Wood Species

How do Softwoods and Hardwoods differ?”

The most obvious difference is in the density or hardness of the wood.  Other differences will be in the grain pattern, the tone of the natural color and how they accept a finish..

Hardwoods

The easiest way to recognize a hardwood tree?  They change leaf colors and drop their leaves in the Fall. They usually have broad leaves and sometimes produce nuts or fruits. There are hundreds of hardwoods in the United States but not all make quality furniture.

Softwoods

These trees are the “evergreens”.  Softwoods have needles instead of broad leaves and they do not drop them in the Fall.  Softwoods include cedar, spruce, pine, redwood and hemlock.  This type of tree is quick growing and easily renewable.

Few of the more popular woods used in furniture

Alder - a relative of birch and grows throughout the western United States.  This wood has a consistent color of pale pinkish brown with a grain pattern similar to cherry.  Alder is an easy wood to work with and takes stain well.

Beech - Found mostly in higher altitudes of the eastern U.S.  This wood is hard and very strong with good resistance to wear.  It is very adaptable to steam bending without losing its strength.  For that reason, it is often used for chairs.  The color ranges from nearly white to a deep brown.  The grain is close and straight with a very uniform texture.  This wood takes stain or paint well.

Birch - Grows mostly in the upland areas of the northeast and Great Lake  states.  The are nine species of birch but yellow birch is most often used in furniture.  Color can range from a cream to lightly tinged red.  The wood is fine grained that may have a curly or wavy pattern.  It is heavy, strong and hard that paints and stains well

Cherry - Used mostly in Shaker, Mission and country styles, this wood can only be described as beautiful.  The wood is light but strong and rather hard.  Color can be a light cream to rich reddish brown.  The grain is straight and smooth.  While cherry takes all stains very well, the wood will darken considerably with age.

Maple - American maples come in two types, hard and soft.  Both are used in furniture making.   This wood is very hard, strong, tough and close grained.  It is light cream to reddish brown in color with a straight and close grain pattern.  It can also have swirls and curls that will give it a unique look.

Oak - red and white oaks are the most abundant U.S. hardwood trees.  Both have been used in furniture making back to colonial days.  Red oak grows only in North America and can live up to 300 years.  Colors can range from nearly white to a pinkish tint in the red oak.  This a strong, heavy and stiff wood that has great wear resistance.  Oak can be stained beautifully with a wide range of finishes but does not paint well because of its very open grain patterns.

Parawood - While not as well known as other hardwoods, parawood can trace its origin back to Christopher Columbus.  This tree is plantation grown in Malaysia for Latex production and after 20-30 years of production, they are cut down and made into furniture with new trees planted in its place.  This wood is very hard and strong with an open grain similar to mahogany. The toughness of the wood results in extremely durable furniture.   The color is mostly a pale yellow.  This wood takes an even stain.