When choosing your office file cabinet you will discover the materials used most often in its manufacturing will be metal or wood.
You may also find some that are made from more than one of these materials or in other words the materials may be combined into one product.
Now as to which is best may be just your personal choice or the one to best fit your situation.
However there are many instances where the decision may be more influenced by specific requirements such as use, strength needed, safety or expected life.
If you need to go for durability or life expectancy metal will probably be the first choice.
There are probably more made from metal than all other materials combined and it continues to be the most widely selected by consumers.
Metal has always been the most dependable as to durability and cabinet strength.
According to most comments from prospective purchasers the main drawback to metal seems to be the lack of choices when it comes to color and styling.
However when the final purchase decision is made it seems that metal wins out most of the time.
However, this does not mean you should completely overlook cabinets manufactured from other material.
If you are more interested in style and the luxury look your best choice will usually be wood.
It will allow you to move away from furnishings that appear plain and cold when you use all metal.
Wood cabinets come in many styles and their finish will vary from dark to light but most all will have that desired luxury look.
Wooden cabinets are more often available as a custom design if you are of the creative set.
If you have a creative mind your options with wood are unlimited but may get a bit pricey.
If you are one of those wanting to decorate for appearance as much as possible then wood will surely be your best choice.
When decorating with office appearance in mind you have an opportunity to deliver many kinds of messages to your customers and visitors.
When using wood file cabinets for your decorating scheme it is easier to communicate that luxury or refined confidence look the moment someone sees your office.
Many successful businesses feel their office is the driving force in setting the right mood or atmosphere when slanted to their type of product or service.
And you should never forget the employees that immersed into the decor for a full work shift on a day to day basis.
Employee efficiency is worth a lot.
Wood may be your best choice and you should remember that it does not have to present disadvantages that are hard to overcome.
The may not come standard with all the preferred features but can be customized in most cases to perform the same as their metal counterparts.
For some features such locks the design may have to be different, metal may have one lock for all drawers where wood will usually have individual locks for each drawer.
Still workable but a little less convenient and also a plus in cases for security.
Life expectancy may become an issue with your wood file cabinets but it will be mainly from looks.
Wood seems to be a little more susceptible to showing its longevity due to stains, scratches and even light exposure.
You can eliminate or extend some of this though by going for a laminated surface or some other type finish.
Sooner or later you will be faced with budget matters and that can be an issue with wooden units.
When manufactured from solid wood it is obvious the cabinet will be quite expensive and exhibit much luxury.
You can however eliminate some of the cost concerns if you choose veneer or some other type of man made wood.
If you are careful in choosing the cheaper units it is easy to still maintain the luxury look on a much smaller budget.
You should try to stay away from poorly constructed units and those that require assembly.
For the overall best in luxury and elegance a wood file cabinet definitely has the advantage and may be your better choice.
However it is not recommended to always give up convenience or needs for looks.