What is a furniture body definition. Cabinet furniture. Human anthropometric data

Furniture is necessary to create comfort, coziness and convenience. These items are in every home and without them it is impossible to imagine the life of a modern person. To create these necessary items, materials are used that are reliable and have a long service life, environmental friendliness and safety. Equally important is the quality of durability. In addition, the cost of a modern furniture set directly depends on the material from which the structure was made.

Main materials used

The most commonly used furniture material is wood. But there are furniture sets made of metal and glass, plastic, or combinations thereof. The basis for the manufacture of furniture structures is wood or its materials obtained as a result of processing. Among them are:

  • melamine;
  • postforming;
  • veneer;
  • array.

All of them are used in the manufacture of furniture. These are fibreboard or particle boards. These furniture materials are similar in their basic qualities, but they also have many differences. The places and methods of their application differ. For example, natural wood has become widespread in the creation of furnishings in children's rooms, schools and preschool institutions.

Office furniture is assembled from chipboard or MDF, which are more suitable for the manufacture of headsets designed for use in high-load conditions. Modern artificial furniture materials are resistant to mechanical damage and negative environments. Such qualities are ensured by the fact that new technologies are used in the manufacture of lumber furniture, allowing them to withstand high humidity or shock.

Chipboard used in the manufacture of furniture is covered with a special film. Such a decorative coating can be laminated or melamine. The difference between the films that increase the degree of strength of the wood board lies in the percentage of melamine resin. In one case it is 20%, and in the other - 60%. It is this component that affects the heat resistance, impact resistance and moisture resistance of the material used for the manufacture of furniture structures.

Types of wood boards

The cost of furniture depends on the quality of the wood taken for its manufacture. Natural wood is characterized by a high degree of resistance to negative influences, mechanical damage, humidity and temperature extremes. Whole furniture structures are made from natural wood. As for cabinet furniture, in its manufacture, wood-based panels obtained after wood processing are more suitable materials.

Fibreboard is a furniture material that requires dried wood fibers treated with special substances that act as binders. The layered laying of fibers resembles in its structure the weaving of a carpet.

This material in the manufacture of cabinet and modular furniture is used only after the process of hot pressing and the application of a finishing (decorative) melamine coating or veneer. The cost of MDF is several times higher than the price of chipboard, but in terms of its qualities (strength and wear resistance) this material is better than the others.

Particleboard, the positive quality of which (unlike natural wood) is the absence of knots and other flaws. Chipboard has no internal voids or cracks. In order to make this material for furniture, sawdust and shavings are mixed with glue. After that, they are pressed and, after waiting for complete drying, they are polished. The strength of the plates is given by melamine paper or veneer.

Chipboard is widely used in the manufacture of furniture for offices, educational institutions, public receptions. Finished structures have high strength, moisture resistance, resistance to aggressive media and temperature extremes.

Laminated chipboard. This stove is present in every home. Furniture structures and flooring are assembled from it, it can be seen as a finish on walls and ceilings. The surface of laminated chipboard is highly durable and resistant to mechanical damage.

The coating is created by applying a laminated film, which is one of the varieties of paper-resin film created on the basis of thermosetting polymers. Such a coating provides the material with reliable protection and guarantees a long service life in rooms with high traffic or high levels of humidity. Moisture resistance can only be ensured if the laminated surface is free of chips and scratches.

This furniture material is better known as hardboard. Lightweight, durable and easy to handle. Sufficiently firmly holds self-tapping screws and screws. It is used for the manufacture of the rear walls of cabinet furniture as a timber frame cladding. He found such an application due to fragility and fragility.

To create chipboard and fibrous material used in the manufacture of furniture, certain types of wood are needed. Wooden furniture helps to create comfort in the room, guarantees the safety of the owners, withstands a variety of loads and negative impacts. Before choosing such furniture, you need to clarify what kind of wood it is made of.

Important qualities of the wood used for the manufacture of furniture are strength, environmental friendliness and durability. Wood is selected according to several criteria:

  • texture and pattern;
  • coloring;
  • hardness;
  • strength;
  • moisture resistance.

For example, soft woods include birch, alder and pine. They are easy to process, but hardly withstand minor mechanical damage. Oak, walnut, cherry or beech are medium hard woods. Maple and most exotic woods are considered hard.

If we talk about color, then light textures include birch, pine, maple, ash. Darker - oak, larch and cedar, walnut, wenge, rosewood are recognized as the darkest. For the manufacture of furniture from solid natural wood, you should not choose breeds with a pronounced pattern.

