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Furniture Essentials
Engineered Woods
Pros + Cons of Engineered Woods
Engineered Wood Type
PROS
CONS
Particle Board
Inexpensive
Light Weight
Edges cannot be finished or
sanded smooth
Does not hold screws or
fasteners well
Medium Density
Fiberboard
Edges can be easily
shaped or detailed
Uniform surface for
applying veneer or paint
Very dense / heavy
Does not hold screws or
fasteners well
Plywood
Holds screws and
fasteners well
Can be easily stained
More expensive than other
engineered woods
Veneer layers show on edge
In order to maximize the qualities of engineered wood, many Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
products use 5 ply construction: sandwiching a piece of engineered wood between
4 layers of veneer.