Wooden objects do not harm human health. Ecological furniture made of wood has an expensive appearance. It is practical and durable.
Furniture manufacture
Furniture is made from wooden panels - solid or glued from plates. The former are easier to deform, the latter are more durable. Therefore, glued furniture is more expensive.
Use wood with knots and without them. Knots reduce the quality of furniture and shorten its lifespan.
Decorative elements are made of metal, plastic, glass. Expensive interior items are decorated with carvings and forging.
Advantages and disadvantages of wooden furniture
The main plus of interior items made of wood is environmental friendliness. They do not harm human health and the environment due to the absence of toxic impurities. Allergies to plastic or synthetics are possible. The reaction is excluded if you have wooden furniture.
Wood products have several other advantages:
- expensive appearance;
- long service life with proper care;
- the possibility of restoration to its original form in case of wear;
- low thermal conductivity, due to which more heat is stored in the house.
Disadvantages of interior items made of wood:
- classic design does not fit into high-tech apartments;
- loses its appearance when exposed to direct sunlight, sudden changes in temperature and humidity;
- well absorbs aromas;
- it is difficult to work with wood, which is why objects have simple shapes;
- Difficult to transport due to heavy weight.
You have to pay for safety and quality. Wooden interior items have a higher cost compared to similar products made from other materials.
Care rules
The tree suffers under the influence of sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Lacquers that cover the object increase its stability. But even with them, the wood texture is damaged in an unfavorable microclimate.
The optimum temperature in a room with wooden furniture is 15 °C or higher. Humidity should not exceed 65%. Do not place wooden items in direct sunlight.
Care rules:
- Wipe the wood with a damp cloth and then dry.
- The rag should be made of suede or other soft fabric. Do not wipe wood with hard sponges.
- Do not allow water to enter the cracks between the fibers of the wood. This will prevent sticking.
- Do not place interior items near heating appliances. Heat shortens the life of wood.
- Use wood care products. It is impossible to process the goods with solutions with ammonia and abrasive substances.
If your furniture tarnishes due to exposure to direct sunlight, wax it periodically. Such compounds are sold in any specialized store.
How to choose solid wood furniture
When choosing a material for interior items, pay attention to the structure of the tree. Softer wood is suitable for items that carry a minimum load. For beds, chairs, tables and cabinets, take hardwoods.
Soft tree species:
- cherry;
- pine.
Solid varieties include:
- ash.
Different types of wood have their own properties:
- Pine - light, soft.
- Birch - high hardness, strength and impact resistance, long service life.
- Beech is a rich red-brown color, it is not inferior to oak in hardness, it has a beautiful texture.
- Oak - durability and high decorative qualities, high cost.
- Ash - surpasses oak in hardness. More elastic, which is why it is used for the manufacture of bent interior items.
The hardness of the rock does not always indicate the strength of the furniture. When buying a product, pay attention to the presence of knots and layers in the array.
Buy items made from treated wood. In the manufacture of high-quality interior items, staining technology is used. This makes it more beautiful and more durable.
Cheaper furniture is covered with paint or varnish.
Wooden children's furniture
The growing organism of the child is most sensitive to the influence of toxins. The most dangerous of them is formaldehyde. Its vapors in the air provoke bronchial asthma, allergic reactions. Ecological furniture for children made of wood will protect the health of the baby, ensure its normal growth and development.
The following children's interior items are made of wood:
- arenas;
- dressers;
- cabinets;
- beds;
- tables;
- chairs.
The item can only be coated with a water-based varnish that is safe for children.
Disposal of wooden furniture
Although wood is an environmentally friendly material, it is not necessary to throw it in a landfill. It has a long decay time. And the compositions that cover the wood, with prolonged evaporation, pollute the environment.
Special companies will take the furniture out of the apartment, and the wood will be recycled. The following materials are obtained from it:
- coal, turpentine and acetic acid - when processed by hydrolysis;
- Chipboard, pellets and briquettes for heating - with mechanical disposal;
- a mixture of gases that is used as a fuel for cars - processing by gasification.
Wood is mainly used for energy. New interior items, toys, building materials are made from waste.
A common method of wood disposal is burning. It is simple and economical. To carry out the reaction, cone-shaped furnaces equipped with a grate are taken. Heat is used for heating water, heating and so on.
Wooden furniture is an eco-friendly way to make the interior stylish and original. It does not harm human health, and when properly disposed of, it is safe for the environment.
Buying very expensive things, or household goods that are completely free of harmful impurities, you automatically become an eco-consumer. Eco-furniture - is it safe? What upholstery is better to buy, and what to refuse?
It is useful to purchase things that are safe for both the buyer and the manufacturer, only then can they be classified as completely environmentally friendly.