Most often, furniture is made from wood with a medium-pronounced pattern:

  • cherry;
  • ash;
  • maple.

Particular attention should be paid to such a characteristic as moisture resistance. Wood of high hardness and strength may not withstand high humidity. Furniture made from it quickly loses its attractiveness and fails.

Use of coating for furniture material

To protect wood, various types of coatings have been developed and created. Before pressing, all types of chipboard chips are treated with chemicals that act as binders. For the manufacture of furniture, materials made without the use of formaldehyde resins are chosen, since during operation such plates emit harmful fumes.

The quality and features of the decorative coating affect not only the cost of chipboard used to make furniture, but also its external attractiveness, durability, and strength.

Laminating

This is the fixation of special paper on the surface of the chipboard, which is later embossed or varnished. Furniture with such a coating can be installed in the living room or bedroom, but will quickly lose its attractiveness and become unusable if placed in places with high traffic or humidity.

Melamine finish or faux veneer

It has a fairly high level of strength, wear resistance. Resistant to aggressive environments, high and low temperatures, humidity. The treatment of wood chips with melamine and formaldehyde resins increases the wear resistance of the coating several times, making it possible to make facades of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, countertops from such boards.

One of the highest quality, durable and reliable coatings. Due to the application of a film created on the basis of melamine resins, chipboard becomes several times stronger. Such materials are widely used in the assembly of kitchen furniture, hallway sets, offices, and children's rooms. The main distinguishing feature of the laminated surface is the structure, the features of which depend on the class of the laminate. The CPL material is absolutely smooth, while the high pressure HPL products have a surface that imitates stone or wood.

Designed for the manufacture of furniture with rounded corners. Its base is plastic, made from paper and a plasticizer. This material perfectly retains the shape that the master gives it by heating.

Veneering

Furniture veneering is the process of gluing a sheet of natural wood onto a chipboard surface. This coating guarantees a high level of strength, visual appeal, resistance to minor mechanical damage.

The method of processing and the chosen coating for wood-based panels used in the manufacture of furniture play an important role in giving the finished product the most desirable qualities.

Rules for choosing finished furniture products

When choosing furniture, it is important to clarify not only the features of the coating, but also the source material from which the chipboard is made. This choice is based on the features of the upcoming operation and the installation site of the furniture structure. A living room set may not be highly resistant to temperature extremes or wear resistance, but kitchen or hallway furniture should be truly durable.

Beautiful, strong, durable furniture made of solid natural wood is very attractive, but such a set is expensive, not every consumer is able to purchase it. Veneered products will be a great alternative. Outwardly, they are not much different from natural wood and in terms of their performance are not inferior to the most durable wood.

The budget option is chipboard or chipboard, but these materials can also guarantee the owner a long-term use of furniture with careful attitude and proper operation. When choosing furniture, it is important to know what kind of wood was used in the manufacture of chipboard, the degree of their moisture resistance, the level of permissible load and the warranty period.

What is modular furniture? How is it different from the body? Which option is right for you? How not to make a mistake with the choice? We will answer these and other questions below. Now the phrase “modular furniture” is widely heard, but not everyone understands how it differs from classic cabinet furniture. In order to clarify the situation, first we will understand what cabinet furniture is in principle.

What is cabinet furniture

If we put aside upholstered furniture (everyone knows very well what it is), then furniture can be either cabinet or built-in. That is, cabinet furniture has back and side walls, it can be moved from place to place. Built-in furniture does not have such characteristics. Most often, it consists of shelves mounted in stationary niches of partitions. This design is most often complemented by various convenient devices: boxes, roof rails, hooks and others, which adapt to the needs of their owner. Thus, it cannot be moved entirely. Now let's deal with modular designs.


What is modular furniture

Strictly speaking, modular furniture is a kind of cabinet furniture. But if the second, often, is a kind of monolithic structure, then the first is more like a kind of constructor, the elements of which, designed in the same color and style, can be interchanged. Thus, one can literally trace the evolution of living room furniture: the Soviet standard walls, which occupied the lion's share of the room's space, were replaced by lighter and modern slide walls, and now progress has reached the point that this is not a wall at all, but a set of free items.

The standard housing was replaced by open-plan apartments and small studios, which began to dictate terms for furniture manufacturers. A modern person does not want to see anything typical in his home, he wants to emphasize his individuality and completely adjust the interior to suit his needs and interests. And modular furniture in this case is the best option.



