How you can tell good joinery
Good joinery shows in gaps, pattern and silence. Gaps between fronts are even, 2–3 mm across the whole piece, with no misalignment as doors close. The veneer pattern continues across neighbouring fronts: the grain runs through a row of doors and drawers as one line. Fronts close without a slam, drawers glide smoothly and nothing rattles.
Look also at what is normally hidden: edges, interior surfaces, backs, borders. In expensive work the inside has the same material and the same care as the outside. If you open a wardrobe and see rough melamine board and uneven cuts behind a veneer front, the money went into the front, not the piece. The check takes ten minutes and is worth every year after.
Veneer or solid wood for bespoke furniture
For large fronts, wardrobes and walls, veneer on a stable core (plywood, high-density MDF) is better; solid wood suits frames, legs, small tops and parts that must be sanded. Solid wood over a large area moves with humidity and opens gaps, and in Barcelona the difference between summer and winter humidity is noticeable.
Veneer is not all the same. In expensive pieces veneer is chosen from one log in consecutive leaves (sequence matched) and the pattern carries across fronts. Cheap veneer is taken at random and the fronts come out in different tones. Ask the workshop to show the matching on a sample, not on a catalogue. Good work in veneer looks like solid wood and lasts longer.
How to check the quality of lacquer on fronts
Stand the front in raking light and look along the surface. Good lacquer is even, with no orange peel, bubbles, fuzz or dust. Run a finger along the edge: the edge must not be sharp and must be covered with lacquer, or wear will start there. Check the sheen: it must be the same on every front, and a matte lacquer must show no streaks.
Ask what layers make up the finish: primer, sanding between coats, two or three finish coats. Professional workshops use polyurethane and polyester lacquers, with tinting and polishing for gloss. For touched surfaces and greasy fingers (kitchen, entrance units) a matte finish with fingerprint protection is chosen. For oil, ask how it is renewed.
What hardware counts as premium
Premium hardware works quietly, lasts and allows adjustment. Soft-close hinges with three-way adjustment, full-extension drawer systems with soft closing, lift mechanisms for wall units. Known manufacturers include Blum, Hettich, Grass and Salice, and the choice among them is usually the workshop's habit rather than a quality gap.
More important than the brand is the application. Heavy fronts (veneer on a solid frame, 2.4 m doors) need reinforced hinges and more of them. Deep crockery drawers need reinforcement and metal sides. Ask the workshop which hardware they fit by default, what load is declared and whether adjustment is possible without dismantling.
Edges, borders and backs
The edge shows the class of work. In good joinery the edge is in the same veneer or solid wood, matched to the pattern, and the joint is invisible at corners. A thin plastic edge (ABS) is acceptable inside but not on visible edges of expensive fronts. Backs are made thicker and fixed securely: 8–19 mm instead of 3 mm hardboard, because they hold the geometry of the carcass.
Check the small things too: a plinth adjustable in height so the carcass stands level on the uneven floors of the Eixample; cable passage and ventilation in the right places; junctions with wall and ceiling closed with a shadow gap or a recess. If built-in furniture runs to the ceiling, fitting to wall and ceiling is done on site, compensating for out-of-plumb walls, and it is the craftsman's work in the home, not factory assembly.
What a fabrication drawing must contain
The fabrication drawing is the quality contract. It must contain dimensioned plans, elevations and sections; materials and thicknesses; veneer type and pattern matching; finish with lacquer name and sheen level; hardware with models; profiles, plinths and junctions with wall, floor and ceiling; positions of sockets, lighting and ventilation; appliance dimensions with data sheets. The signed drawing is approved by the client and later changes are made in writing.
Before fabrication, ask for a 30×30 cm finish sample or a fragment of a front and approve it in the light where the furniture will stand. Ask about fabrication and installation times: a good workshop states them in advance and they are measured in weeks. Wood moisture at fabrication must be close to that of your flat, or the furniture will move after installation.
How BCN YARD can help with joinery
We connect the workshop, the designer and the site: the drawing is coordinated with electrics, ventilation and wall finishing, the sample is approved before fabrication and installation is under our control. One person responsible for the project handles everything in Russian and Spanish. Send plans or photos and we will reply within an hour.
Frequently asked questions
How many coats of lacquer should a front have?
In expensive work there is usually primer, sanding and two or three finish coats with intermediate sanding, plus polishing for gloss. The number of coats says nothing without the quality of preparation, so judge the result under raking light and ask the workshop for the cycle in writing.
Can furniture be ordered before the walls are finished?
It is best to wait for final measurements, taken after plaster and screed. If time is tight, the workshop is engaged with preliminary dimensions and tolerances for adjustment are allowed. Final measurements are taken after finished walls and floor, and fronts are cut from them.
How to care for veneered furniture?
Wipe with a soft damp cloth and dry at once, avoid abrasives and harsh chemicals, and use mats under hot items. Direct sun fades veneer, especially walnut, so windows beside furniture get curtains. Scratches and wear are repaired locally by the workshop if the lacquer allows.