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What are the Different Types of Pine Furniture?

By Erin J. Hill
Updated May 17, 2024
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Pine is a soft wood that has long been sought for use in making home furnishings due to its characteristic style and naturally occurring fragrances. There are various types of pine furniture available for purchase, with each variety having to do with the way in which the pine wood is treated and crafted.

Much of the pine furniture used indoors is untreated and left in its natural rustic state. Pine’s definitive knots and markings give it character and add a unique quality to any room. It is especially attractive when used to make dressers, storage trunks, chests, and beds. Although pine furniture looks attractive, untreated pine is not recommended for homes with very small children who may handle furniture roughly. This is because pine is a soft wood, making it more prone to cracks and dents than oak or cherry woods.

Thanks to various wood treatments and finishes, it is possible to make pine furniture for outdoor use. Lawn chairs, tables, and benches used on patios and decks can all be crafted from solid pine. It is important to choose outdoor pine furniture that has been treated and sealed to prevent excessive warp age and cracking in direct sunlight and harsh weather conditions.

There are few key things to look for when purchasing pine. First, check out the craftsmanship of the piece. It is natural for pine to have a few knots and rough spots, but anything further than that may mean that the item is not built as sturdily as should have been. If the piece has been finished or varnished, it is also wise to check the coating to be sure there are not uneven areas where the finish is noticeably thicker.

Pine furniture is best used in homes with low humidity and no small children. Treated pine will hold up better in a house with kids around, but it would still be wise to keep the pine furnishings out of the children’s bedrooms. Pine is also prone to shrinking, especially in wet climates. For this reason, only heavily treated pine furniture should be used in these locations.

Take special care to avoid spills or placing moist items on any pine furnishings. This will not only prevent warping of the wood, but also rings and stains that may be formed on the finish. Lastly, take care to use cleaning products made specifically for the treatment of real wood.

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Discussion Comments

By Saraq90 — On Oct 02, 2011

I love the look of pine furniture, although I prefer a more modern look in my house, so I don't decorate with it. I tend to go for darker woods, like dark cherry or other dark woods instead of lighter ones. I like my furniture to be dark and my pictures and other decorations to be light, but that is just a personal preference.

The pattern and texture of pine wood is very unique, which is wonderful. Pine furniture really does brighten up a room! I just would rather brighten up a room with bright curtains and paintings instead.

The smell of pine is very nice, but I do not think I would want to smell that smell all the time. It is like the smell of like cookies and/or pie, I love the smell, but I would not want my home to smell like cookies and pie all the time. My nose and head are very sensitive, so if I smell anything really strong for an extended amount of time, no matter how great the smell is, I will get a headache.

By manykitties2 — On Oct 02, 2011

@letshearit - I think any pine furniture is a fairly safe bet because in my opinion, it is already one of the higher quality, yet more affordable woods. I think that if you visit the store and like what you see, there is no reason to worry about it not holding up the way a really pricey piece would.

Usually the big difference comes down to the craftsmanship that went into the piece. There is nothing wrong with getting pine furniture that is made for big pine furniture stores, instead of for a small boutique.

As far as care goes, you will need to wax your pine furniture, so it is a bit more work than fake wood.

By letshearit — On Oct 01, 2011

There are some discount pine furniture stores in my town and I have been wondering if the cheaper pine pieces are actually going to hold up the way more expensive pine pieces would? Also, do you think that pine furniture requires more care than prefabricated wood does?

I have seen pine dining furniture that is really lovely and have been considering buying a five-piece set that includes the chairs and main table. For a little extra I could even have the pine china cabinet thrown in. This seems like a fantastic deal to me, so I guess I am worried if it is too good to be true or not.

By SZapper — On Oct 01, 2011

@starrynight - At least pine furniture is kind of unique looking. I feel like every house I go to looks the same these days-everything is from IKEA! I really admire anyone that has the courage to decorate their house in a unique way and kind of separate themselves from the herd.

Plus, pine smells awesome.

By starrynight — On Sep 30, 2011

I really like pine furniture for use outdoors. It looks very nice on a back deck or porch, I think.

However, I have to say, I hate when people use pine furniture inside of the house. I think it just look too rustic to be used indoors. I mean, I guess if that's the look you're going for I shouldn't judge. But it's definitely not very modern.

By sunshined — On Sep 29, 2011

I have some pieces of outdoor solid pine furniture that I just love. This includes two adirondack chairs and a pine swing.

I choose pine wood because it was cheaper than some of the teak and cedar furniture I was looking at, and I know it will hold up well through the years.

All of my outdoor pine furniture is made with treated wood, and this will also be resistant to insects and rot.

I also just love the rustic look of pine and find this furniture has been easy to maintain and keep looking nice year after year.

By LisaLou — On Sep 29, 2011

I live in a log home and have quite a bit of pine wood in my home - both in the logs and the furniture.

I ordered a pine bedroom furniture set when we moved because it goes so nicely with the rustic look of the house. I can't picture a contemporary bedroom set looking nearly as nice in a bedroom with logs.

This is the type of look I feel most comfortable with and love all the different knots and markings that add a lot of character.

By summing — On Sep 28, 2011

My dad is an amateur furniture maker and he says that pine is one of the harder woods to work with. This is the case because it is soft and delicate compared to other hard woods. It shows wear and tear faster and the craftsman has to avoid all mistakes when they are building it.

Despite this, my father loves to work with pine. He says that the combination of the color, odor and texture make it one of the most satisfying woods to work with. I'm inclined to believe him. I have several pine pieces that he made in my home and they are gorgeous. I get compliments on them all the time.

By ZsaZsa56 — On Sep 28, 2011

My family once stayed in a cabin that was completely pine. Seriously, walls, ceiling and all the furniture was made of pine. On top of this it was located in a pine forest.

The cabin was beautiful and many of the furnishing were incredibly well crafted, but honestly the smell really go on my nerves after a while. Its not that it was a bad smell, its just that it was everywhere. I wish they would have had another fragrant wood around like cedar or maple to help offset some of the overpowering pine smell.

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