Advantages of modular furniture

New and progressive is always better than proven, but outdated. Let's figure out why modular furniture is so good, and try to find flaws in it. Pros:

  • From the dozens of modules offered by the manufacturer, you can choose the ones that you need. For example, for a large home library, you can take any number of cabinets, and those who like to put everything on the shelves will need several cabinets with drawers.
  • All items will be perfectly combined with each other, forming a single style space. They can even stand on top of each other if necessary, but there is nothing to say about changing places - you can move them at least twice a day due to their lightness.
  • Different widths, heights and depths of the modules allow you to play with space, choosing the most optimal arrangement for yourself. The room will not seem cluttered, it will have more air.
  • For studio apartments, this option can be called the best at all: with a slight movement of the hand, the bedside table will turn into part of the hallway furniture, and the low TV stand will turn into a comfortable coffee table.

Modular furniture has disadvantages, but they do not concern design features at all:

  • Because modular furniture is not yet very common, the price for it may be slightly higher than for similar cabinet furniture. But here you need to take into account that for this money you get not one item, but several multifunctional ones.
  • The design of modular structures is often far from classical forms, so if you want to create an atmosphere of English aristocracy in your house, then it is better to opt for more traditional options.
  • Modular furniture requires more thought than buying a ready-made kit. But if you do not spare the time and effort for this, then the choice made will suit you completely and completely. Moreover, over time, modules can be ordered additionally.



What is modular furniture? How is it different from the body? Which option is right for you? How not to make a mistake with the choice? We will answer these and other questions below. Now the phrase “modular furniture” is widely heard, but not everyone understands how it differs from classic cabinet furniture. In order to clarify the situation, first we will understand what cabinet furniture is in principle.

What is cabinet furniture

If we put aside upholstered furniture (everyone knows very well what it is), then furniture can be either cabinet or built-in. That is, cabinet furniture has back and side walls, it can be moved from place to place. Built-in furniture does not have such characteristics. Most often, it consists of shelves mounted in stationary niches of partitions. This design is most often complemented by various convenient devices: boxes, roof rails, hooks and others, which adapt to the needs of their owner. Thus, it cannot be moved entirely. Now let's deal with modular designs.


What is modular furniture

Strictly speaking, modular furniture is a kind of cabinet furniture. But if the second, often, is a kind of monolithic structure, then the first is more like a kind of constructor, the elements of which, designed in the same color and style, can be interchanged. Thus, one can literally trace the evolution of living room furniture: the Soviet standard walls, which occupied the lion's share of the room's space, were replaced by lighter and modern slide walls, and now progress has reached the point that this is not a wall at all, but a set of free items.

The standard housing was replaced by open-plan apartments and small studios, which began to dictate terms for furniture manufacturers. A modern person does not want to see anything typical in his home, he wants to emphasize his individuality and completely adjust the interior to suit his needs and interests. And modular furniture in this case is the best option.



Advantages of modular furniture

New and progressive is always better than proven, but outdated. Let's figure out why modular furniture is so good, and try to find flaws in it. Pros:

  • From the dozens of modules offered by the manufacturer, you can choose the ones that you need. For example, for a large home library, you can take any number of cabinets, and those who like to put everything on the shelves will need several cabinets with drawers.
  • All items will be perfectly combined with each other, forming a single style space. They can even stand on top of each other if necessary, but there is nothing to say about changing places - you can move them at least twice a day due to their lightness.
  • Different widths, heights and depths of the modules allow you to play with space, choosing the most optimal arrangement for yourself. The room will not seem cluttered, it will have more air.
  • For studio apartments, this option can be called the best at all: with a slight movement of the hand, the bedside table will turn into part of the hallway furniture, and the low TV stand will turn into a comfortable coffee table.

Modular furniture has disadvantages, but they do not concern design features at all:

  • Because modular furniture is not yet very common, the price for it may be slightly higher than for similar cabinet furniture. But here you need to take into account that for this money you get not one item, but several multifunctional ones.
  • The design of modular structures is often far from classical forms, so if you want to create an atmosphere of English aristocracy in your house, then it is better to opt for more traditional options.
  • Modular furniture requires more thought than buying a ready-made kit. But if you do not spare the time and effort for this, then the choice made will suit you completely and completely. Moreover, over time, modules can be ordered additionally.



The huge social transformations that have taken place in our country have led to the fact that the information field has been disrupted, the ties between science and production have been broken. Organizations such as the Institute of Furniture (VPKTIM), the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Ministry of Forestry of the USSR (IPK), which are a kind of "forge of personnel", ceased to exist. GOSTs have been canceled, and the regulations replacing them have not yet been approved.

The design of any product begins with a study of the situation, customer requirements, production capabilities, existing technologies and the furniture materials and fittings used.

