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1. No Self-Assembly You're not buying a gas grill. A quality piece of wood furniture can stay with your family for generations to come. Large pieces of furniture should be assembled and constructed within a manufacturing facility with strict tolerances for joinery to withstand the stress caused by moving it from room to room or into a new home.
2. Smooth Surfaces Unless an "antique finishing" technique has been applied as part of the design of the furniture to give it a casual lived-in look, wood surfaces should be well-sanded and smooth to the touch. Splintering or rough surfaces is not what you want near your child.
3. Drawer Dovetailing Unless the design dictates otherwise, as is the case with some drawers with curved shapes or edge moldings, you should expect what is called English dovetailing. This form of joinery comes straight from the proven techniques used to create some of the finest English furniture antiques ever produced and dates back all the way into 17th century furniture craftsmanship.
4. When it Comes to Kids' Furniture, Quality is Synonymous with Safety Look for safety features in your furniture like automatic drawer stops, tip restraint devices and leveling devices.
5. Mortise and Tenon Construction The oldest and most time-tested methods of case construction and joinery are utilized in Young America furniture. Mortise and tenon and hardwood dowel construction provide rigidly built craftsmanship for years of use.
6. Combining Solids and Veneers The construction of stylish, quality kids' furniture requires a certain mix of solid woods and wood veneers. Posts, drawer fronts and moldings of solid wood provide weight and scale for furniture along with interesting shapes for design flexibility. On the other hand, wood veneers complement solid wood construction by providing warp-free, flat, smooth surfaces for dresser and chest tops and panels. To learn more about the Solid vs. Veneered Wood Construction click here.
7. Wooden, Dust Free Drawers with Automatic Drawer Stops Drawers should be made of wood; not printed paper material. Drawer sides, backs and bottoms are sanded smooth for splinter-free surfaces to protect clothing and delicate fingers. Young America drawers feature a patented automatic drawer stop and glide quietly on a center guide for years of use. Dust panels separate one drawer from another and seal its contents from dust.
8. Sturdy Beds and Bunk Beds Built for today's kids with multiple storage options for versatility and years of use, beds should be constructed with solid posts with steel bolts or hooks that securely affix bed rails. Proper spacing of spindles and slats is a must to prevent small limbs and heads from becoming entrapped creating dangerous safety hazards.
9. Mattress Support Systems Sturdy wood slat platforms included with Young America beds support mattresses. There is no need to buy additional box springs or bunkie boards.
10. Safe, Quality Finishing Materials Staining and/or painting wood is no small part of the furniture manufacturing process. In fact, it may well be among the most important and safety conscious. A more than 20-step finish process using lead free and formaldehyde free finishing materials are formulated by trusted companies who understand the care that must be given to their chemistry. |