Eco-friendly furniture: truth and myths
Wooden furniture has always been considered environmentally friendly. Is it really? It turns out that the array treated with oil or wax is the purest.
But not always a natural solid wood will be an environmentally friendly material. You should not purchase a bleached array, since chlorine-containing substances are used during processing to achieve this effect.
MDF or chipboard, what to choose? Is chipboard really that dangerous?
- Chipboard should not be placed in the sun and near heat sources - on a warm floor or near a battery, it can emit harmful substances.
- And also be afraid of chips and scratches.
In all other cases, chipboard is quite safe, but it can not be attributed to an environmentally friendly material.
MDF is more prosperous, but not ideal, because it is not a natural material. Both materials must be varnished or laminated. Here it is important to pay attention to what kind of varnish or composition is covered with MDF.
Only water-based varnishes do not emit harmful substances, but they will also last less.
Is the filler of upholstered furniture fraught with danger?
Do you know what your sofa, pillow, chair is filled with? Is your mattress dangerous? Do not know? And absolutely in vain! can be dangerous, and the pillow can cause allergies and various diseases. How to determine what to buy?
Let's start with polyurethane foam, the most common material in everyday life today.
You can only buy PPU without freon, which should be written on the product tag. This means that there are synthetic fibers inside, either processed down or feathers. But even here there are skeletons in the closet, some manufacturers process down and feather with chemicals. To prevent dust mites from settling in them. It is better when the processing is done using sterilization. Such products are marked with a green tag.
Dangerous cotton - non-dangerous flax
Are you sure that cotton is an environmentally friendly and safe material? Do you know how he is going? Even during the harvest, cotton is exposed to chemical attack. So that the leaves crumble and the box with cotton is exposed, the plant is sprinkled with detergents. But that's not all - after cotton is treated with bleaching, lightening and dyed with synthetic dyes.
But flax is not afraid of insects, it is easier to collect it - flax is not treated with chemicals. Looking for a completely safe eco-friendly material? Choose unbleached linen.
What clothes are safe for health?
Choose clothes that wrinkle. Uncomfortable? Be prepared for an unpleasant filling: so that the upholstery does not wrinkle, it is treated with a mixture of resins that contain a very unpleasant cocktail of formaldehyde and glyoxal. To make cotton white-white, it is impregnated with special substances that contain dioxins. Alas, environmentally friendly products are available only in the elite segment, everything else is fiction. For such goods, raw materials are collected by hand, without the use of chemicals. And then covered with beeswax, paraffin or oil. How do you know if a product is safe?
Look for the tag with the "Green Cotton" icon
Upholstery with a surprise
If your sofa upholstery or mattress cover is washable, you shouldn't rejoice - it contains chemicals that help keep the cover from shrinking, often treated with artificial resins, which can easily contain formaldehyde.
So, in order not to be afraid of your own sofa and upholstery, choose upholstery that is subject to dry cleaning only.
Another way out is to buy sofas upholstered in organic wool, look for such an inscription on the tag - Wolle organic wool. Organic wool is unaffected. But you should know that the price of such wool is huge, as it is rarely found.
Silk upholstery is quite safe for humans, but since chemistry is used to speed up growth, sometimes formaldehyde and substances that disinfect can be found in it. In order to make silk heavier, metal salt solutions and silicates are used. It is not dangerous for humans, but when disposed of it is very harmful to the environment, which is why silk is not considered a completely eco-product.
Often, eco-style uses cheaper materials from virgin raw materials, usually you can see three twisted ribbons on the tag.
Is leather an eco-friendly material? Yes, the skin is quite environmentally friendly, even though natural acids and chromium salts are used in the processing - all these substances are safe for humans. But colored skin can be dangerous, because it is not clear what dyes were used.
My home is my castle! Such a phrase can often be heard from people seeking to make their home as safe as possible from external enemies. However, we do not always think about the internal security of our home. Meanwhile, invisible enemies can easily attack us and harm our health. We are talking about toxic chemicals in our internal environment, which do not contribute to the strength of our health.
The fact is that at the moment a wide variety of furniture has appeared on sale, which is beautiful and comfortable. However, manufacturers in the process of a competitive race often do not focus on the safety of their products, but think more about how they can be sold better and faster due to beauty, functionality, and cheap prices. In such cases, the consumer has to learn to navigate the features of the furniture market.
Let's figure out what materials modern furniture is made of and determine the most suitable for use in our home.
An array of wood.
