Wood as a primary selection of material for furniture production

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(JPMNT) Journal of Process Management – New Technologies, International
Vol. 7, No 4, 2019.
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WOOD AS A PRIMARY SELECTION OF MATERIAL FOR FURNITURE
PRODUCTION
Petar Namichev1, Mihail Petrovski2
1,2 University Goce Delcev Shtip, Republic of North Macedonia
petar.namicev@ugd.edu.mk, petrovski.04@gmail.com
Original Scientific Paper
doi:10.5937/jouproman7-23198
Abstract: This paper analyzes the influence of wood
as the primary choice of material for furniture
production. The wood, with its physical, chemical
and mechanical properties, stands out from other
materials when making a selection of material for
furniture production. The wood possesses excellent
physical properties, hardness, strength and density,
chemical properties, wood does not rust and
mechanical properties, elasticity, bending strength
and tensile strength. Each type of wood has its own
specific propertiesthat make it unique, even the same
kind of wood grown in a different place has different
properties, the oak has great strength and is therefore
difficult to work while the beech has less firmness
then the oak and therefore it is easier for machining.
Proper choice of material also exerts a great
influence on the very design of the piece of
furniture. The choice of material depends on which
design will be used in the manufacture of furniture.
A well thought-out design can be adapted to the
choice of material sometimes, but with wood as the
primary choice of material for furniture production
the design itself gets on quality.
Key words: furniture, wood, choice of material,
design
INTRODUCTION
The wood as a raw material has
offered services to man from its existence
on the earth, and has significantly
contributed to the human survival and
development of civilizations.
It is also true that wood, although not
respected today due to the development of
synthetic substances, is the most common
basic material of countless products.
The value of this natural material is retained
and expanded through use of modern
methods of research in studying its growth,
structure, chemical composition and
utilization.
The list of contemporary use of
wood is long. From the production of
structures and furniture, pillars and other
everyday products, the wood is processed in
a veneer, which is glued – usually with
waterproof adhesives, plywood,
constructions (beams, arches, helicopter
propellers), etc.
Although use of wood for
products in which its natural structure is
preserved appears to be declining, there is a
definite increase of products in which wood
is mechanically or chemically modified.
Such wood-base products are expected to
constitute the major outlets of wood
utilization in the future. (G. Thoumis,
1968:1)
One of the fundamental joys in
creating tempting wood furniture is
working with these materials, and getting to
know the unique qualities of every kind of
wood, which is actually a very important
step towards the way of becoming a
furniture manufacturer. Every wood has its
own character. Some types of wood in
machining are processed more easily
compared to other types of wood.

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The selection of the materials
used for the preparation of the final
products is planned after a project is
prepared for the preparation of a particular
finished product. The materials can be
devided into basic materials, which will be
used during production. For this purpose, a
standard for basic and auxiliary material is
developed as part of the technical and
technological documentation. With the
development of the norm it is known
exactly which materials will be used during
production, i.e. the type, dimensions and
quantities. (Е. Аndonova, Т. Аndonovski,
2013:20)
1. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
WOODEN FURNITURE
Wooden furniture is extremely elastic
and requires very little maintenance. The
wood is a long-lasting natural material that
can withstand a constant burden and persist
for generations. Attention should be paid to
the absence of water or dust settled on your
table, chair or armchair for a long period of
time.
(The data has been downloaded
fromhttps://www.patioproductions.com/blog/patio-
furniture/best-material-for-outdoor-furniture/)
Table1.List of choices of the best ratio of material
for furniture production
Wooden furniture with its elegance,
charm and sophistication fits into every
interior. The beauty of wooden furniture is
that it can be changed over time, for second,
third or fourth use. This is done by sanding,
painting or repainting the furniture, making
the furniture completely new.
2. ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF
WOODEN FURNITURE
The wood offers a unique combination
of aesthetic appeal and integral structural
integrity that other materials can not reflect.
Wood is a long-lasting and hard
material and is the perfect choice for
anyone looking for durability in the
furniture. Whether it’s hardwood (oak,
walnut, cherry) or softwood (pine, spruce),
there is inherent stability and reliability for
a well-prepared chair or desk. Endurance
also provides easy maintenance. It is
occasionally required to perform the
functions of varnishing, polishing and
coating, which is understood as a process
that does not require much work while at
the same time protecting the wood for long-
term use.
The wood comes in a lightly colored
wood or a wood with rich dark shades. And
when it is done by a skilled carpenter, the
potential for innovation of the design of the
wood grows, which means that the aesthetic
value of the furniture increases.
Wood is the most important energy
source for about three billion people. Over
50% of the world’s harvest of wood is used
as fuel (firewood and charcoal). More than
80% of this consumption, an increased
trend, takes place in developed countries.

