During your search for the perfect wall bed, you’ll run into many industry related terms that may throw you for a loop. One of the terms you’ll run into over and over again is ‘veneer’. What is a veneer and how does it play into your purchasing decision? A veneer is essentially a thin layer of material placed over a core panel to provide consumers with benefits that they could not achieve with solid wood alone. Some of these benefits include warp prevention, aesthetics and lower price points. Within the world of wall beds, there are two primary types of veneers on the market: Solid Wood Veneers and Laminate Veneers. Each option has unique pros and cons you should consider.

Solid Wood Veneers

Solid wood veneers involve layering a thin slice of solid wood over a core panel. The core panel may be constructed of plywood, particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF). The wood veneer can be finished in several different ways and can be made out of any type of wood which allows you to achieve the exact look you want for your wall bed.

Pros of Solid Wood Veneers

One advantage of using a solid wood veneer is that you achieve the look of real wood without having to worry about the possible disfigurations that can occur with furniture completely crafted from solid wood. Since natural wood has the possibility to warp over time, introducing a veneer significantly decreases the likelihood of warping while maintaining the natural look of solid wood. Another advantage is price. Any piece of furniture constructed from solid wood will be placed at a premium price. Taking advantage of a veneer gives you the same quality look and feel of solid wood without this high cost. Thirdly, solid wood is very, very heavy. Not only does your price per wall bed go up dramatically, so will your delivery cost and any future costs associated with moving your wall bed. A wall bed that utilizes premium wood veneers is much lighter.

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Are you choose Vertical or Horizontal?? Here is my argument about that:

Vertical Wall Beds

Vertical wall bed systems are the more traditional, upright wall beds. In this configuration, the wall bed is stored vertically, and lowered into the room so that the length of the bed is perpendicular to the wall. This style of wall bed requires ceilings that are high enough to accommodate a fully upright bed. It is also important to note the amount of room allowed for the wall bed’s projection into the room once the wall bed is engaged. Whatever the height of the wall bed is while in its vertical storage position will then be translated into the floor space occupied when the wall bed is engaged. Vertical wall beds lend themselves nicely to utilizing accompanying storage units, such as vertical bookcases, without interrupting the visual line of the room.

Horizontal Wall Beds

Horizontal wall bed systems are ideal for rooms that have lower ceilings or less floor space for bed projection, such as rooms in the basement or attic of a home. These wall beds require enough wall space for the full length of the wall bed, as it is essentially a vertical wall bed turned ninety degrees. The projection of this style of wall bed into the room will be more shallow than that of a vertically standing wall bed, but will consequently be wider. Horizontal wall beds lend themselves nicely to rooms utilizing lower height storage units, such as desks or nightstands. Determining the space you would like your wall bed to occupy is a large step in on the road to making a final decision. It impacts not only the specific wall bed that you choose, but also the company from which you place an order, the accompanying furniture of the room, and eventually the feel that your room will have.

Wall bed market there are a number of wood materials that wall beds are constructed out of. Four of the main materials used in constructing a wall bed are Particle Board, MDF Board, Ply Wood, and Solid Wood. Each material has unique qualities that lend themselves to the operation and structure of your wall bed. Each material type is outlined below to give you a better understanding of why it is used, what it is best used for, and what to look for when choosing your perfect wall bed.

Particle Board

Particle Board is an engineered material used primarily for exterior furniture surfaces. It is composed of highly compressed wood pieces, or particles, which gives the material its name. In wall beds, particle board’s chief use is for exterior surfaces, because its guarantees a smooth surface and is less likely to warp or ***** over time. Particle board strength is measured by its PSI, which gauges the compression of the particles together, and therefore the overall quality and strength of the board as a whole. A cheaper product will be composed of cheaper particles, and therefore have a lower PSI. Industrial strength particle board is much stronger, and has a much higher PSI rating. One thing to note is that particle board may contain amounts of formaldehyde, and it is important to be aware of this when furniture will be used in nurseries, or other highly sensitive spaces. Newer age particle board does not utilize formaldehyde in its construction so be sure to ask when purchasing a wall bed that has particle board components. (more…)