My Thomasville bedroom set is made up of particle board

Veneers have been used on furniture for 200 years. A veneer is actually a thin layer of wood, they use it to make a pattern on the front or top of the piece. What you saw is not particle board its actually the raw oak wood beneath the veneer that has not been stained yet. Thomasville doesnt use particle board or plywoods, that is why the furniture is still so expensive, even in this economy.

I think Dawn is wrong and the Thomasville Store is right. Thomasville is not a "solid wood" furniture maker. There is nothing wrong with veneer but is should not be mis-represented by the stores as solid wood if it isn't.

I have also been told by a Thomasville store that the furniture was "solid oak" only to find after delivery that it obvioulsy isn't.

I also think Dawn is wrong. I understand the use of veneers but the reason I paid the extra money and purchased the Thomasville set was because I wanted solid wood because particle board laminated wood contains a lot of toxins in it. I found out about this because we had to have the top of our dresser replaced. The guy who replaced it asked if I wanted to keep the old top. I do some woodworking and I said yes because I could recycle it for an another project. When I cut the wood and exposed the inside that is when I discovered that it was a veneer over some sort of particle board. It was very distinct.

Veneers and solids are used according to how they hold up over time. Solids are better for carving, trim, and frames, so solids are typically used there. Veneers, because they have multiple layers, are much more stable and are BETTER than solids for panels, tops, and other larger pieces. Your Thomasville product should have both. You wouldn't want an all-solid wood piece of furniture, as it has the potential to warp and crack with temperature and humidity changes over the years. The combination of solids and veneers works best.