Manufacturing flow chart for solid wood furniture

Here is a typical solid-wood manufacturing flow chart. Most high-end
companies follow this type of program during the manufacturing process

• The lumber is
  • Carefully selected
  • Air-dried and kiln-dried to about six or seven per cent
    moisture content
  • Rough-cut to eliminate all warps, knots checks and splits
• Clean stock is assembled into dimensional stock of various
  sizes, glued under pressure, and cut into rough shapes of
  pedestals, legs, posts, or drawer and frame componen
• These rough-cut solid parts are further refined by bond sawing, then
  • Shapers contour the rough edges.
  • Dovetail machines cut interfacing joints
  • Boring machines pre-bore holes for dowels
• Master carving machines carve up to forty duplicate images at
  one time
• Sanding is one of the most critical operations because the
  condition of the piece in the “raw ”determines how well the finish
  will look. The wood may be sanded by various belt, wheel and
  drum sanders, as well as by hand
• All parts now ready for assembly.
• Component parts such as drawers, doors, tops go through
  sub-assembly
• All parts flow to the cabinet room where the final assembly .
  Takes place. They are fitted together and thoroughly fastened with
  dowels, glue and screws, either in combination or as a single
  procedure.
• The assembled piece is placed in a hydraulic press to ensure ,
  tightly fitted joints and, at this point, further reinforcements such as
  corner blocks are added.
• Table legs and leaves are numbered to assure proper fit
  because these items are shipped flat in a box and assembled at
  the store or at home.
• Drawers and doors are fitted properly

 

Do all manufacturers go through the same steps? Essentially they do, and this makes the process of determining the relative quality of items so tricky. In a brochure produced by the manufacturer, or a color photograph used in magazine or newspaper advertisement, different brands of furniture can appear to have the same look of quality.

producer may not be as good as the same type of product from a less well-known competitor. The second firm’s regular price may be well below that of the big name manufacturer’s low-priced goods. Confusing? It certainly can be.
It is possible to purchase furniture that has very little or no wood in it. Some manufacturers use a cellulose product to make panel with a photoengraved finish simulating wood.. You can spot this material by taking a close look at it. You’ll see the same little engraved dots as in a magazine photo.