light weight, and ease of workability.
Wood Veneer
Wood veneer is a thin slice of wood used to give a finished-wood appearance to items like skirting boards, door frames, window frames, cornices, windows, doors, and dado rails. Typically, the wood is sliced to a thickness of less than three millimetres and bonded onto a more affordable base material.
The main purpose of veneer is to achieve the look of high-end solid wood at a lower cost and with reduced manufacturing time. For instance, crafting a bench entirely out of solid mahogany would be costly. However, using a less expensive base like plywood and applying a thin layer of mahogany veneer on top allows the bench to look like solid mahogany—at just a fraction of the cost. Once applied, the veneer can be sanded and stained to resemble elegant, solid wood.
MDF
Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF) is a widely used engineered wood product, commonly found in construction, furniture-making, and interior applications. MDF is available in large flat sheets of varying thicknesses and can be easily cut, shaped, and finished using standard woodworking tools.
It is known for its smooth surface, making it ideal for painted woodwork, cabinetry, and furniture. Many homes built in recent decades contain a significant amount of MDF in their interiors, including doors, shelves, wardrobes, and even some structural elements like wall panels and flooring.
Melamine
Melamine is a type of particle board coated with a resin to form a hard, durable surface on both sides. This treatment makes it resistant to heat, moisture, and scratches.
Melamine board is commonly used in kitchen and bathroom cabinetry due to its strength and easy maintenance. It is also suitable for shelving, display counters, office furniture, whiteboards, and even flooring, making it a popular choice for both residential and commercial interiors.
Give us a call
At J G HOME SOLUTIONS, we are always available to answer any question or query about your home project, big or small. Our phone lines are open from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays. We hope to hear from you soon.
020 4638 9601
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We want to know exactly what you need so we can review the best way to accomplish what you have envisioned. Send us your requirements and we will schedule in a visit to provide a professional personalised quote.