Generally considered the most environmentally friendly furniture. Such furniture is made of pine, birch, oak, walnut, mahogany, alder, etc. It is the most expensive on the market and often lacks trendy appeal (in the form of print, color, design), and in order to to meet your needs - most often made individually, to order. It is more durable and safer in terms of the release of hazardous substances. However, even in it there may be some danger from the point of view of the environmental friendliness of the adhesives used in its manufacture, varnishes, paints, as well as special additives for surface treatment from pests, water ingress. Such furniture must be ordered only from reliable manufacturers with quality certificates for products.
Chipboard.
Chipboard is made from sawdust and shavings, which are glued together with special resins, alas, most often containing formaldehyde, then polished and painted with enamels that may contain phenol. After the production of the boards, they are usually laminated - covered with a paper-resin film, and then the material becomes known as laminated chipboard.
Typically, such a film prevents the release of harmful aldehydes into the air. Therefore, if you have furniture made of chipboard, then check its integrity on the surfaces, and, if necessary, seal these places with PVA or varnish. Also make sure that all edges and seams that expose chipboard material are intact, so you will reduce the concentration of dangerous resins that can be released through them.
Fiberboard.
Fibreboard is made by pressing wood fibers, with the addition of binding elements, also most often containing phenol and formaldehyde, etc.
MDF.
Medium Density Fibreboard is made by dry pressing the fibers and gluing them together with paraffin and lingin (natural wood glue). Thus, MDF boards are safer for our health, but only if they are of high quality, since manufacturers can use epoxy resins instead of natural adhesives, chemical adhesives that also emit formaldehyde.
Plastic.
Plastic furniture is safe only if it is made in accordance with quality standards and used in rooms without temperature differences, away from sunlight and heat (batteries, near gas stoves, etc.) In this case, the risk of release of polymer compounds (styrene) is sufficient short. However, you should not abuse its amount in the interior, because over time there is an imperceptible destruction of the outer covering layer and the release of harmful substances.
Furniture from other natural materials
: vine (branches of shrub willows), rattan - palm lianas, reed meets all environmental requirements and will bring a pleasant variety to your interior.
Whatever furniture you choose, always ask for an environmental safety certificate from the seller, which will indicate the formaldehyde emission coefficient: E 0 is ideal, E1 is acceptable, E2 is average, E3 is dangerous.
Thus, natural materials and MDF are the safest for furniture, provided they are of high quality.
The situation in the house plays a significant role in the maintenance and preservation of human health. Wall and floor decoration, furniture, textile materials can cause serious complications and exacerbations of chronic diseases if harmful components were used in their production. In the modern world, many manufacturers focus on the production environmentally friendly furniture, which is in ever-increasing demand among buyers who prefer a healthy environment for their homes.
Furniture items are bought for more than one year, so even a slight content of harmful impurities in the materials, varnishes and paints that were used in their manufacture can be harmful during prolonged contact with a person. One of the most dangerous substances used in furniture production is formaldehyde. Even a small concentration of it in the air can provoke allergies and asthma. Therefore, when buying furnishings, especially for a children's room, for a bedroom, it is important to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Why choose wood furniture
Giving preference to furniture made of natural wood is the right choice, because the tree contains beneficial phytoncides that stand out even when the product has served for several years. In addition, it is no secret that trees have positive energy. Do not think that solid wood furniture is not affordable for everyone. Domestic manufacturers make excellent products from inexpensive species - birch and pine.
In addition, the tree fits perfectly not only in, but also in almost anyone.
Vine furniture - an eco-furnishing option for home and garden
Beautiful and practical wicker furniture is in increasing demand. Initially intended for country houses, it successfully took root in city apartments. Graceful tables, cabinets, armchairs and rocking chairs, especially beloved, are made of rattan, willow or bamboo. There are also combined options with glass or steel. Such items, despite their elegance and apparent fragility, can last up to 25 years. They do not require special care, are easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, and their only drawback is that they are afraid of rain.
How to check if furniture is environmentally friendly
- When buying, ask the sellers for an environmental certificate. Having a certificate guarantees that the product does not contain, for example, cadmium used in paints or lead.
- If new furniture emits a strong smell, you should think about its environmental friendliness. Despite the fact that according to GOST, the smell should disappear in no more than 2.5 months, such a purchase can turn into an unnecessary headache. After all, well-being largely depends on the air in the apartment.
- When choosing a bed or sofa, avoid products on foam rubber - over time, it decomposes, which leads to the release of harmful substances.
- Give preference to upholstery made of natural, non-electric fabrics.
Leading furniture manufacturers around the world are increasingly striving to use environmentally friendly materials in their production. Tables and chairs, walls and cabinets, sofas and armchairs made of natural ingredients or at least free of toxic and harmful ingredients will bring peace and comfort to your home. We list materials that will not harm human health and the environment.
