- The Two Contrasting Sides of Furniture Cabinets

The Two Contrasting Sides of Furniture Cabinets

Furniture cabinets are gaining popularity in offices and homes. While some users admire them for their derivative reasons, others criticize the overall idea of using wood as a structural component of the cabinets. So why do some people treasure these cabinets while others protest their use? Let us find out the conflicting ideologies.

a. Arguments for 

Affordability

Proponents argue that furniture cabinets are affordable on the premise that wood is readily available. Trees constitute part of the immediate environment for human beings; therefore, obtaining the raw material and processing it into a finished product is far easier than extracting iron ore from a mine. A visit to a nearby wood processing factory guarantees you a cheap purchase. Next, by just getting a professional designer, you will have a custom design that suits your needs.

Portability

These cabinets are treasured for their portability and ease of repair. Those made of low-density wood are the lightest, hence movable. After all, even the weight of the high-density hardwoods cannot match that of a metallic component.

Ease of Repair 

A broken wood can be repaired using locally available tools and materials such as a hammer, a nail, and/or wood adhesive. Therefore, one would go for a wooden furniture cabinet while boycotting a metallic one.

b. Arguments Against

Durability

One of the contrary opinions argues that furniture cabinets are not as durable as metallic ones. This school of thought is based on the idea that wood can easily break due to stressing forces or a simple fall. Untreated wood can also decay easily if exposed to water or a moist environment. Finally, termites pose a significant threat to wooden cabinets. If uncontrolled, they feed on the carbon fibers, thus making them structurally feeble.

Safety

A cabinet serves many roles; nonetheless, it is commonly used to secure important items. The fact that wood breaks easily means that the safety of the items in the furniture cabinet is compromised. An attack by mites and rodents is also possible when wooden cabinets are used. Therefore, it is recommended that you consider these risks before choosing wooden cabinets over metallic ones.

Environmental Implications 

Trees have scientifically been proven to influence climate. Without trees, the world would encounter a severe version of global warming and climate change that would threaten the survival of humanity. In light of this, using furniture cabinets violates global environmental sustainability policies. It also back-strides the gains made toward restoring the global climate.

Conclusion

Furniture cabinets are popular in offices and homes. The choice of whether to purchase them or go for the metallic version exclusively lies in the buyer’s taste and preferences. While some people love these wooden storage units for their affordability, ease of repair, and portability, others contest their use citing short lifespan, compromised safety of the stored belongings, and violation of environmental sustainability laws. It remains a contentious debate over whether to continue using these cabinets or shun them for the durable, environmentally-friendly metallic substitutes.

 

 

George Boyadjian
Author: George Boyadjian

George has 24 years experience in the cabinet making and finish carpentry field with license from CSLB #856973.