I’ve just been to a couple of furniture showrooms, and I have been told some things that made me go “hmmmm.” Is there a carpenter in the house?
Something called “French dovetails,” which can only been seen from the bottom of the joint, are actually stronger than English dovetails. My question: isn’t that just a rabbit, and if it’s stronger than English, why does it need glue?
Wood drawer glides are better than metal glides–they move more smoothly. My question: what on earth makes you say they glide more smoothly, and don’t they… like… break off?
Veneer. It is really, really hard to find mid-range furniture that isn’t veneered all over, including the tops and drawer fronts. Is this more prevalent than in the past, and is it so because veneering technology has improved? I thought that veneer would begin to chip and peel after a few years, but maybe the process has been improved, so the veneer is as durable as solid wood?
I would say that it looks more like a stopped sliding dovetail than a rabbet. Here is a demonstration of the difference. I don’t think that there is a problem with the strength of the construction, but that link shows that a lot of drawer space is lost with that construction. And, in my opinion, English dovetails look nicer.
I’d have to know more about the construction of each. There are wood drawer glides on pieces that have worked for hundreds of years.
Veneers have been used in quality furniture in the past, but typically as accents rather than as an entire surface. However, the cost of solid quality hardwood is outrageous now. It has been so for years, and will only get worse. Furniture manufacturers compensate by putting veneers on solid (but unattractive) wood, or on particle board/plywood/artificial materials. Veneers are typically stable in normal home conditions, but excessive humidity or moisture may cause the underlying wood to warp, and the veneer may delaminate. Because it is thin, it may be more sensitive to bumps and dings.
This isn’t to say that laminated furniture is bad; it just may not last as long. Just take that into consideration when buying furniture. If you are buying a piece that you intend to keep for a long time, bite the bullet and go for quality. If you are buying something for a few years, choose something that looks good now.
Or, you could choose to make your own, fill your basement with expensive tools and get a monkey on your back that you will never lose…
“They are big. It’s the living rooms that have got small…”
