Materials and Construction

People often ask whether our furniture is solid wood. The honest answer is that we use different materials for different parts, each chosen for what that part has to do. This page sets out exactly what goes where.

Bodies and plain doors: natural wood

The bodies of our wardrobes, beds, commodes, dressers and storage units, and every plain (flat) door, are made from natural wood. This is the structure that carries the load, holds the hinges and runners, and has to stay square for years.

The surface: natural oak or walnut veneer

The visible faces are covered in natural wood veneer: thin slices of real oak or real walnut. Veneer gives you the grain, colour and feel of these woods across large surfaces such as wardrobe doors and headboards, where a single piece of solid oak or walnut would be very expensive and more likely to move with Egypt's changing humidity. We offer two veneers, oak and walnut, and we don't offer other species.

Because veneer is a natural material, no two sheets are identical. Expect gentle variation in grain and tone between doors; that is a sign of real wood, not a defect.

Grooved and decorative doors: MDF, and why

Some designs have doors with grooves, routed lines, panels or other decorative work. Those doors are made from MDF (medium-density fibreboard). We do this deliberately:

• A smooth lacquer finish. When natural wood is routed, the cut exposes end grain and open pores that soak up lacquer unevenly and can show through the paint. MDF has a uniform, fine core, so a routed groove takes lacquer as evenly as a flat face.
• Clean, crisp detail. MDF machines without splintering, so grooves and profiles stay sharp.
• Stability. MDF doesn't have grain that swells across its width, so a decorated door stays flat.

So if you choose a design with plain doors, the doors are natural wood with oak or walnut veneer; if you choose grooved or decorated doors, those doors are MDF finished in lacquer. Your quotation names the materials for your order, and you can ask the team about any part. For a fuller comparison, read our guide to natural wood vs MDF vs beech.

Finish: lacquer

Every piece is finished in lacquer. A lacquer film seals the surface, evens out the colour and is easy to wipe clean in daily use. It is sprayed, so it covers edges and grooves as well as flat faces. Our guide to choosing a wood finish compares lacquer with oil and polyurethane.

Made to measure

Many designs come in set sizes, and any size can be made to measure; custom sizes or finishes are quoted separately. To order, send your dimensions with the product link and your location; the team sends a quotation, then a site measurement visit (EGP 2,000) confirms the final measurements before production. Production typically takes about 25 days for individual pieces, about 30 days for storage units and about 45 days for a complete room.

Warranty

The furniture comes with a 5-year warranty. Natural wood still reacts to its surroundings, so keep pieces away from direct sun, standing water and air-conditioning outlets; our guide to protecting wooden furniture from humidity covers simple care.

See and touch the materials

You can see the oak and walnut veneers, the lacquer finish and both door types at our showroom in 6th of October (visits by appointment), or browse the bedroom sets and wardrobes online.

Questions about materials

Is Khashab furniture solid wood?

The bodies and plain doors are natural wood, covered in natural oak or walnut veneer. Doors with grooves or decorative work are MDF so the lacquer finish stays smooth.

Is veneer real wood?

Yes. Veneer is a thin slice cut from a real oak or walnut log and bonded to the panel, so the grain you see and touch is natural wood.

Why not make grooved doors from natural wood too?

Routing natural wood opens its pores and end grain, so lacquer goes on unevenly in the grooves. MDF takes lacquer evenly, which gives decorated doors a smooth, consistent finish.

Which veneers can I choose?

Oak and walnut.