Citizen Yu Li was recently very upset after purchasing a set of "Xianghe bedroom furniture" for 7,000 yuan. At first, she thought it was a great deal, but after consulting with a woodworker, she discovered that the furniture was actually made from rubber wood, not oak.
Did you really buy oak or rubber wood for just 7,000 yuan?
In a building materials and furniture market in Ganjingzi District, Yu Li bought what she believed to be "cheap oak furniture." The seller claimed it was real oak, with high-quality materials and an unbeatable price. "It only cost 7,000 yuan," she said. With her basic knowledge of furniture materials, she felt it was a good deal. However, when she asked to see the product manual and material certificate, the store refused. Despite this, she went ahead and purchased the set, mainly due to the low price.
But soon, the furniture raised many questions. A carpenter who came to her home pointed out that the craftsmanship was poor and the texture looked off. He suggested it might not be oak at all, but rather rubber wood. Yu Li invited several other carpenters to check it out, and they all agreed. One said, "If this was truly made of oak, it should be priced at least 15,000 yuan. 7,000 is way too cheap." She tried to return it, but the seller insisted that it was genuine oak.
Recently, the reporter visited the same furniture booth and found that the same furniture was still being sold. "We are selling oak furniture," the staff said. When the reporter questioned whether it looked more like rubber wood, the staff remained unshaken, claiming that "rubber wood and oak are essentially the same type of wood, just called differently." They even added that although the names differ, the price difference is significant.
But is there really no difference between oak and rubber wood? Sun, a manager at a large home plaza in Xigang District, clarified that they are completely different. "Oak is usually white or red oak, mainly from North America and Russia," he explained. "Rubber wood, on the other hand, comes from tropical regions like Thailand." He also noted that their textures and prices are quite different. "Rubber wood costs around 4,000 yuan per cubic meter, while oak can go up to 8,000 to 10,000 yuan."
Despite the name difference, the price gap is more than double.
During the investigation, the reporter found that many furniture stores in the city often mix up the two types of wood. For example, a seller near Wuyi Road labeled their products as "Thai Oak," claiming they were from Thailand. When the reporter pointed out that Thailand doesn’t produce oak at all, the salesperson admitted it was actually rubber wood. But they still insisted, "Oak and rubber wood are basically the same."
According to the industry and commerce department, after some coordination, the merchant returned the goods and compensated Yu Li with 1,000 yuan. Meanwhile, the city’s quality supervision department mentioned that there are currently no official standards to distinguish between oak and rubber wood.
Manager Sun also gave some tips for consumers. He said that the most reliable way to tell the difference is by price. "If the furniture is too cheap, you should be cautious." He also emphasized that the idea that "oak is hard and rubber wood is soft" is a misunderstanding. "The density of both woods is quite similar—rubber wood is about 0.72, while oak is around 0.78. The difference isn’t that big."
So, next time you see a deal that seems too good to be true, remember: sometimes, the cheapest option may not be what it claims to be.
Air Compressor Fan Blades,Aluminum Fan Impeller,Aluminum Axial Fan Impeller,Aluminum Fan Wheels For Sprayer
Changzhou Keyleader Fan Technology Co. Ltd. , https://www.keyleaderfan.com