Final Project: Researching Materials

After looking at different folding mechanisms, I wanted to look at different possible materials for my own design. I will be focusing on wood and trying to find the most environmentally and cost-effective material possible. Researching various products made from different materials and their properties, will allow me to figure out which one is more suitable for my own design.

Overall, I want the properties of my material to include durability, inexpensive as my target market is students, strength, resistant to weather conditions.

Made out of oak

Looking at the table at first, I really liked the finish of the material. I really like the colour of oak and how smooth the surface looks. It has different stripes of colour which create a unique texture. Oak is a very durable wood. It comes with endurance that makes it high resistant to wrapping. Durability can be a very valuable property as it will not need replacing. It naturally offers a clear and smooth finish and adheres well with varnish. This will make the end product look very aesthetically pleasing thus attracting more potential buyers. Additionally, it offers resistance against moisture and corrosion.  

However, looking at the two reviews of the table, made me realise that oak might not be very suitable for my table as people had issues with it. In one of the reviews, they mention that the rough texture lead to splintering of the wood very easily. A light dusting even with a damp cloth leaves fibres of cloth stuck under the wood. My material needs to be easy to clean as it will act as a working desk and it might get dirty or messy very often. With oak, if it is not properly cleaned or cared, it might shrink or cause cracks. This is a major disadvantage for using oak for my table. Oak can be very heavy which will make the process of installing it extremely difficult. User will have to install and assemble it; therefore, I have to make sure that the process of installing will be easy. 

Mahogany

The next table I looked at was made from mahogany. Mahogany is very rich in colour and provides an elegant and modern finish. The reviews received on the material and the durability of the product were very positive.

Mahogany is weatherproof, durable, resistant to external influences. These are very valuable properties as they will help increase the lifespan of the product.

However, the main disadvantage of mahogany is that it is very expensive. As my product is aimed at students, my price has to be very rational and affordable to increase the interest of the buyers. Additionally, mahogany is a tropical wood, therefore, bad environmental balance. I want my product to be environmentally friendly so I decided to eliminate mahogany.

Unfortunately, even though I really liked this wood, it didn’t fit my specific criteria. 

Bamboo

The next material I looked at was bamboo. Bamboo is very environmentally friendly. It is highly renewable which is a property I was hoping my material would include. Bamboo is very durable and far more resistant to damage than traditional hardwoods. My desk will undergo a lot of pressure everyday so I have to ensure that the material used to make the desk can withstand great amount of pressure. Bamboo is a very strong wood that is resistant to swelling and shrinking. 

However, one major disadvantage of bamboo is its poor resistance to fungi and bacteria. It is sensitive to attack from insects. So it must be treated against them, otherwise, the material has a very short life.

In the reviews of the product, someone mentioned that they had splinters stuck in his hand. This is a safety hazard and can injure someone a lot. If I decide to use this material, I have to make sure that I laminate it or use something to ensure that no one gets injured. 

There were many positive reviews about the wood so this is definitely a material to keep in mind. 

Birch Plywood

The last wood I researched was birch plywood. Birch plywood does not have jagged edges so it provides safety to the user. It has a beautiful wood structure that makes the product look very aesthetically pleasing. The neutral colour it consists of, make it suitable to be combined with any other colours. Additionally, birch plywood is very environmentally friendly and causes minimal devastation of biodiversity when cut down. It is durable, really hard and has a high quality of sanding. 

However, plywood usually needs additional enhancements. The edges need to be covered with suitable pieces of wood.

Overall, the reviews on the product were very positive about the material used. It creates a lovely finish with a unique texture. It has smooth edges and a surface and I feel like this would be a great material to use for my project.

Concluding, I decided to choose birch plywood as the material I will be using for my product. The pros of birch plywood overweigh the negatives. It contains a lot of the properties that I wanted it to include and I feel like I can achieve a great finish using this.

Before researching components, I will develop my initial idea in order to visualise how the product will be formed. Once I have my final idea, I will research my components.

In the next blog posts, I will be developing my product idea.

Sources for images:

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-calia-coffee-table/p2431254?sku=233119254&colour=Oak&s_ppc=2dx92700055668809028&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAiAzNj9BRBDEiwAPsL0d5lEBoudP3Lyir8LCoZFr-dorcRH-e554hBSuJI12-jWli3IapEHyxoC10AQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Homescapes-Dakota-Tables-Living-Furniture/dp/B001LIONJE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NNEWVANTE-Adjustable-Foldable-Multi-tasking-Breakfast/dp/B073GQ8KSS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Humbleworks-STANDING-DESK-adjustable-SIT-STAND/dp/B06XNP1FJ1/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=birch+plywood+desk&qid=1606003496&sr=8-17