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It is estimated that some 80% of the
world’s population does not have access to
the minimum amount of paper considered
necessary to fulfill basic needs in reading
and communication. (U. Kues, 2007:77)
(The data has been downloaded
fromhttps://www.patioproductions.com/blog/patio-
furniture/best-material-for-outdoor-furniture/)
Table 2.List of the selection of materials for
furniture production through criteria for aesthetic
appearance, comfort, durability and maintenance
When the wood is of good source
and checked, the wood is an excellent
option for sustainability, thus representing
an environmental sound way of securing the
home. The wood that comes from a good
source is actually the only renewable
building material – from the forest from
which it is collected because the wood can
be supplemented with new growth. In
addition, carbon resulting from the
production and processing of wood
products is drastically lower than that of
other building materials.
Another way that the wood is a
viable option is that it gives you the
opportunity to buy “locally” from
specialized craftsmen across the country.
This gives you the opportunity not only to
support the local wood industry, but also
the local economy.
The wide variety of colors and tones
of wood in many different types of wood
represent the availability of appearance and
style. And this should not mention the
subtle but noticeable differences between
the grains and textures of different species
and incisions.
There is another diversity available
in that every furniture manufacturer –
especially if you buy from an individual
craftsmen – offers a different arrangement
of the design according to which type of
furniture is being built, along with personal
tastes (yours and theirs).
When making decisions on
structural requirements for furniture,
considerations of tension, compression, and
b bending are the product of an intuitive
process. (J. Clark, 1980:2)
Unlike many other materials, the
wood looks good in almost all conditions.
Wooden furniture can be part of any design
pattern, be it modern or rustic design, and,
of course, makes it more versatile with
every interior arrangement.
(The data has been downloaded
fromhttps://www.furninfo.com/furniture-world-
articles/3705)
Table 3.The role of the management in a furniture
manufacturing company associated with reducing
accidents at work

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Reasons for decomposition of wood
Decomposition of the wood is a
biological process that is especially
important for maintaining the life of the
Earth. There are many causes of wood
decay, among which the most common are
abiotic and biotic factors.
Abiotic factors that destroy the wood:
- Mechanical influences (force of
pressure, friction, impact, etc.)
- Physical influences (atmospheric –
sun, rain, wind, low and high
temperature, electricity, etc.) – these
factors change the physical and
chemical properties of the wood.
- Chemical influences (strong
inorganic acids, bases, salts and
gases) that cause physical and
chemical changes of the wood.
Biotic factors include:
- Microorganisms (epoxy fungi and
bacteria) and
- Xylophagous insects.
3. PREPARATION OF
MATERIALS FOR FURNITURE
PRODUCTION
Nomenclature of materials is a
systematic list (overview) of all types of
materials used in production.
The need for nomenclature arises in that the
wrong names of the materials are not used
by persons coming into contact with them –
physically or documented.
The nomenclature for each type of
material should contain: the exact name of
the material, the technical and commercial
characteristics of the material, the quality of
the material, the dimensions of the material
and the cipher (mark) of the material.
The norm of the materials is a
certain number of materials needed for the
manufacture of a one unit product.
Accordingly, for each product and for each
type of materials that will be used for
making certain types of products it is
necessary to establish norms. The norms in
themselves contain the amount of genuine
inbuilt materials and the waste that occurs
inevitably in the processing of the
materials. (З. Ангеловски, Ѓ. Груевски,
2014:43)
(Image taken from Техничка подготовка на
производството за IV год)
Table 4. An example of the norm of a particular
material made on the basis of the norms of several
products that will be produced in a certain period of
time
Based on the function they have in the
construction of the products, and according
to their technological characteristics, the
production materials are divided into three
groups:
- Basic materials that are processed
or produced in the appropriate
production, that is, the raw material
for production, which are also most
represented in their quantity. These
include: lumber, various wooden
panels, veneers and sometimes
metals or plastics.
- Auxiliary materials, which are not
processed or produced in the
appropriate production, but are
incorporated into their composition.
These include: adhesives, varnishes,
hinges and other fittings.
- Consumables that are not part of
the production, but are used or
decomposed during use.

