Features of solid wood bookcases, pros and cons
Despite the fact that the intensive development of digital technologies has affected the sale of books, they still remain an invariable attribute of living rooms and workrooms. That is why a bookcase is often chosen from solid wood, which fits most interior styles, the only thing is that natural materials will cost an order of magnitude more.
Advantages and disadvantages
Natural wood furniture is most often made to order and is a luxury item. In order for the cabinet or rack not to lose its presentability, he needs special care, and it is also not recommended to smoke near furniture, so that it does not absorb odors.
The advantages of wooden products:
- environmental friendliness of natural wood - such furniture is perfect for allergy sufferers who are detrimental to the glue that is in chipboard or MDF, and wood cabinets are not toxic;
- long service life - depending on how care the furniture will be, it can last for many years. To increase the durability of wood cabinets, they are treated with special means, after which the wood does not rot and can be located in rooms with high humidity;
- presentable appearance - bookcases made of solid wood for books look elegant and tasteful. In addition to the convenience of storing books, they also create the effect of wealth and luxury;
- scientifically confirmed that natural wood has a positive effect on the energy of the owners of the house;
- many configurations, which allows you to fit the cabinet into any interior;
- minimum wear resistance, especially since a wooden cabinet can be quickly restored and restored to its original state;
- durable material, resistant to scratches and chips;
- wood compared with other materials has a low thermal conductivity.
But despite a large number of advantages, drawers from wood cabinets have disadvantages. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the main ones:
- sometimes wooden cabinets cannot be inserted into a modern interior, such as high-tech, as they are more suited to the styles of classicism, rococo or baroque. Ideally, a cabinet made of natural solid wood will be combined with golden inserts;
- For furniture, you need to create ideal conditions for storage in the room so that direct sunlight does not fall on it. It is important that the room with wooden furniture does not have strong changes in temperature and humidity;
- natural wood products strongly absorb all odors;
- sometimes difficulties may arise in the manufacture of furniture, especially if it is required to perform curved lines of decor;
- care for natural wood is needed only with special gentle means, as half of them can damage the surface of furniture and leave a mark;
- the high cost of finished products.
Despite the highlighted minuses and pluses, wooden bookcases are always appropriate for the living room or bedroom.
The best wood species
Most of the furniture made of natural wood is expensive, compared with particleboard or MDF. And, nevertheless, among wooden products there are also divisions into species, they can be distinguished by density:
- soft wood species. Such as cedar, linden, cherry or juniper;
- medium density wood includes oak, birch, beech or maple, also walnut;
- Pistachio, hornbeam, acacia, and birch have the hardest density.
CedarAcaciaBirchBeechCherryOakLindenProducts from acacia, mountain ash, oak or beech can create a pleasant smell in the living room and transmit positive energy to the owners.
Care Rules
A bookcase made of solid pine or oak, birch or walnut requires special care. If the piece of furniture is made of natural wood, then the first rule for care and durability will be to maintain the temperature level in the room, otherwise it will have a detrimental effect. The air in the room should not be dry, the temperature should not exceed 15 degrees. Ideally, you need to maintain humidity around the perimeter of the room, it should not exceed 65-67 percent. This is a plus for a person, since excess humidity negatively affects the human body.
It is important to place wooden furniture away from direct sunlight so that the color remains saturated and attractive after many years. Wipe the items with special cleaning fluids, applying them with a soft sponge, so you can extend the life of the furniture for a long time. It is important to distinguish between the means in their composition, since for natural wood they should not have alkaline components, aggressive acids. When buying funds, you need to carefully read the instructions in order to understand what types of furniture it is intended for.
Wipe cleanliness is also important, as coarse fabrics can spoil the outside of the cabinet or rack. For a natural massif of wood, polishes and creams, waxes are used, the constituent of which is linseed oil. Cracks can be avoided after cleaning furniture, without using water-based products.
So that the surface of a natural material does not quickly age, it is undesirable to use products with silicone. Pastes and polishes are best suited for surface treatment of natural materials.
For daily care use soft flannel fabrics, plush or velvet, especially if the furniture is varnished or polished. In many bookcases on the facades there is a thread that can be easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or a soft brush. Less often, care for unpolished furniture is required; it will be enough to wipe the surface 1-2 times a week with a dry rag and vacuum.
Sometimes bookcases can be cleaned with soapy water, only after this should be wiped dry with a clean cloth. If the furniture surface is treated with stain, it is often not recommended to wash it.
Accommodation options
A bookcase can transform a room beyond recognition, make an office a full library, and present the status of its owner. In a room with books, a person feels warmth and comfort, despite the ascetic appearance of the interior in most cases. Racks and cabinets create an atmosphere of seriousness and sophistication, relax tense atmosphere.
Bookcases should not be placed in the children's room, since dust is an integral part of them, which can cause an allergic reaction. For a child it will be enough to install a shelf on the wall with your favorite books.
Most often, a bookcase is located in the living room along the wall, but can be a separator between it and the kitchen area. If space does not allow, a bookcase or bookcase can be put in the corridor under the stairs. If the room parameters do not allow you to set the standard dimensions of the cabinet, it can be ordered individually.An ideal option for small apartments is a corner bookcase, it usually has a lot of space and there is free access to your favorite works.
A small living room with a large number of cabinet furniture can be landscaped with a hinged bookcase. The products are not inferior in functionality to conventional cabinets, they can be closed with glass or open. Large bookcases are a means of zoning large rooms when loft-style interiors combine the living room and kitchen with a two-way option.
The nuances of choice
Having decided on the location of the library in the house, you can free up excess space and streamline the placement of objects. When choosing a bookcase, you should adhere to the tips:
- the product must match the size of the room and the angle where it will be installed. The lower shelves can be made deeper for large wide-format publications, the upper ones can be smaller. It is also important to maintain the center of gravity below, which will add stability to the cabinet;
- choosing a cabinet you need to look at the width of the shelves so that the books can fit in one row. It is advisable to place frequently read books at eye level, the rest higher or lower;
- shelves should be designed for the heavy weight of books;
- if the bookcase has free space, it can be used to set frames with photos;
- open bookshelves provide quick access to books;
- closed shelves will protect literary works from moisture, dust and sunlight, it will be difficult for children to get into such a closet;
- strong glass should be chosen in order to avoid chips and cracks;
- the design of the cabinet should match the interior of the room;
- if the closed cabinet will open a little, then holes should be made in it for ventilating the books;
- natural materials for manufacturing are preferable, as oak or pine will give the room a specific pleasant aroma.
The interiors are most often equipped with a cabinet combining open and closed shelves, depending on the frequency of use of books. Having opened a bookcase, a person will plunge into the life of the heroes of his favorite books, make his imagination exceed all expectations, which is impossible to imagine when watching a movie.