Material Research: This post will contain the average densities of various forms of common materials, possible processes for manufacturing furniture, some of their properties relevant to their functional application as a component of a piece of furniture and their aesthetic properties as well.
Plastics
Common
Forms
|
Sheets
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Tubes/Rods
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Mesh
|
Avg.
Density (gcm-3)
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0.800-1.500
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Manufacturing
Processing for furniture
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Vacuum forming , line bending, cutting, bolting.
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Bending
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Line bending, cutting
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Properties
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High tensile strength, flexible, reflective,
generally quite light weight. Form can be manipulated to strengthen
structures.
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Aesthetics
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All can be glossy or matt, which reflects light in various ways. Many
colours are available
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Wood
Common
Forms
|
Solid
Timber
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Laminated
Veneer
|
Plywood
|
Avg.
Density (gcm-3)
|
.600-1.200
|
0.500-0.800
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.500-.900
|
Manufacturing
processing for furniture
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May be cut, carved
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May be bent, glued, ironed, twisted
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May be bent, cut
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Properties
|
Strong, rigid.
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Flexible, brittle
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Strong, somewhat flexible
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Aesthetics
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All may be painted, lacquered, veneered, or left natural
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Steel
Common
Forms
|
Sheet
|
Tube
|
Perforated
Sheet
|
Density
(gcm-3)
|
7.750-8.050
|
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Manufacturing
Processing for furniture
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Sheets can be
rolled, cut, bent to increase structural rigidity. Steel must be welded or
bolted to connect parts.
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Tubes can be curved,
cut and welded.
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Perforated sheets can
be rolled, cut, bent to increase structural rigidity. Steel must be welded or
bolted to connect parts.
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Properties
|
Malleability, shaping
can increase structural integrity
|
High strength,
durability
|
Malleability, shaping
can increase structural integrity, perforation maintains considerable strength
and reduces weight of sheet
|
Aesthetics
|
Plain metallic
surface, can be painted, or decorated with cutting out parts of the surface.
|
Surface can reflect
light, can be painted. Industrialized look.
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Has uniform pattern,
may be painted, industrial look.
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Paper
Common
Forms
|
Paper
Mache
|
Molded
Pulp
|
Layered
& glued
|
Avg.
Density (gcm-3)
|
0.400-1.500 (depending
on other constituents)
|
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Manufacturing
Processes for furniture
|
Gluing, cutting
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Pulping, casting, compression, cutting
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Gluing, cutting
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Properties
|
Somewhat flexible, low tensile strength,
lightweight, may need reinforcement
|
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Aesthetics
|
Can be painted, not reflective (excluding paper mache)
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Fabrics
Typically fabrics are not used as structural components in ,
due to their inability to maintain structural integrity under compressive
forces, with the exception of woven fiberglass sheets and hemp fiber paneling.
Instead the fabrics are used to make the seating, as they are generally good at
distributing load evenly and have high tensile strengths whilst being able to
stretch and bend. Examples of fabrics include: Leather, suede, wool, silk,
cotton, hemp, fiberglass, spandex, nylon, acrylic and polyester. Depending on thickness, these materials have a varied density range.
Strings, ropes, hoses and wires are all specifically
designed to withstand tension and fail to maintain shape under compression, much
like fabrics. Wires however tend to be much stronger under compression, given
the shape has appropriately been manipulated to allow for compression to be
withstood. Generally all of these materials are used for the seating in
furniture and exhibit the highest tensile strength when woven together.