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Also materials that participate in the
execution of certain technological
operations during the formation of the
finished product. These include: solvents,
bleaches, fuels, paper, electric current, etc.
(З. Ангеловски, Ѓ. Груевски, 2014:44)
(The data has been downloaded
fromhttp://ephesustour.cc/cost-sheet-format-in-
excel/)
Table 5.Example of ordering solid wood for the
production of shelves in the library, together with
working hours
4. THE INFLUENCE OF WOOD
ON THE DESIGN PROCESS
FOR FURNITURE
MANUFACTURE
For the wood furniture industry, the
designer or product manager must try to
understand the nature of the raw materials,
the wood with its mechanical properties as
swelling or shrinking depending on the
atmospheric moisture. In addition, each
type of wood has different properties, even
the same wood in a different location also
have different properties. Therefore, the
designer should also be further concerned
about the user as a factor, its dimensions,
reliability, and the user’s sense because the
furniture is a product that is in direct or
indirect contact with the users.
In general, the furniture can be divided
into the following: appearance (legs,
cabinet type, upholstery), function (home,
office, special-purpose), placement
(external or internal), assembly (built-in, or
free standing), and materials (pure wood,
panels, metal, plastic, natural materials,
etc.) (S. Choodoung, U. Smutkupt, 2012:2)
This research represents the processes
of designing furniture and factors that need
to be addressed both in the function and in
the aesthetics for further benefits in the
furniture industry.
 Process design (design planning; is
the first step in the design of wood
furniture. The designer must
identify the needs of consumers and
then plan how the expected product
will meet the needs of the market.
 Product Specifications; it starts with
specific research related to wooden
furniture and targeting a group of
consumers.
 Concept design; is a presentation of
the concept of wooden furniture
which consists of basic information,
experience, and skills of the
designer through which the selection
and testing of the product will be
carried out.
 Product Architecture; includes
various parts such as development
of design, costs, prototype design
and testing of it.

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 Industrial design; in the real wood
furniture industry, the designer must
begin with the process of revision.
The designer and the manufacturer
must approve the design and then
the designer can start with the
production of said design. Then the
product is assembled.
 Production; for the production
process, the designer must cooperate
with the manufacturer and also to
inspect the product in each of its
processes together with the
engineer.(S. Choodoung, U.
Smutkupt, 2012:4)
1) Evaluation of the design
A good design must respond to the
main goal of effective creative design in
several ways, such as ease to use, easy
production, etc. and easy distribution using
the following criteria.
1.1) Good function and aesthetics
1.2) Durability
1.3) Economy
1.4) Right choice of material
1.5) Correct structure
1.6) Character / identity
1.7) Beauty caused by the positive
reaction of buyers
2) Factors influencing the design of
wooden furniture
2.1) Style; History of furniture.
The design of furniture historically
follows:Gothic(early 16th century),
Renaissance (16thcentury), Louis XIII
(1590 – 1661), Louis XIV (1661 –
late 17th century), Rigence (early 18th
century), Louis XV (1795 – 1804),
Transition (1760 – 1780), Directorate
and Consulate (1795 – 1804) – after
the French Revolution, Imperial
(1804 – 1815), Art Nouveau (late 19th
century – early 20th century), Art
Deco (Early 20th century – to date),
Modern (early 20th century – to date,
this design is based on population
increase, industry development, etc.
3) Form
Compatibility; the overall shape of the
product must be united. The best design of
wood furniture consists of geometric shapes
due to the consistency of shapes and easy
production of such shapes using machines.
4) Function
Strength and durability; the structural
conceptual forms which depend on the
functionality of the wooden
furniture.Appropriate molding of the
furniture according to the specific
environment and the environment of the
product when in use.Ergonomics of the
human body.
5) Material
According to the function; the
hardness of the wood must be related to the
function of the furniture. The designer also
needs to know the specific density of each
type of wood. This is very important
because the hardness of the wood will
affect the process of joining furniture,
textures and color. The designer that is
familiar with the steps and goals in
designing a piece of furniture can use
variations in certain parts of the designing
process.

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5. CONCLUSION
Wood as a natural material is a priority
when choosing material for furniture
production. The characteristics of the
wooden furniture consist of its durability,
hardness and resistance to climatic
conditions. Because the wood is a natural
material, it brings freshness to the interior
designs, but you need to be cautious about
exposing the wooden furniture to moisture,
water, or dust because they are his biggest
enemies.
Almost 90% of the things made of
wood, the wood must first be reformed,
usually by removing parts of it until the
desired shape and size is obtained.(R. Bruce
Hoadley 2000:158)
The wood is composed of a complex
mixture of substances, but the main
ingredient of each wood is carbohydrates
also known as cellulose. This material
serves as the primary source of energy and
nutrition to many forms of life. People also
use this energy source, not as food, but as a
source of heat. Which mean that,
accordingly, cellulose is responsible for the
extraordinary hardness of the wood that
makes it desirable in the manufacture of
furniture. (G. Thomasson2015:2)
Wood is the most prevalent when
choosing materials for furniture production,
because it is a renewable natural material,
has great durability and possesses a higher
quality compared to other materials (plastic,
iron, glass, etc.).
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