As you begin to explore furniture stores on your quest to find new furniture for various bedrooms in the house, you'll notice that there are extreme variations in price, even between beds that appear to be similar and of comparable quality. What makes the difference in the price, and what are the least expensive bed materials that you can purchase?
If you are looking at discounted bedroom furniture, you're going to find a mix of prices on different materials. However, with standard store pricing, cherry bedroom furniture is probably going to be the highest cost material you'll find. The wood itself is not as common as cedar or oak, and it is more difficult to manufacture. Mahogany is also a higher-end material. Both cedar and oak can be found for reasonable prices. This inexpensive bedroom furniture is especially nice because it can be stained to appear similar in color to more expensive woods, so you can achieve the same design factors for a smaller price.
Less expensive than these wood beds are some types of metal beds. For example, brass beds will cost about the same as a typical cedar or oak bed. A brass bed will last a long time and be quite sturdy, though it requires a little more care than wood and will need to be polished every once in awhile and frequently rubbed down for fingerprints to maintain shine. Wrought iron beds are inexpensive as well, and when you are purchasing master bedroom furniture, you'll find that this is a popular option on the market with a lot of styles to choose from. A wood and iron bed can run you about the same price as well, giving you another decorating opportunity altogether.
One of the most inexpensive materials you'll find is MDF - medium density fiberboard. Though constructed in the same manner as the flimsy particle board that is found in the drawer bottoms of so many cheap dressers, this material is thicker and stronger and, due to the resin, is even heavier than wood. Many casual sets will include at least some MDF to save on the cost of manufacturing, making the end product cheaper and more appealing to consumers.
Of all the various materials that bedding is made out of, aluminum is probably the least expensive. While it is durable, it doesn't tend to last as long as other materials, rusting, becoming tarnished, or flaking (especially if painted). This material is commonly used in kids' bedroom sets because they are replaced more frequently and therefore don't need to hold up as long. Also, since Mom and Dad have to spend money to replace their boy's or girl's bedroom furniture a couple of times, they want to save on the cost, and aluminum is the least expensive way to go.
So, from the top down, you have hardwood items, like cherry wood, with oak and cedar just under that cost. Then, you'll find brass and wrought iron, or a mixture of wrought iron with wood to be the next step down in price. MDF will save you a lot of money, but the least expensive bed material is probably aluminum.
