Assuming legal logging practices, solid wood outperforms any other wood-based material in terms of environmental footprint. This is due to the energy consumption involved in manufacturing particleboard and MDF, as well as the amount of glue in these furniture boards. Even during manufacturing, the glue mixture (the technical term) causes environmental problems through emissions and toxic residues. Once in our living rooms, particleboard and similar materials often continue to off-gas for years. The most well-known pollutant is formaldehyde. Contrary to the widespread belief that this is a thing of the past, most furniture boards on the market are manufactured with large quantities of formaldehyde-based glue.
A few more properties speak in favor of solid wood:
The open-pored nature of wood ensures an optimal indoor climate. It prevents electrostatic dust buildup and has an antibacterial effect. Therefore, solid wood furniture is also recommended for house dust allergy sufferers.
Solid wood is robust and stable, surviving daily use and numerous moves. Traces of years of use can be easily removed: sand, oil, or wax, and it's done.
Every piece of wooden furniture is unique due to its different grain and the natural play of colors in the wood. The feel of wood is also unmistakable.
