What to look for in an oak dresser?

Question

Please help, I am writing the most boring article of my life. I know nothing about hardwood furniture and need to write something on the topic above, any sort of help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Oak

Answer 2

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Answer 3

First off, I would look at construction.  Quality furniture will have good joinery -- dovetails on the drawers, mortise and tenon or doweled joints on the frame.   Avoid anything that has a plethora of staples or pneumatic brads.

Next materials:  Solid hardwoods or plywood.   Lower down a notch would be "engineered wood" such as particle board or MDF, whether covered with veneer, plastic, or nothing at all.  Dust panels (sheets between drawers above and below each other, and across bottom are a plus.  Check drawer pulls for quality hardware.  Cast brass would be top of the line; pot metal at the bottom.   I am always surprised to see drywall screws in furniture or cheap screws, hinges, etc.  For about 10 cents per item of furniture is what they save between screws that are top quality and screws that will strip the first time you try to use them.

Check operations on drawers.  Top furniture will operate smoothly.  Cheap furniture will have cheap glides (lightweight metal or trash wood that warps and binds).

Fit and finish of coloring and top coat.  Cheaper furniture will have all the color added by a colored finish (called a toner).  Chip the finish and you are left with uncolored wood.  Better quality is stained first, then finished.

And finally, some semblance of a nice style that's tasteful.  That varies by individual, but I wonder who buys some of that ugly stuff out there.

Answer 4

Check out ebay...they have some corking oak dressers there! There are lovely carved, dark oak gothic ones, incredibly carved and very heavy...beautiful!!!

Answer 5

Look for solid wood construction, no veneers.  Check the panel on the back -- often it is just hardboard stapled on.  it should be a sturdier material such as plywood.

Very good dressers will have dovetailed joints in the drawers -- pull one out and see if you see a zig-zaggy method of joining the wood parts.  Cheaper ones will have parts just glued and nailed/stapled together.

Better dressers have nice hardware -- no surprise.

Generally, good furniture is heavier than cheap stuff, due to thicker wood sections used throughout the structure.

Answer 6

Look out for woodworm !!