Solid wood means that all exposed parts of the furniture are made of solid board, either softwood or hardwood lumber. No particle board is used. Solid woods can be repaired, sanded, or refinished. The majority of unfinished furniture is made of solid wood. Wood has many advantages over particle board and chip board, which are predominant in the finished furniture industry.
Wood expands and contracts depending on the humidity in the air.
When constructed well, the natural expansion or contraction will cause no change in the item s structural integrity. Finished furniture is typically a mix of real wood and particle board. As particle board does not expand and contract, but the wood does, the joints will eventually break from each other. When a piece is unfinished, you can see what you are getting. With finished furniture, you would not know until your new item began to fall apart.