It is necessary to adhere to the principle - "the customer is always right", but, coming to us with his opinion, he must leave with ours. And that's right. On the one hand, the customer's fantasies are sometimes unbridled and unfounded, on the other hand, the customer does not always really understand what he needs, does not know the production capabilities, does not imagine the cost of development, etc. Therefore, the task of specialists is to convey the real situation to the customer. Find the best solution to meet mutual interests.

The most correct solution to this problem is the use of the Stanislavsky system - getting used to the image, in this case, to the situation.

The designer must act out the mise-en-scène in each situation. Imagine how a person behaves in a particular room, what life processes take place in it, what furniture products or their functions can provide these processes. After all, each situation (process) must be provided either by a piece of furniture, or by one of its functions. For example, to store clothes or any other items, you need storage (wardrobes, cabinets, chests of drawers, etc.), for work and eating, you need various horizontal planes (tables, folding boards, etc.).

Since the main object of design is cabinet furniture, we will talk about it.

The presented article is based on data from VNIITE (All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics), VKTIM (All-Russian Design and Technological Institute of Furniture), TsNIIEP Dwelling (Central Research Institute for Experimental Design of Dwellings) and many years of practical experience of the author as a furniture designer.

Definition of cabinet furniture

Cabinet furniture is a product, the body (internal volume) of which is formed by the articulation of vertical and horizontal surfaces. Surfaces can be flat (various plate materials) and embossed (frame-panel construction). Products may have different doors (facades) and back walls or not have them, then these products are called racks.

According to their design, cabinet furniture products are divided into free-standing and universal-prefabricated. Free-standing products are self-sufficient products that can exist separately in a room, or can be combined into various compositions, including the so-called "furniture walls" (Fig. 1).


a - free-standing furniture items;
b - products arranged in the form of a furniture wall.

The advantage of free-standing products is the possibility of rearrangement of compositions, as well as the possibility of moving furniture in the space of the room. The disadvantage is the increased consumption of materials due to the double side and horizontal walls. As a rule, free-standing pieces of cabinet furniture are used in large rooms, where each piece bears an independent functional and aesthetic load.

Universal prefabricated furniture (USM) is furniture assembled from separate elements - vertical and horizontal panel elements, which are assembled like a "barbecue" on an imaginary axis. Products can increase both horizontally and vertically ().



The advantage of universal-prefabricated furniture is in saving material due to the absence of connected walls of adjacent products.

The disadvantage is the complexity of assembling this furniture and the lack of the possibility of rearranging and moving furniture in the space of the room.

However, when organizing the production and retailing of spare elements of a certain model in a significant time range, the acquisition of the missing elements will allow the furniture to be re-arranged. For example, by purchasing an additional vertical wall, you can isolate a separate product from the existing layout ().



Products of free-standing furniture according to the design of the body are divided into non-separable (on spikes or on dowels with glue) and collapsible (for example, with various types of screeds), as well as products with vertical walk-through walls, horizontal walk-through walls or having a combined design ().



a - products with vertical walk-through supports;
b - products with vertical passage walls;
c - products with horizontal passage walls;
g - a product of a combined design with supporting vertical walls;
e - products of combined design.

In addition, products can have doors of various designs - solid (deaf), frame-paneled, with transparent and translucent (glass) panels, or have no doors at all.

According to their placement on the facade relative to the vertical or horizontal walls of the body, the doors are divided into inset, overhead and "semi-overlay" ().



a - overhead doors;
b - inset doors;
c - "semi-overhead" with vertical passage walls;
g - "semi-overhead" with horizontal passage walls;
e, e - options for "semi-overlay" doors.

Human anthropometric data

In order to competently design a piece of furniture, any designer (designer, constructor, programmer) must certainly know the functional dimensions of various furniture, based on human anthropometric data. In our country, these data are determined by standards (GOSTs) for the functional dimensions of various types of furniture.


Anthropometric data of different countries differ significantly from each other, which, of course, is reflected in the size of products.

If in the countries of Central and Central Europe the average height of a woman does not exceed 160 cm, then in North America, Great Britain and Scandinavia it approaches 170 cm. Hence, for example, there is a difference in the height of the horizontal working plane, which in the countries of Central and Southern Europe varies within 80-85 cm, and in England exceeds 90 cm.


It is also necessary to note the difference not only in the absolute dimensions of the human body, but also in the main proportions, in the numerical ratios of the dimensions of the head - torso - legs.

