Have you done enough research about the quality of your bedroom furniture?  No, then let me lend a hand.

Oak or walnut wooden beds

Try to buy a bed that is solid wood.  Key factors to look for are no small finger pointed laminations on the siderails, head and tail rails.  Look for signs of white sapwood showing towards the outside of the bed.  Whilst this is not crucial to the construction, it shows that the manufacturer has taken time to put the sap face to the inside of the bed with the pure oak tones showing.

Oak and walnut wooden chests

The main construction of the chests should feature solid wooden legs all round.  The top should be solid wood also with no man made products.  The drawers should be dovetailed all round and solid in construction and strength.  Are the drawer fronts made out of one piece of wood?  Many manufacturers joint their drawer fronts whereas quality manufacturers use one piece of timber.  The backs of the drawer should be grooved into the back legs and no screws, nails or pins used to hold the back panel in place.

Oak and walnut wooden wardrobes

Wooden legs should be used in all wardrobes, the back panels again should be grooved into the back legs.  The veneered back panel should be veneered both internally and externally.  Whilst this  is not compulsary, it shows the manufacturer puts high emphasis on a consistent finish.  Internally, the hanging rail should not be of cheap metal, it is far better to have a solid turned rail and brackets.  If the wardrobe has drawers, again the drawers should be dovetailed and made of one piece of solid wood.

1.                 Bed slats may be cut from ¾ inches by 3 ½ inches lumber , which is available from most major home center stores. Do not use wood that is thinner than ¾ inches since it will not be thick enough to provide the support required for the box spring. Wood that is thicker than ¾ inches may be used for beds that require additional support based on the weight of the occupant of the bed. Wood that is less than 3 ½ inches wide may be used for bed slats. However, position the bed slats so there is ½ inches less room between the slats than the slats are wide. For example, 3 ½-inch bed slats should be spaced no more than 3 inches apart for proper support of the box spring. Measure the width of the bed and choose wood that is longer than the width of the bed and cut to size.

Species

2.                 Pine, cherry, mahogany or any species of wood can be used for bed slats. Pine is the least expensive. However, the species of wood chosen for bed slats may be chosen to match the wood the bed is made from.

Finish

3.                 Select wood that has been sanded or sand the wood to reduce splinters. The splinters may cut the fabric lining on the bottom of the box spring which can allow dust mites, fleas or other undesirable pests access to the inside of the box spring. The wood that is used for bed slats does not have to be stained or sealed buy you may finish the wood to match the bed. Be sure the finish is thoroughly dry before installing the new bed slats.

Placement

4.                 If the wood chosen for bed slats has a bow, or curve, place the curve so the high side is up. The weight of the box spring and mattress will help to push the curve down. If the curve is placed so the new slat dips, there will be less support and more strain on the box spring.