There's a simple reason for the popularity of wooden beds in the UK: they look stunning and suit all bedrooms, complementing traditional and contemporary decor. If you've decided to have wooden beds in your bedrooms you'll no doubt be wondering which wood to choose. To help you make an informed decision, here's a short guide to the woods Oak, Pine, Walnut and Mahogany used to make beds.
Oak
Oak is a beautiful hardwood which has been used to make furniture for centuries. It's perfect for making bed frames due to its immense strength and durability. While wood used for beds is treated, Oak also has an excellent natural resistance to mould and woodworm because of its high tannin content. Oak is also wonderful to look at, featuring beautiful grain markings. Combining style and practicality, Oak is a great choice if you’re searching for a hardwood bed and looks great unfinished or finished with lacquer or oil.
Pine
Furniture makers love pine because of the softwood's sheer versatility. Due to the current economic climate many home owners are looking for competitively priced beds and furniture and pine is an excellent choice if you want to save money without sacrificing style or quality. Whether open grain or knotty pine, a high quality pine wood bed makes an attractive addition to any bedroom, possessing natural character and durability. Pine wood beds are also available in a range of finishes and colours to suit all types of decor.
Walnut
The wonderful warmth of walnut makes the hardwood a popular choice for kitchen worktops, flooring and many types of furniture including beds. While beautiful to the eye, walnut is also incredibly hard and strong and its tight grained density makes it near matchless for durability and longevity. Antique walnut beds look fantastic in traditionally styled bedrooms, while contemporary walnut beds look equally stunning in modern bedrooms. Walnut varies in colour and tone depending on whether it has an oil, stain, dye or wax finish.
Mahogany
Mahogany has a tradition in furniture as rich as its lovely reddish-brown colour. Furniture makers praise its wonderful workability and natural resilience, while centuries of classic furniture pieces testify to its great beauty and immense popularity. As mahogany ages it naturally darkens and gives off a charming reddish shine following a polish. Used for the finest quality beds, mahogany can be a rather costly choice of wood, but anyone desiring the best for their bedroom will feel its timeless appeal is a great investment.
