What's in Your Furniture? A UK Woodworker's Guide to Materials

Hey guys, welcome back to the workshop blog! It’s your friendly local furniture maker here, and today I want to chat about the stuff that actually makes up the pieces we all love: the materials.

At WH Creations (you can check out all my custom work at www.whcreations.co.uk), I get asked all the time about the best woodworking materials for a project. Honestly, there’s no single right answer—it all depends on the budget, the look you’re going for, and how tough the final piece needs to be.

Let’s dive into the core furniture materials I use and see the pros and cons of each!

1. Hardwoods: The Heavyweight Champions

When people talk about quality, long-lasting solid wood furniture, they're usually talking about hardwoods. These come from deciduous trees (the ones that lose their leaves) and they grow slower, making the wood incredibly dense and durable. This is what you want for a bespoke table or a custom cabinet that will last for generations.

The Classics: Oak, Walnut, and Maple

• Oak (The Traditionalist): This is a mainstay in UK furniture making. It has a beautiful, distinct open grain and takes stains and finishes wonderfully. If you want a piece of furniture that screams quality and history, you go with Oak furniture. It’s super tough, too.

• Walnut (The Luxury Look): I absolutely love working with Walnut. It has a rich, dark colour naturally, and the grain patterns are stunning. It’s slightly softer than Oak but is prized for that beautiful, premium finish. Great for detail work!

• Maple (The Clean Slate): Maple is hard, strong, and has a much finer, smoother grain than Oak. It's often used where you want a very clean, uniform look.

2. Softwoods: Light, Bright, and Affordable

Don’t let the name fool you—softwoods aren’t necessarily soft (some are harder than certain hardwoods!). They come from evergreen, or coniferous, trees and grow much faster. This makes them significantly more affordable and easier to work with, which is perfect for certain styles or for builders starting out.

Pine and Cedar

• Pine (The Go-To): Pine is everywhere! It's easy to cut, lightweight, and takes paint really well. It’s perfect for affordable woodworking projects, like shelving or farmhouse-style pieces where you embrace that rustic look. You do have to watch out for knots, though, as they can sometimes bleed through paint.

• Cedar (The Outdoorsman): You usually find Cedar being used outside because it naturally resists rot and insects. It has a lovely scent too! Not common for fine dining tables, but essential for garden furniture.

3. Veneers: The Smart Alternative for High-End Looks

If your budget doesn't quite stretch to full solid Oak or Walnut, veneering can be a fantastic, high-quality alternative. Veneer is a thin sheet of natural timber (which can come in countless species and colours) applied to a stable core, usually MDF.

Now, veneered furniture doesn't automatically mean cheaper, and here’s where you need to be careful. Tables you find in high street shops often use veneers as thin as 0.6mm. These are delicate and easily damaged, making repairs almost impossible.

At WH Creations, I always try to work with thick veneers, typically around 1.5mm. Yes, that means the cost is higher, but it’s an investment in longevity. A thicker veneer is much more forgiving if the finish needs changing, or if the worst happens and it requires a repair. I’ve re-veneered many old dining tables, bringing new life back to damaged pieces using dedicated tools like a veneer press, which ensures a perfect, lasting adhesion across the entire surface. This is all about restoration and creating durable pieces.

4. Engineered Materials: The Modern Workhorses

Sometimes, the best material isn't solid wood at all! Modern woodworking relies heavily on engineered materials for specific needs, like stability or cost-efficiency.

Plywood and MDF

• Plywood: Made by gluing thin layers (plies) of wood veneer together, with each layer rotated 90 degrees. This construction makes it incredibly stable and resistant to warping, which is why you see it used for high-end plywood cabinetry and clean, modern design pieces. The exposed edges of quality birch plywood have become a style statement in their own right!

• MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard): Made from wood fibres mixed with resin and compressed. It’s smooth, dense, and takes paint perfectly without any grain show-through. It’s great for painted, detailed work that needs to stay perfectly flat.

5. Mixed Media: Metal, Glass, and Why I Rethink Resin

Furniture making often involves more than just wood, and materials like metal or glass are fantastic for achieving unique, modern designs. For instance, metal—steel and aluminium—is brilliant for creating sturdy, contrasting table bases that add a clean, industrial edge to a warm, solid wood top. I love that mix!

However, I need to talk about epoxy resin. The internet has been flooded with resin products recently as the commercially available options have become more viable for beginners and weekend hobbyists. While they look stunning in photos, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to many clients who purchased resin tables only for them to crack.

The fundamental issue is simple: wood movement. Wood is a natural product that constantly wants to expand and contract throughout the year with changes in temperature and humidity, but resin is a hard plastic material that doesn’t move at all. When you lock the two together, the tension often causes the piece to fail.

At WH Creations, I will always try to steer my clients away from resin. I’d much rather you use your budget to purchase high-quality, highly figured wood materials that are built to last—ensuring you get a piece that truly offers longevity and character. Quality timber will always beat a temporary trend.

6. The First Step: Let's Talk Budget

This leads me to the most important part of planning a custom furniture project: budget.

When you reach out to me for a quote, I will always ask you what your budget is. And trust me, this isn't me trying to get the maximum amount from you! It’s the single most efficient way to figure out which high-quality woodworking materials we can start with.

I often say it's a case of champagne dreams with a lemonade budget, and that’s perfectly okay, but understanding the financial limit makes all the difference. For example, knowing the budget is how we decide if your beautiful dining table will be made from a high-quality, dense Oak that will last generations, a robust thick veneer, or a more affordable Pine that is better suited to your current means.

Furniture making is truly an art form, and sadly, it isn't cheap to commission a piece that takes hundreds of hours of design and labour. Sometimes clients haven't thought about the cost, or simply don't have a budget to begin with, and that's often where I lose them. I will, however, always try to work within a client's budget and maintain my high expectations to offer you something truly incredible.

What’s the Best Choice?

Ultimately, the 'best' material is the one that fits your space, budget, and vision.

If you’re looking for a truly timeless, heirloom-quality piece, investing in Walnut or Oak is always the way to go. If you want something modern and robust, pairing high-quality wood with metal bases might be your answer.

If you’re planning a custom furniture project in the UK, feel free to drop me a line through the website at www.whcreations.co.uk. I love talking through material options and bringing your bespoke furniture dreams to life!

Cheers, and happy making!