Within one country, there are also significant fluctuations in proportions, but the basic nature of the relationship remains. The most significant difference is in the proportions of the body of different human races, which even have a different character of variability of signs. Therefore, when creating comfort in a home, one should use the anthropometric data of each country. This and subsequent articles use data taken from the publications of VNIITE and VKTIM.

The space needed by a person in various positions of the body depends both on its size and on the size and shape of the surrounding equipment (Fig. -). Therefore, the design of products should always be based on the developer's knowledge of anthropometric data and the dimensions of objects and devices used by a person in everyday life.

Dimensions of equipment in the home

One of the main tasks arising from the trends in the development of modern housing is the creation of optimal conditions for work and leisure.

It is solved on two levels. The first is the establishment of a list of equipment that is necessary for organizing an objective environment in a dwelling that fully satisfies human needs; the second is to determine the optimal dimensions of this equipment and the amount of space for its efficient and convenient use in the room.



The study of the processes that have been carried out in the house since ancient times and those that have appeared in connection with the development of new forms of life and the creation of new technology - working with a computer, arranging home theaters, home sports, etc., helps to establish a list of things needed in a modern apartment.

The nature of the functional processes in the dwelling, the sequence of operations, the time spent, the efforts expended in the process of performing various works, determine the requirements that apply to the "man-equipment" system, which is formed in the process of performing a common action. The dimensions of products, the space required for using this equipment, are specified using ergonomics data based on the need to create maximum convenience during its operation and minimize the time and effort required for this.



The functional process combines a group of objects that, when interacting with a person, form functional areas, which in turn are the elements from which any dwelling is formed.

Cabinet furniture is the basis for the organization of functional areas inherent in every modern apartment:

  • entrance area - entrance hall;
  • recreation area - living room;
  • sanitation area - bathroom;
  • food storage and cooking area - kitchen;
  • eating area - dining room;
  • zone of mental work (study, reading, etc.) - an office;
  • sleep zone - bedroom;
  • zone of children's and teenage games and activities - children's room.

Moreover, the very presence of these zones in the vast majority of cases does not depend on the number of rooms in the apartment and their size. They necessarily exist in an overcrowded one-room apartment, and, even more so, in penthouses or cottages.

Each of these zones has characteristic features that present numerous specific requirements for their furnishing, which will be discussed in

Currently, cabinet furniture is becoming more and more in demand. At home, in the office, in cafes and restaurants - you can meet her everywhere. In this article, we will tell you about what cabinet furniture is and what its features are.

What is cabinet furniture?

As you know, all furniture is divided into cabinet and upholstered, and tables, chairs, mattresses and other items belong to additional categories. Upholstered furniture includes sofas, couches, armchairs, pouffes and the like. Cabinet furniture consists of several buildings with internal space for storing things. For example, cabinets in the kitchen.

To create such a piece of furniture, it is necessary to prepare separate blanks, and then combine them into modules, for example, shelves or bedside tables, and then assemble all these modules into a single and integral element. Thus, shelves are made for the kitchen, living room, nursery, bedrooms and various items for office space and living rooms are assembled.

These structures consist of such basic elements: side parts, rear walls, bottom, covers and doors. Each of them is pasted over with some kind of edge on the end side. This process is very important, since it is on this part of the element that the main load falls. Doors, on the other hand, are an ornament for cabinet furniture, so they are produced in various designs, using materials such as rattan, aluminum, glass, and plastic.

Cabinet furniture has become very popular due to the following: 1. There is a wide variety of models, colors and materials, 2. The materials from which it is made can be combined in a variety of ways. 3. It fits perfectly into any interior of a variety of rooms: bedroom, hallway, living room, office. 4. When made from chipboard and MDF, it has a very affordable cost.

Benefits of cabinet furniture

Cabinet furniture is also called modular, due to the fact that it consists of several elements. Another of its advantages is that the buyer can independently select each detail, which will modify the entire product as a whole.

In addition, after some time, the customer can change any element or change it. All components of cabinet furniture are created in such a way that they complement each other and harmoniously combine, but they can also be used separately.

Designs can consist of elements of a wide variety of sizes, styles and colors. Most often, body parts are made of chipboard. It is produced by pressing a mixture of sawdust and shavings with adhesive materials. After the press, the plate is sanded, enameled and sealed with melamine paper or laminated film.

Cabinet furniture also includes chests of drawers, coffee tables, cabinets, tables for computers. It allows you to optimally use the space of the room, looks unique, beautiful and sophisticated. In addition, cabinet furniture is much cheaper than furniture made from expensive wood species, but it lasts the same, and sometimes longer.