Research: Materials
After finalising my designs, it was time to look at various materials. I will be researching multiple materials and looking closely for their properties. By the end of this post, I will hopefully know what type of material I will be using.
I will not be focusing on the aesthetics of the designs, only on the materials. Ideally, I want all the products to be made out of the same material as I want them to have the same feel, texture and look more presentable together.
My aim is to find durable, sustainable and smart materials that will help enhance this design.
Plywood Chairs (n.d)
This design of chairs is made out of plywood.
Some advantages of plywood include:
1. The cost is way cheaper compared to other materials. This might be useful as students need low cost items for their budget.
2. It is very sturdy and durable which will make it last a long time.
3. It is very strong and can withstand a lot of weight.
4. It is used in a lot of furniture construction. It is relieving to see that this material is used widely as I am sure that it is suitable.
5. It is resistive to shrinking, twisting and cracking which ensures that it will last a longer lifetime.
6. It's a natural product made out of renewable sources so it is environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages:
1. Water may damage it. I need to research in the next blog posts a top layer that might make it resistant to water.
2. It is costlier than MDF.
I like the properties of this material. I feel like with some adjustments I can contain and minimise the negatives. I will definitely consider this as a final material.
This design is made out of Fibreglass.
Some advantages include:
1. Can be moulded into any shape and create complex details.
2. Strong and stiff to withstand weight.
3. It is durable as it lasts a long time.
4. Anti-magnetic, fire resistant, weatherproof.
5. Can be easily coloured.
Disadvantages:
1. Needs a gel coat every 5 years.
2. Might create airborne fibres that might cause an issue to people with asthma.
Even though the advantages of this material were looking good, once I looked at the disadvantages, I decided to eliminate it. I need the material to be durable without maintenance every 5 years. Additionally, the fibres might put people in risk and might be considered a health hazard.
INGO (n.d)
This design is made out of pine wood.
Advantages:
1. It is very affordable.
2. Easy to paint and customise.
3. Resistant to swelling and shrinking.
4. It is stiff which makes it durable.
5. Environmentally friendly. The trees grow quickly which allows them to be replaced quickly once they're cut down.
Disadvantages:
1. Might easily scratch or dent so it requires more maintenance.
2. Can be heavy
3. It is not very strong.
I am not convinced that this is a good material for my design. Once again, the advantages look good as it is also resistant to shrinking and swelling. However, it scratches and dents easily and is not as strong. University students can be reckless at times so they might scratch it fairly quickly. If I do chose this material, then I will have to laminate it.
Advantages:
1. It is environmentally friendly.
2. It is hard to flex or crack which increases lifespan.
3. It is even more affordable than plywood.
4. Easy to paint.
Disadvantages:
1. It is vulnerable to heat.
2. It is heavy.
3. Can't support too much weight.
After looking at the fact that MDF can't support a lot of weight, I decided to discard it. One of the functions is for the chair to be used as a ladder. If it is not able to withstand a lot of weight then it will collapse.
This design is made out of oak.
Advantages:
1. Durable so it will last a long time.
2, Resistant to warping.
3. Offers a smooth finish.
4. Looks good with varnish.
5. Resistant against moisture and corrosion.
Disadvantages:
1. Might end up looking two tones as it darkens over time.
2. Can be heavy.
3. It might shrink or crack.
Once again, I do not think that this is suitable as it might crack or shrink which means that the lifespan of this will not be long.
This design is made out of Mahogany.
Advantages:
1. It is durable.
2. The appearance looks very rich, high-end and modern.
3. Will not fade in colour
4. Anti-corrosive material.
5. Solid and strong.
Disadvantages:
1. Relatively expensive compared to other materials as there is limited production.
As this is an expensive material, I do not think that it will be suitable for the production of these products. I need something affordable so many university students will have access to.
This design is made out of glass.
Advantages:
1. High level of elegancy. Looks modern and sophisticated.
2. Transparent which might help with the distribution of light.
Disadvantages:
1. Can smudge easily- fingerprints.
2. Can break if a lot of pressure if applied- very fragile.
3. High maintenance.
4. Expensive
It is obvious that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. I would consider a glass product to be placed in a house with mature audiences. However, it might be a safety hazard to place this into an accommodation. Creating a glass door of the cupboard might be dangerous as people might slam it too hard which will cause it to break. It will need a lot of cleaning and students do not have time for that. It is also expensive which means that it would not be affordable.
Creating a glass ladder might be an extreme safety hazard. The fragility of it is very dangerous in apartments with young and at times careless or students.
This design is made out of copper.
Advantages of copper:
1. Fireproof, waterproof.
2. Sturdy and strong.
3. Easy maintenance.
4. Durability and long lifetime.
5. Environmentally friendly.
Disadvantages of copper:
1. Heavy which can be hard to move around. Especially the chair will need to be moved around easily in order to utilise the ladder.
2. Can have rough edges.
These chairs were made out of polypropylene.
Advantages:
1. It is inexpensive.
2. Resistant to moisture.
3. Easily repaired from damage.
4. Good impact strength.
5. Resistant to corrosion.
Disadvantages:
1. Difficult to paint
2. extremely flammable.
This seems like a good solution to my design products.
Advantages:
1. Durable.
2. Zero maintenance.
3. Easy to clean.
Disadvantages:
1. Low fire resistant
2. Might scratch easily.
3. Can't hold a lot of weight.
As it cannot hold a lot of weight, this is not ideal for my designs.
Conclusion: I decided to look at 10 different materials to see which one will be more suitable for my design. I wanted to look at many to ensure that I have many option and choose the best one. I tried to incorporate various materials, not only wood and I am happy with my research.
I decided to proceed with plywood as I feel like it is more suitable for my design. It has good advantages and I can contain the disadvantages. I think that it will look really good with my designs.
In the next blog post, I will be discussing the type of paint and cushions that will be added on the design. I will also look into a top layer for the table to be water resistant. I will be looking into the components in a blog after that.
I will also add in the next blog posts the production method, cost and start experimenting with the pattern.
References:
Mistry, K. (2017) Advantages and Disadvantages of plywood. Available at: https://gharpedia.com/blog/advantages-disadvantages-plywood/ [Accessed: 19/02/21]
What are the advantages and disadvantages of fibreglass (n.d) Available at: https://sites.google.com/site/thekacassite/fibre/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fibreglass [Accessed: 19/02/21]
Hughes, A.R. (2018) The pros and cons of different types of wood. Available at: https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/different-types-wood#:~:text=1%20of%205%20Pine&text=farmhouse%2Dstyle%20tables.-,Pros%3A%20It's%20low%2Dcost%2C%20and%20it%20takes%20paint%20well,prone%20to%20scratches%20and%20dents. [Accessed: 19/02/21]
Hunt, F. (2015) Pros and Cons of glass furniture. Available at: https://www.franceshunt.co.uk/news/2015/03/pros-and-cons-of-glass-furniture/ [Accessed: 19/02/21]
Agarwal, U. (2018) PVC or wood for kitchen cabinets- which one is better. Available at: https://www.planmyinterior.com/pvc-or-wood-for-kitchen-cabinets-which-one-is-better/ [Accessed: 19/02/21]
Really good post - exhaustive research and you have gone into a lot of detail here. Plywood is probably the best option of the ones you have considered here - have you made sure it is durable enough and cost effective for this project?
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