What kind of wood is commonly used for traditional Chinese medicine cabinets?
Main types of wood used in traditional Chinese medicine cabinets on the market
1. Cinnamon wood (preferred for pest prevention)
Advantages: Comes with a natural camphor oil scent, naturally repels insects, prevents mold and dampness, does not require additional insect repellents and will not get infested, does not contaminate the Chinese medicinal materials; The wood is moderately soft and hard, and is not prone to deformation.
Disadvantages: Pure cinnamon wood is costly, the price of the entire cabinet is high. Many manufacturers will use cinnamon wood for drawers and combine it with other solid woods for the cabinet body.
Suitable for: Southern humid and rainy areas, and traditional Chinese medicine clinics storing precious medicinal materials. It is preferred for those with high requirements for pest prevention.
2. Pine wood (highly cost-effective popular model)
Advantages: Affordable price, lightweight and easy to process, soft wood grain, stable after drying treatment.
Disadvantages: Pine wood itself has no insect repellent effect, low density, prone to moisture absorption and slight deformation in a humid environment, requires regular moisture-proof maintenance.
Suitable for: Small clinics, budget-limited stores. More suitable for dry northern regions.
3. Multi-layer wood / ecological board (engineering batch model)
Advantages: Pressed at high temperature, resistant to cracking and deformation, superior moisture-proof performance to raw pine wood, moderate price, suitable for large-scale purchases by traditional Chinese medicine hospitals and chain clinics.
Disadvantages: The board has no natural pest prevention effect. The inner part of the drawers usually has an added cedar wood lining to assist in pest prevention; The surface is veneered, and it is prone to peeling when bumped.
4. Elm wood / Oak wood (high-end antique model)
Advantages: High density and hardness, wear-resistant and sturdy, with a plain and beautiful texture, strong load-bearing capacity, unlikely to be damaged for decades, with full durability.
Disadvantages: It does not have pest prevention effect itself, expensive, heavy self-weight, mostly used for high-end traditional Chinese medicine clinics and Chinese-style traditional medicine exhibition halls.
5. Elm wood (rare drawer lining)
Light and soft texture, does not absorb moisture and does not return to moisture, mostly used as the inner lining of the medicine cabinet drawers. Combined with the outer cabinet pine wood / elm wood, it assists in moisture-proofing. It cannot be used as a complete cabinet on its own.