Let's start with upholstered furniture. In upholstered furniture, the use of environmentally friendly materials is extremely important; for example, natural fabrics (cotton, wool, linen, velvet) instead of synthetic ones in the upholstery of sofas and armchairs. will last longer. Genuine, neatly dressed leather is the most prestigious and at the same time practical type of covering. With proper care, it will retain its appearance for a long time. Also environmentally friendly is nubuck - this is genuine leather that has been treated with special means so that it acquires a soft and fleecy texture reminiscent of suede. Let us dwell on nubuck in more detail, because this material has recently been actively introduced into the production of upholstered furniture. Nubuck has high strength, as well as water-repellent properties, increased wear resistance, antistatic effect, heat resistance. So, for example, to remove ink or grease stains from furniture made of nubuck, it is necessary to moisten a napkin with water or a solution of washing powder and rub the contaminated area in a circular motion. Using a dry cloth, carefully remove any remaining moisture. That's all!
Recall that the “specialist” in sofas and armchairs with leather upholstery and nubuck upholstery is the Keoma factory, which recently presented in Moscow at the iSaloni exhibition 2013, their latest novelties.Separately, in the production of environmentally friendly upholstered furniture, it is worth mentioning polyurethane foam - it is often used in seat cushions, backrests and armrests. This high-tech material is also environmentally friendly, and at the same time it allows you to achieve maximum comfort for upholstered furniture: there are different degrees of rigidity.
Products close to upholstered furniture are mattresses for beds. As for them, here you can also find options made only from natural fillers. These include coconut coir, natural latex (from rubber tree sap), horsehair, sisal, seaweed. Natural components are usually more expensive, but at the same time they are no less durable than their synthetic counterparts, and, unlike them, are hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly.
And now let's get back to cabinet furniture and the environmental friendliness of the materials used in its production.
Solid wood is by far the most natural material in the production of cabinet furniture. Wood is used to decorate countertops and facades of sets. Usually, coniferous and hardwood types of wood are used for this - oak and beech, pine and ash, walnut and cherry, yew and larch. The coating is often treated with special compounds (stains, impregnations) to give it water resistance and a brighter color, or to create an unusual visual effect (patina, gilding). Paints, waxes and varnishes that are applied to the surface of an object undergo the most thorough examination. According to GOST, in furniture production it is recommended to use only compositions of the 3rd (moderately hazardous) and 4th (low-hazardous) classes. Solid wood furniture is considered the most expensive and elite. Here you can also name wicker furniture made of rattan and bamboo. Armchairs, chairs, bookcases and other pieces of furniture from Indonesia, of course, can also be classified as environmentally friendly and made from natural materials.
The veneer comes right after the array - it is practically not inferior to it in popularity and is the same environmentally friendly, but much more budget option. This cladding material is thin sheets of wood, so it retains the texture of wood. In addition, veneer can be used to create plywood.
Chipboard (chipboard) is a material that you should definitely give up in your home, although in Russia it is still used in the manufacture of furniture: beds, tables, cabinets and other items. This material is the leader in the number of harmful substances. It contains phenol-formaldehyde and urea-formaldehyde resins that are unsafe for health, which act as its binding component and provide strength. The intensity of formaldehyde release depends on the temperature and humidity in the room: the warmer, the higher the formaldehyde content in the air. Therefore, all chipboard products are pasted over with a protective film or veneer. Now chipboard is being replaced by other, more harmless modern compositions and materials.
MDF (finely dispersed fraction) is considered an environmentally friendly material. It is created by pressing very small wood shavings, and the binding element is lignin, a substance that wood releases when heated. The production does not use carcinogenic epoxy resins and phenol. Furniture made from MDF boards is not susceptible to mold and other fungi, and this is another plus in its favor, especially in rooms where there are children. MDF is durable and wear-resistant, it can be washed with cleaning products.
In the production of kitchen sets, HPL plastics are often used. It is a synthetic material, but it is also considered environmentally friendly. Decorative plastic consists mainly of cellulose and natural resins. It is famous for its resistance to moisture and abrasion, so it is suitable for cladding facades and countertops.
PVC plastics (polyvinyl chloride) can also be called environmentally friendly. They are light, strong and yet durable. At the same time, plastic furniture attracts dust, and plastic surfaces can act as sources of static electricity, which forces such coatings to be finalized.
Materials such as glass, aluminum and stainless steel are also not capable of exerting a harmful effect on human health.
Furniture made from environmentally friendly, natural materials usually sells for a higher price than its counterparts made from synthetic materials, the safety of which is a big question. However, to paraphrase a well-known proverb, we can safely say: this is the case when health can be bought.