Ashley Furniture is one of the largest furniture manufacturers and retailers in the world. With hundreds of styles across living room, bedroom, dining room, and office furniture, Ashley uses a variety of different materials in their products. The most common materials used by Ashley Furniture include wood, metal, fabric, leather, and glass.
Wood
The majority of Ashley Furniture products contain some amount of wood. Ashley uses solid wood, wood veneers, engineered wood, and wood composites in their furniture.
Solid Wood
Solid wood refers to lumber that is milled from a single piece of wood. Ashley Furniture uses solid wood in some of their higher-end collections. Types of solid wood used by Ashley include oak, maple, cherry, mahogany, walnut, and pine. Solid wood is valued for its natural beauty, strength, and longevity.
Wood Veneers
Wood veneers are thin sheets of natural wood glued onto core panels like particleboard or MDF. Ashley Furniture commonly uses wood veneers on the visible surfaces of their furniture. Popular veneers used by Ashley are oak, maple, walnut, cherry, and mahogany. Veneers provide an attractive wood grain pattern at a lower cost compared to solid wood.
Engineered Wood
Engineered woods like plywood, particleboard, and medium density fiberboard (MDF) are manufactured by combining wood fibers, veneers, glues, and resins. Ashley Furniture constructs many of their furniture frames and components out of engineered woods before applying veneers or laminates to the surface. Engineered woods are more affordable and stable than solid wood.
Wood Composites
Wood composites are a category of engineered wood that mix wood fibers with plastics or resins. Common wood composites used by Ashley Furniture include laminates, wood polymer composite (WPC), and hardwood plywood. These composite woods offer greater durability and customization of colors and textures.
Metal
After wood, metal is the second most used material by Ashley Furniture. Metal provides strength, durability, and an industrial modern aesthetic. Ashley Furniture incorporates metal components into both furniture frames and decorative accents.
Steel
Steel is commonly used in the internal frames, bases, and legs of Ashley Furniture products. Steel braces, brackets, and support bars reinforce the strength and stability of furniture like tables, beds, and storage units. Cold rolled steel and tubular steel are common forms used by manufacturers.
Iron
Wrought iron and cast iron add weight and traditional styling to Ashley Furniture collections. Iron is found in decorative legs, feet, pedestals, base frames, and ornamental accents across living, dining, and bedroom collections. Black is the most popular color for iron furniture components.
Aluminum
Lightweight aluminum is used for furniture legs, bases, and trim accents in Ashley’s contemporary and modern designs. Brushed, matte, or polished aluminum finishes lend an upscale, sleek look to living room tables, platforms beds, and more. Rust-resistant aluminum is suitable for outdoor furniture as well.
Other Metals
Some other metal materials occasionally used by Ashley Furniture include wrought iron, bronze, brass, chrome, and stainless steel for decorative accents and trim. Metal wire mesh, rods, and baskets are also incorporated into select furniture pieces.
Fabric
Ashley Furniture outfits many of their sofas, sectionals, chairs, ottomans, headboards, and beds with high-quality upholstery fabrics. Fabric selection impacts the look, feel, and durability of furniture.
Microfibers
Microfiber is a popular upholstery fabric at Ashley Furniture. Made from extremely fine synthetic fibers, microfiber has a suede-like feel and is easy to clean. Ashley Furniture uses microfiber on living room furniture and headboards in both solid colors and printed patterns.
Polyester
Polyester and microfiber (a type of polyester) fabrics dominate many Ashley collections thanks to their affordable price point, durability, and stain resistance. Easy care polyester microfiber and woven polyester hold up well under daily family use.
Cotton & Linen
Some of Ashley’s higher-end furnishings feature upholstery-grade cotton, cotton blends, and linen. Lightweight linen and breathable cotton provide a refined drape and cooler feel well-suited for formal living rooms and master bedrooms.
Leather & Faux Leather
Genuine leather and faux leather are used across Ashley’s range of power reclining sofas, recliners, sectionals, chairs, headboards, and ottomans. Full grain leather provides a sophisticated feel, while faux leather offers a budget-friendly alternative.
Other Fabrics
Additional fabrics found on select Ashley collections include chenille, wool, acrylic, nylon blends, velvet, and tweed fabrics. Different textures and fabric weights create tailored looks for formal dining rooms, cozy home offices, and eclectic family rooms.
Leather
Alongside its wide range of upholstery fabrics, Ashley Furniture also uses genuine and faux leather across many designs. Leather options include:
Genuine Leather
Top grain leather and full grain leather from cow or pig hides are considered the highest quality. Aniline and semi-aniline treatment processes enhance natural markings and grains. Ashley Furniture reserves genuine leather for their most upscale collections.
Faux Leather
Also called leatherette or bonded leather, faux leather is made of polyurethane, vinyl or fabric backed to look like real leather. Ashley Furniture uses faux leathers across middle and lower price points for chairs, sofas, headboards and ottomans.
Bi-Cast Leather
Bi-cast leather consists of a vinyl or polyurethane face with a thin layer of genuine leather added to the surface. Ashley Furniture uses bi-cast leathers to offer a real leather look at a more affordable cost.
Split Leather
Split leather is made from the underside of animal hides with an embossed pattern added to the surface. While less durable than top grain, split leather provides a leather look at lower price points.
Glass
Glass tops, shelves, accents, and components add elegance and transparency to select Ashley Furniture collections across the living room, bedroom, dining room, and office.
Tempered Glass
Ashley Furniture commonly uses tempered glass for table tops, desk surfaces, shelves, and see-through cabinet doors. Tempering strengthens the glass and prevents shattering. Clear tempered glass blends well in both modern and traditional rooms.
Beveled Glass
Beveled glass has an angled cut around the edges that refracts light to create a distinctive shine. Beveled glass appears on mirrors, shelves, table tops and accent pieces within Ashley’s upscale furnishings.
Etched Glass
Etched glass goes through an acid treatment to create a frosted look with subtle translucent patterns. Ashley Furniture incorporates etched glass for privacy on cabinet doors and room dividers, as well as decorative shelves and table inlays.
Stained Glass
While less common, some high-end Ashley Furniture collections include stained glass inserts, inlays, and accents. Multicolored stained glass provides vibrant optical effects within doors, tables, and display cabinets.
Other Materials
Some additional materials used selectively by Ashley Furniture for accents include:
– Marble, granite, and engineered stone for table tops and decorative inlays
– Ceramic and porcelain for decorative accents like vases and tableware
– Mirrors on furniture like dressers, sideboards, headboards, and accent tables
– Faux crystal chandeliers, sconces, and table lamps for lighting
– Resin, acrylic, and polyresin accents for decorative vases, sculpture and accessories
So in summary, Ashley Furniture manufactures products using a wide range of materials from wood, metal, fabric, and leather to glass, stone, ceramic, mirror and crystal components. By blending natural and engineered materials, they are able to achieve looks ranging from traditional to contemporary across every room in the home. Ashley’s broad selection of furniture across styles, prices and materials has helped make them one of the most successful furniture retailers worldwide.
Conclusion
Ashley Furniture utilizes a diverse mix of materials including wood, metal, fabric, leather, and glass to construct their wide catalog of furniture. The type of materials used varies based on the product price point and style. Solid woods like oak and maple are reserved for high-end collections, while engineered woods and faux leathers enable lower pricing for budget-conscious shoppers. This range of materials coupled with their extensive selection of styles allows Ashley Furniture to offer well-made furniture across the spectrum from modern looks with metal and glass to classic traditional rooms anchored by hardwood. The use of these materials across living, dining, bedroom and office furniture has helped Ashley become one of the leading furniture manufacturers and retailers across the world.