Introduction
Throughout history chess board sets have been found to be made from a variety of different materials such as Ivory, bone, stone, marble, precious metals and wood. The introduction of the industrial revolution brought with it the invention of plastic and later the rise of mass produced plastic chess board sets. From the remotest of times chess fans all over the world have found creative ways to make chess board sets utilising whatever materials they had access to with the most common materials being ivory, bone, precious metals and wood. Among the upper classes of society the preferred material of choice for chess board sets has always been precious metals, marble and even crystals like jade, onyx and amethyst. Above all since the creation of chess wood has been the most prominent material used for making chess board sets although due to the bio degradability of wood many of the ancient wooden chess boards have not been able to be preserved for the pleasure of our modern society.
The abundance of wood across the planet has made wood the preferred material when it comes to making chess board sets along with many other products we utilise every day. In addition to being readily available around the world wood has always been one of the most affordable and accessible materials anyone can utilise with one’s imagination being the only limit to what can be produced. Although wood has been the most desired material for making chess board sets throughout history the advancement of technology and the availability of materials in modern times that were historically inaccessible or harder to source has been the catalyst for chess board sets being produced from a range of different materials whilst still remaining an economically feasible task. Modern chess sets tend to incorporate a diverse set of materials and instead of wood the majority of chess sets today are being produced from materials such as plastic, resin and even crystal such as Citrine and Amethyst as was popular among the upper classes in the past.
What Type of Materials Are Official Chess Board Sets Made Out Of?
Official chess board sets are usually made from a mixture of both light and dark woods along with a combination of hard and softwoods. Official championship chess sets have to be wooden according to the regulations of FIDE making wood the material of choice for chess board sets at the professional level. Some of the most common types of wood for making chess board sets are: African Padauk, ebony, sheesham, acacia, rosewood, sandalwood, boxwood, walnut, sycamore, birch, mahogany, pine, ash and oak.
For a chess board set to be considered for use in a championship game the chess board set in question must be made from wood although in rare instances such as in the 2021 world championship games chess board sets that are produced from materials that are metallic based such as gold may be allowed. The most common types of woods used for making official chess board sets are sheesham, boxwood, ebony, sycamore, walnut and maple wood. Each chess board set usually consists of a combination of both light woods such as maple and boxwood and dark woods such as ebony and walnut to achieve the desired amount of contrast between the two types of woods and the two opposing sides. Most chess board sets because of this are also produced from both soft woods and hard woods and in many cases consist of many different types of woods. The designers of official chess board sets have to follow strict guidelines on how each chess board set will be produced to ensure that there is consistency and a sense of uniformity in the standard of chess board sets produced with the official stamp of approval.
Although most official chess board sets are made of both hard woods and soft woods most chess board set producers almost always prefer to use softer woods as they are much easier to work with and can be decorated to create the desired contrasting effect. For example a chess board set can be made by solely using lighter coloured woods such as boxwood and ebonising the wood to darken the appearance of the wood in the desired locations which would be on alternate squares creating an alternating pattern in the case of a chess board. Chess pieces in official chess board sets are fitted with lead to ensure that they have enough weight for the chess players comfort and lastly decorated with felt at their base to prevent any damage to the chess boards. Some of the most common types of wood that are also used to make official chess board sets are walnut, acacia, rosewood and sycamore however premium woods such as ebony, sandalwood and Agarwood are ideal when making high quality chess board sets as denser woods such as these can be carved in much more detail without compromising the overall structure of the wood which frequently happens with wood types that are less dense although much easier to work with.
What Materials Are Most Chess Board Sets Made From?
The majority of the chess board sets today are made of wood because of the many properties of wood that make it the ideal material. Unlike most of the materials that have been used to make chess board sets in the past wood is much easier to work with whilst still being one of the most durable materials. Chess board sets can fairly easily be carved and decorated from wood and polished which both highlights the detailing in the wood and creates a layer of protection from damage which is a feature that most materials lack.
Most chess board sets today are made from wood as wood has proven to be one of the best materials in terms of cost, durability and malleability which are all highly sought after qualities when making chess board sets along with a variety of products we all use every day. Wooden chess board sets are highly desired because of the intricate detailing in the design of most wooden chess board sets which is much harder to achieve using other materials. One of the key components of wood is its ability to be polished which creates both an aesthetically pleasing finish whilst also protecting the wood from minor damages such as surface scratches. In the past some of the most common materials that have been used to make chess board sets with include Ivory, bone, stone, marble and various metals. Whilst many of these materials have properties that would make them useful for making chess board sets wood stands out as being the most practical as it is both durable and malleable in addition to being one of the most inexpensive materials. Compared to many of the alternative materials mentioned that have been used to make chess board sets in the past wood is also one of the most accessible materials making it much easier to source.
Mass produced chess board sets tend to be made from lighter and softer woods such as boxwood and pinewood whereas limited edition chess board sets and chess board sets that are generally more expensive are usually made from harder woods such as sheesham wood and ebony. The next most common material used for making chess board sets is plastic which shares many of the characteristics of wood that make it desirable but which however lacks some qualities that limits it’s use in premium chess board sets. Plastic chess board sets like wooden chess board sets are coveted because of their durability, malleability and because they are fairly inexpensive compared to metal based chess board sets. For producers of chess board sets working with plastic is both easier than most other materials even wood in some cases and even easier to source and acquire. The main disadvantages of plastic chess board sets however when compared to wooden chess board sets is the fact that plastic chess sets tend to be more susceptible to excessive wears and tears and are generally less aesthetically appealing than their wooden counterparts. Some other materials that are also used frequently for making chess board sets are glass and resin which are mostly used in DIY projects.
