What is plywood made from?
AnswerThin layers of wood veneer glued together
Plywood stacks thin wood sheets called veneers, glued under pressure.
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8 fact-checked facts about cabinets and cabinetmaking, each with the reason behind it. 4 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
What does MDF stand for?
AnswerMedium-density fibreboard
MDF is made from wood fibres bonded with resin under heat and pressure.
Going deeper
What is a dovetail joint?
AnswerInterlocking wedge-shaped 'pins' and 'tails'
Dovetails resist pulling apart, which is why they're used in drawer corners.
Why are the layers in plywood glued with their grain at right angles?
AnswerTo make the sheet stronger and less likely to split or warp
Cross-graining spreads strength in both directions and limits movement from moisture.
What was a 'cabinet of curiosities' in Renaissance Europe?
AnswerA collection of rare and unusual objects, forerunner of museums
Collectors displayed natural wonders and artefacts in rooms or cabinets that inspired early museums.
Botanically, what makes a wood a 'hardwood'?
AnswerIt comes from flowering, mostly broadleaf, trees
Hardwood and softwood describe tree type, not hardness: softwoods come from conifers.
Expert level
What is the German term for a cabinet of curiosities, meaning 'wonder room'?
AnswerWunderkammer
Wunderkammer literally means 'wonder chamber' in German.
Which 18th-century English cabinetmaker published 'The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director' in 1754?
AnswerThomas Chippendale
Chippendale's pattern book spread his furniture designs across Britain and beyond.
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