Wooden furniture from online stores, yes or no?

[6pack]

The old plywood furniture in my house is falling apart due to moisture and old age.
So I'm looking at buying new ones now.

How sturdy are the wooden furniture from online stores like Amazon, Flipkart etc?
I saw lot of negative feedback about the quality and damage due to improper packing in reviews. Went to local shops who had similar wooden furniture and they said no warranty for MDF or particle board furniture and they were charging more than online stores. One shop keeper told me i will have to get a carpenter if i needed plywood furniture and they will charge a lot.

What is the best option? I don't know the difference between any wood or how much it will cost or other stuff. There is possibility that carpenter will scam me.

 

[nRiTeCh]

Of course you wont get pure plywood anywhere online nor in any malls as its all either particle or mdm wood having life of 3-5yrs max and thereafter on your luck,.
Your best bet is local furniture shop! So rather than wasting huge sums online in trash get it home made from your furniture man!
Ply will cost you more but will last for a very longer periods and you can get everything customized as well like shells, size, design etc.

 

[rsaeon]

There is possibility that carpenter will scam me.

The way I've always dealt with carpenters or any tradesmen (electrician, plumber) is that I'll pay for labour and materials separately. This way you'll know exactly where the money went. We've never actually paid a lump sum for any single job or work done, even back in the 90s. These days some of the sophisticated carpenters charge a fixed amount like Rs 500 per square foot for cupboards, which always works out in their favour compared to materials + labour separately.

How sturdy are the wooden furniture from online stores like Amazon, Flipkart etc?

Almost anything sold on Amazon is MDF or something like MDF, they're good to look at, easy to assemble, but they do not last more than a few years. There are ways around this, by using glue on every exposed surface and spraying on a clear sealer after the furniture has been assembled. I have a book case that I did this to and it's held up really well for the last five years or so, looks practically new.

What is the best option?

A carpenter is the best option, but if you don't have the time and the resources to micromanage the process then maybe something made out of solid wood would be better. I really like Pepperfry's solid wood stuff but they have simple designs and weigh a lot. I've some Pepperfry solid wood furniture that's been in daily use for four years now, they look as if they're brand new.

I don't know the difference between any wood or how much it will cost or other stuff.

The lowest tier in terms of longevity is MDF or 'Engineered Wood'. From there you have the different types of wood: Rubber, Mango, Sheesham, Teak and more. I went with Sheesham on Pepperfy since it's comparatively lower in price with more brands using it. My parent's furniture is made from Teak wood since that was/is the best you can get without growing your own forest and waiting a hundred years.

 

[6pack]

Thanks. Another reasons i don't want to go with carpenter is when we did the furniture in the house, they would whine a lot about the design or if we wanted changes after seeing the completed product. Plus no one bothers to do their job properly and the finishing is poor. If we ask to laminate then they only laminate the outside and the inside is hand polish which leads to wood getting moisture etc.

So best option for me (if i don't get a carpenter) would be to buy sheesham wood furniture and second best is engineered wood plus clear sealer i think. I don't think teak is possible in my budget.

 

[nitin_g3]

There are ways around this, by glue on every exposed surface and spraying on a clear sealer after the furniture has been assembled

I recently bought a study table which is made of mdf. Where can I get this sealer?

 

[rsaeon]

The one I used is an aerosol can from a stationary supplies store, it's used by artists as a varnish to on their finished paintings

Something like this: https://www.amazon.in/Aerol®-Clear-Coat-Spray-250/dp/B01MTTOJAI/ but I haven't used this one yet

EDIT: they're usually glossy but you can find them in matte finishes too.

 

[ibose]

I went with Sheesham on Pepperfy since it's comparatively lower in price with more brands using it. My parent's furniture is made from Teak wood since that was/is the best you can get without growing your own forest and waiting a hundred years.

+1 if you can get the genuine wood.
Else look at metal as an option. All our almirahs, bookshelves and one of our bedroom furniture are all metal.

 

[6pack]

Do termites infest sheesham wood? I saw lot of complaints about termites infestation on Flipkart for wooden furniture.

 

[blr_p]

The one I used is an aerosol can from a stationary supplies store, it's used by artists as a varnish to on their finished paintings

Something like this: https://www.amazon.in/Aerol®-Clear-Coat-Spray-250/dp/B01MTTOJAI/ but I haven't used this one yet

EDIT: they're usually glossy but you can find them in matte finishes too.

I'd picked up this work table some time ago which i think is MDF so would it be advisable to spray it ? matte would be preferable

Thought it would have had such a treatment already. Hard to tell.

 

[gtlogic10]

MDF/particle board/engineered wood made furnitures are lot cheaper online than in store ones. Yeah the reviews have to carefully assessed before placing your orders. It's better to call up Amz and FK customer care and intimate them asking them to directly notify the seller on the packaging standards.

Normally MDF and related materials are pre-treated for termites but termite control spray would be handy if at all.

Not a lot has been heard from Pepperfry of late but they are still around.