Buying guide
Why solid wood matters (and how to spot the fakes)
Bill · April 2, 2026 · 7 min read
I have been asked to repair a lot of furniture over the years. The solid-wood pieces, I can almost always bring back. The particle-board ones, once the moisture gets in and the corners swell, there is nothing to save. That is the whole story, really.
What "solid wood" actually means
Solid hardwood is exactly that — boards of oak, cherry, maple, or walnut, all the way through. Not a photograph of wood glued to a chipboard core. You can sand it, refinish it, and pass it down. It earns its keep for generations.
How to spot the difference in a store
- Look at the drawer sides — real dovetail joints, not stapled boxes.
- Lift one end. Solid wood is honestly heavy; hollow cores are suspiciously light.
- Check the edges and undersides — veneer shows a seam where the "grain" wraps.
- Ask what the drawers glide on. Wood-on-wood or full-extension metal beats plastic tracks.
Buy it nice or buy it twice. Solid wood is the nice way.
Everything that leaves our shop is solid hardwood, joined the old way, and inspected before it ships. If it is not Billt right, it does not leave.
Written by Bill
Bill builds every piece by hand and, once in a while, writes down what forty-odd years at the bench has taught him.
