Most of us will have at least one piece of pine furniture in our homes or in our office at work, so prolific, inexpensive, and attractive is this type of wood. Tables, beds, cupboards, chests, bookshelves, chairs: Much furniture (as well as window panes and floors) can be made of pine (also known as ‘softwood’ or ‘evergreen’ because it doesn’t lose its leaves in winter). Wood in general, in fact, is about 50 percent water with a honeycomb-like cellular structure. The pine has large cells that hold more water. It is also an extremely fast growing wood compared to its contemporaries such as teak.
Due to its light appearance in its natural state, pine is a wood that combines well with other furniture and color combinations. However, it scratches easily. However, for some, certainly those who prefer their pine furniture to have a ‘worn look’, this can be considered a plus. So are idiosyncratic wood knots (although you don’t want too many, as they can weaken a piece of wood) and the darker, more prominent grain against your light wood.
A scented wood, pine is also quite versatile in that, to alter its appearance, it can be stained, aged, waxed and painted to match any current decorating scheme.
But what about its origins? Well, it’s hard to attribute the wood to just one country, as today it’s grown in more than seven different areas (both north and south of the equator), although it’s probably best recognized in Scandinavia. In fact, it is the most abundant tree in the world, constantly being replanted, making pine furniture one of the most environmentally sustainable available. Crafters also prefer to work with a solid softwood like pine rather than a hardwood as it is easier to carve.
Pine trees tend to be long-lived, surviving anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years (there’s a pine tree in California called a Methuselah that tree saplings estimate to be around 4,600 years old!).
Going back to pine furniture, another reason the wood is so popular is because of its warm look when lightly waxed or lacquered, for example. The ‘Farmhouse Kitchen’ style is especially popular, even in modern homes, because it brings a light, bright and sunny look to most rooms (even when the pine furniture is painted). It’s also highly durable, as the style consists of big, bold Welsh chunky table legs and dresser.
Pine furniture tends to be fairly easy to care for and inexpensive. For example, for pine that has been oil finished, you’ll only need to brush it with an oil-dampened lint cloth every six months or so to maintain its appearance. Waxed furniture should be polished with wax and then polished. Scratches in your pine furniture can be made like new with a walnut kernel rubbed into the mark which is then sprayed with polish.
It is also a very easy wood to paint and age, which is why it is very popular among those who prefer the shabby chic or retro style of the 50s for their home. In other words, a bit of a chameleon, pine is an incredibly adaptable wood for furniture.