What Is The Best Wood To Use To Make A Chess Set?
Some of the most coveted types of wood for making chess board sets are boxwood, rosewood, acacia, ebony, maple, sheesham, walnut, sandalwood, mahogany and sycamore. Each type of wood has its own unique qualities which differentiates it from other types of wood and can impact the overall outcome of the chess board set. Whilst softer woods such as boxwood can be easier to style harder woods such as sheesham or ebony can retain much more detail when decorating the chess board set.
Many of the highest quality chess board sets are made from hard woods but in many cases will have a mixture of both hard and soft woods. Some of the most common types of wood used for making chess sets are rosewood, acacia, ebony, maple, sheesham, walnut, sandalwood, mahogany, sycamore and boxwood. The majority of these woods are hard woods because of the many great benefits that comes with working with hard woods to create detailed finishes. Compared to softer woods hard woods are much better able to retain and highlight intricate details in the decorations of chess board sets. Using both types of woods allows the designers to have the best of both worlds by being able to both easily design the chess board sets but with the ability to add intricate patterns or insignia onto the chess board and or pieces. The choice of wood used to make a chess board set can impact the overall outcome of the chess board set as each type of wood differs from the next in terms of durability and aesthetics.
Choosing which type of wood to use to make a chess board set should be dependent on factors such as how detailed you want your chess board to be and how durable you want your chess board to be in order to identify the best possible match for the job. For the creation of chess board sets for major events such as the chess world championship games the woods of choice usually fall between or contain a mixture of: sheesham, rosewood, maple, boxwood and ebonised boxwood, walnut, ebony, redwood and sandalwood just to name a few. The range of wood types used to make championship chess board sets highlights just how many viable choices there are for deciding which type of wood would be best for your individual project. However for championship chess games much of the focus for the designers of the chess board sets is on producing the most accurate interpretation of the chess sets according to their design specifications and less on the actual materials they will be using. Overall the best type of wood for making chess board sets is dependent on the desired level of intricacy in design and how durable you would like your chess board to be as well as whether you would like your chess board to have any additional functionalities such as a folding mechanism for storage space.
What Are Some Other Materials That Have Been Used To Make Chess Sets?
Chess sets have been produced from a range of different materials throughout history from materials such as wood, Ivory, bone, sperm whale teeth and walrus teeth, stone, glass, crystals such as amethyst, marble and jade and numerous precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum. Currently the majority of the chess sets produced are made from either wood or plastic although chess sets made from alternative materials like marble, glass and resin are still popular.
The widespread popularity of chess around the world has been a major catalyst for much of the creativity which has been aimed at finding new ways and materials to make chess board sets with. Just as there can be difficulties when choosing the best type of wood to make a chess set with the same issues arise when choosing between different materials as there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each material. For instance a glass chess set whilst beautiful in appearance compared to a wooden or metallic based chess set will be significantly less durable and much more susceptible to breaks. Throughout history people have experimented with a variety of different materials to make chess boards with such as ivory, animal bones, sperm whale and walrus teeth, stone, glass, various types of crystals such as amethyst, jade and marble as well as precious metals like gold, silver and platinum. Whilst many of these materials will produce excellent chess board sets in terms of aesthetics for the purposes of preservation and availability some of these materials may not be ideal. Many of the antique chess board sets today are the result of the high industry demand for commodities made from materials like ivory, sperm whale and walrus teeth which have been used for making art and collectibles for centuries.
Much like animal bone, materials like ivory, sperm whale and walrus teeth warp and become disfigured over time which can impact the structure of what ever has been crafted whether it be a piece of art or a chess board set. For many antique chess board sets that are ivory based warping and disfigurement are considered good signs of authenticity and can be helpful when trying to identify a genuine antique. When making a chess board set looking retrospectively on the materials that have been used in the past can be insightful when determining the long term viability of a material which in the case of Ivory, animal bone, Sperm Whale and Walrus teeth have proven to be ineffective as they tend to deteriorate over time. Skilled artists have been able to make chess board sets out of stones and various crystals such as Marble, Jade, Amethyst, Citrine and Quartz which have been some of the most popular materials for making chess sets among the upper class since the 18th century and prior. Stones and crystals have been revered for their beauty throughout history and are excellent materials for making chess sets although chess board sets made from these materials tend to be much heavier when compared to others. Precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum have also been some of the most desired materials for making chess board sets especially for the nobility with the concept of having a precious metal based chess board set likely dating back to the very creation of chess.
Conclusion
Chess board sets can be made out of a range of different materials and skilled artists have been making chess sets from various materials for hundreds of years. Every material will differ in its strengths and weaknesses depending on the type of chess board set needed. For example a wooden or plastic chess board set is much more likely to have the added functionality of having a folding mechanism and a compartment for storage which makes wood and plastic chess sets ideal for travel. Chess sets that are made from materials such as stone, glass and crystals are less suitable for travel when compared to wooden and plastic chess sets as they are much heavier and are usually more fragile however they are excellent for home décor and have much more of a modern aesthetic compared to wooden and plastic chess sets.
The materials of choice for most chess sets is wood and plastic as these are the most popular and offer the most functionalities such as portability. Precious metal based chess sets have always been popular among the upper class and are also less common as they are usually both heavier and more expensive to acquire and produce although many chess set collectors and investors admire them for both their beauty and their potential to rise in value over the long term. Chess board sets are desired by both chess fans and non-chess fans as they are both essential for playing chess but also make excellent home décor furniture. Using different materials to make chess board sets with can be an excellent way to differentiate between a chess board set that’s made for travel, home décor, work or an investment.
