The Best Simple Wooden Dining Chairs

 Another "Best of" piece is due; this one features 15 of the greatest plain wooden dining chairs. You'd think finding a beautifully designed wooden chair that is well manufactured, sustainably produced, and affordable would be easy, but I've found it's surprisingly difficult to locate one. There are many wooden chairs available, but only a small number of them meet every requirement.

If you search online, you'll find that it's a minefield with plenty of references to "natural materials" and "high quality wood," but very little information on the origin of the wood or the process used to create the design. To truly understand what you're getting, you must conduct some research.

Dining room chairs made of wood are expensive. And the reason for this is that many of the greatest items are handcrafted or hand finished, which requires a great deal of expertise and time. A wooden chair will cost more than one made of any other material, but solid wood is more likely to last over time. It is sturdy and long-lasting, and with time, the tactile patina of the natural grain only grows better.

Alarm bells go off right away when a store doesn't state where a design was created. If they are doing things correctly, they shouldn't have anything to conceal because it is easy to figure out where your chair came from. Look for transparent companies and brands. You don't want your design to be flown from the other side of the planet, either in terms of sustainability. I'm seeking for furniture that was created in the UK or Europe because I'm based in London.

Solid wood furniture pieces may be replaced or recycled more readily. Wood veneer is made of thin wood slices that are adhered to a less appealing, more affordable core, such MDF or fiberboard. Wood veneer can blister and tear at the edges over time, but it utilizes less material than solid wood and doesn't create sawdust waste. The glues, adhesives, and finishes being used to treat the furniture may also be something to think about because certain hazardous chemicals or agents may not only be bad for the environment, but they may also leak gasses or fumes into the house. Some businesses will list the glues or lacquers that they employ. If at all feasible, use glues and lacquers that are water-based and have a low formaldehyde level.

One of the few distinct ways for the customer to determine if the timber has been acquired sustainably is the FSC label, which is a certification from the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC label has received some criticism (a follower provided me a link to this video). It is a standard that facilitates the tracking of wood from FSC-certified forests to the customer, purportedly ensuring that its production is socially and environmentally responsible. Although there are three distinct labels, which might be a bit confusing, only FSC 100% guarantees that every item has been certified and examined. For instance, the FSC Mix Label could only have a little amount of FSC-certified wood. 

Sometimes a piece of furniture may have an FSC stamp on it, and most businesses that have the certification will explicitly state in the description of their furniture that the wood is FSC certified. You cannot be certain that the wood has been sourced sustainably or responsibly if it is not mentioned or if it is not known where it came from.

You might scoff and think, "I want it now," when you read a 6–8 week delivery period, but it's true what they say: wonderful things do come to those who wait. Products that are made to order save waste and frequently provide additional finish options.

You could be better off seeking for vintage versions if the chair is an Ercol chair or another long-lasting design classic. It's undoubtedly the one that is the most environmentally friendly because there are many designs already available that are searching for new homes. There is a sizable secondhand market for wooden chairs, which maintain their worth, and you may discover some quite distinctive designs and styles that don't appear mass-produced or cheaply crafted. Additionally, purchasing a group of chairs (say, 6 or 8) is more likely to result in a better value than doing so for a single chair. 

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