While buying furniture for your home or office, you need to be careful about the materials. Why? More often than not, the salesperson will trick you into buying a product that is not what it is supposed to be. At times, they are not trying to trick you; instead, they have little knowledge of the product themselves. Therefore, they are of no help. To avoid such situations, we recommend that you read this article thoroughly. Why? We will guide you about the two most common materials used in furniture products – laminate and veneer.
How to tell if Furniture is Laminate or Veneer
Let’s discuss one by one with details.
What is Laminate?
It is an artificial material that is made from a combination of plastics or finely-grained wood pieces. The texture is made in a way that it appears like real wood even though it is not. Many people mistake it for natural wood and end up paying a significant amount for a product that is actually worth quite less.
Pros and Cons
Laminate wood is scratch-resistant. Hence, you can set it up in any place. Even while moving the furniture, you do not need to worry about scratches. Secondly, it is resistant to stains too. Lastly, it requires little maintenance and care. Despite its several benefits, there are a few drawbacks. One, laminate furniture is often of low quality. Due to it, you might have to buy new furniture much sooner than you think.
What is Veneer?
On the other hand, a veneer is actually wood. It is put together on plastic or any material. The purpose of this is to make visually appealing designs while keeping the final cost low.
Pros and Cons
The best thing about the veneer is that it feels and looks like real wood. Therefore, it will add a little extra edge to your home or office appearance. Secondly, it is much lighter as compared to laminate or actual wood. Hence, moving it around feels like a breeze. The downside to buying veneer furniture is that it can get scratched quite quickly. As the veneer is a coating, it is challenging to repair it.
How do Differentiate between Laminate and Veneer?
Differentiating between the two is easy. How? Well, laminate furniture is not real wood. It only gets its appearance from the paintwork. Therefore, just a little tap or hand rolling over the product will let you know if it’s veneer or paint. Apart from this, laminate products give off a bright and glaring appearance. On the other hand, veneer furniture will look and feel exactly like real wood because it is actual wood.
Wrap Up
The next time you find yourself buying furniture, keep the above points in mind. It can help you make better decisions and save money too. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below. Thank You.