People who wanted to save money would build their own furniture out of wood they had at home or purchased inexpensively from local lumber yards. Oak was commonly used because it is strong and durable and can be finished to look like other woods such as mahogany, cherry and walnut.
Oak cabinets were also made by cabinet shops that specialized in building custom pieces for their customers. These shops mainly produced high-quality furniture for the wealthy because the cost of materials and labor was very high.
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