Wood Species and Their Traits: What WOOD You Use?

When it comes to selecting the right wood for your piece of furniture, there is a lot to consider.
First, you should choose the wood species. The type of wood you select will affect the look, cost and durability of your furniture. Next, the stain color - dark, light, medium or natural (no stain). And lastly, the finish or protective coating. These 3 decisions will play a key role in finding the right piece of furniture to fit your lifestyle.

Let's start with the basics: hardwood vs. softwood.
Hardwood comes from deciduous (leaf shedding) trees that have broad leaves, usually bear nuts or fruit and go dormant in the winter. They are slower growing, denser and are typically harder and stronger than softwood trees. Examples of North American hardwoods include Maple, Oak, Cherry and Walnut. Imported hardwoods include: Mahogany, Rosewood and Zebrawood. Softwood comes from coniferous (cone bearing) trees that have needles and are evergreen. They grow at a faster rate, are less dense, less durable, split easier along the grain and are more combustible. Examples of Softwoods include Pine, Spruce, Fir and Cedar. The grain of hardwood trees is generally considered more attractive than softwoods and that, combined with the slower growth rate and superior durability, makes furniture constructed from hardwoods more expensive.

Ideally, if you live in North America, you should select a North American hardwood for a couple of reasons:
1. Stability: If it grows here, it is acclimatized. Variation in humidity levels throughout the year will cause your wood furniture to expand and contract.  When furniture is constructed from imported woods (especially from tropical areas such as Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.) the effect can be much more dramatic. Humidity levels that vary greatly from where a tree "grew up" can cause cracking and undue stress on joints.  This is one reason that furniture made with exotic species such as African Zebrawood are usually veneer vs. solid wood.

2. Durability: Hardwood lumber is typically more dense and stronger than softwood species making it the preferred choice for heirloom furniture.

3. Environmental: Regionally sourced American hardwoods do not require burning fossil fuels to transport them across the ocean. They come from managed forests that practice sustainability to ensure a continuous supply of wood. Hardwood furniture can also be refinished for reuse and it's biodegradable.

At Creative Classics all of our wood furniture is handcrafted from North American Hardwoods.

Which hardwood is right for you? Consumers often confuse or associate a wood species with a stain color.  Many furniture stores add to the confusion by offering furniture made of lower quality woods or, more commonly, composite materials with labels of “Oak or Cherry finish”.  Wood species refers to the specific type of tree the wood comes from (i.e.: Oak, Maple, Cherry, etc.) NOT the color. Why does this matter? Different wood species have different types of grain, density and characteristics that influence the look and durability of the furniture. Also, the natural, unstained color of the wood will affect the appearance of any stain applied. High-quality furniture is never described by the color alone. Beware of furniture where the wood species is not specified separately from the stain color, this is frequently a sign that the furniture is not even made of wood! 

Popular Types of  North American Wood

SOFT MAPLE - Natural Color

Soft Maple (sometimes referred to as Brown Maple) is a straight-grained, fine textured wood. Despite its confusing name, it's actually a hardwood. Derived from red or silver maple trees, soft maple is not as durable as its hard maple cousin, but is more capable of accepting stain. Soft maple has roughly the same density as cherry, with colors usually ranging from light cream to pale brown with occasional dark streaks. Price: $

CHERRY - Natural Color

Cherry is a dense, even-grained wood, widely considered the finest of the fruitwoods. Prized for its beauty and color, it is considered an excellent choice for both formal and casual applications. Natural  coloration varies from a light cream to a dark reddish brown; however, cherry will darken with age, developing a deep, rich patina over the course of several years. Cherry wood contains mineral deposits which create the beautiful swirls of grain and occasional dark depressions and indentations. Cherry may also contain light steaks of sapwood. These are not defects, but are normal, desired and to be expected in natural cherry.  Price: $$

RED OAK - Natural Color

Red Oak is a very popular hardwood, chosen for its traditional, coarse-textured look, as well as its excellent durability and strength. It accepts stain consistently and wears well over time, making it a great choice for furniture with heavy, every day use. Red Oak is the most common species used in oak furniture and has a natural color from yellow to pale brown. Price: $

QUARTERSAWN OAK - Natural Color

Quarter Sawn White Oak: Quarter sawing is a different way of slicing a log that provides a unique aesthetic and superior performance to traditionally milled oak. Quartersawn boards have greater stability of form and size, as well as less warping and shrinkage.  Quartersawn White Oak shows a prominent ray fleck, striations that prompt some to refer to it as "Tiger Oak".  It has all the same properties as Red Oak but has more straight grain and varies in color from light tan to nearly white or bright grey. Price: $$

HARD MAPLE - Natural Color

Hard Maple or Rock Maple, comes from the sugar or black maple trees. It's a tough, moderately heavy wood with a fine and uniform texture. Hard maple finishes very smoothly and is extremely durable. Commonly seen with no stain (because it does not absorb stain well), it's natural color varies from nearly white to light tan, with an occasional reddish tinge. Price: $$

WALNUT - Natural Color

Walnut is a dense wood, ranging in color from light to deep chocolate brown. The black walnut tree produces one of the finest cabinet woods available. Slow-growing and highly desired, walnut is more expensive than many of the other woods. Walnut becomes lighter and develops a rich, golden hue with age, it may also contain occasional light sapwood streaks. Natural Walnut (no stain) should be protected from direct sunlight as the ultraviolet light can bleach the wood. Price: $$$

Why stain your wood furniture? Wood Stains are dyes or pigments suspended in a solvent that deepen the color of a wood. Most woods, with the exception of Cherry and Walnut, are very light in their natural color. Staining the wood provides a way to achieve a variety of wood tones and colors from light to dark. Stains are translucent and typically enhance and increase the prominence of the natural grain variations in the wood. Very dark stains may mask and unify the grain appearance.

The natural color of a wood and its grain characteristics will greatly affect how a stain appears on each wood species. For instance, Cherry wood is naturally red-orange in color so any stain over Cherry will have a rich underlying reddish hue that influences the stain appearance. Compare the same stain finish (Michael's) on the different wood species shown below. Notice how each species of wood has its own unique appearance even though the stain is identical.

Wood Finishes
The final touches to any piece of furniture is the finish. There are numerous options to protect your piece of furniture to keep it long lasting and beautiful!

Hand Rubbed- This is a traditional method of hand-rubbing an oil and wax finish comprised of many coats of natural linseed oils that condition the wood, provide moisture resistance and enhance the natural color and beauty of the wood. It does not seal the wood or provide protection. It will also need to be re-oiled regularly.

Polyurethane- Resin is what remains behind to form a film once the solvent has evaporated. The resin defines the nature of the coating. In general, polyurethane or urethane resins (the terms may be used interchangeably) provide finishes with good durability, including resistance to heat, abrasion, chemicals, stains, and solvents- however, they have a tendency to yellow over time.

Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer and Conversion Varnishes- Instead of curing by the evaporation of a solvent only, they also cure chemically. The catalyst is added ahead of time and the finish is very durable as a result of the chemical curing process.  This is the most durable of finishes.

Now that you have the basics of wood selection, hopefully making a decision will be a lot easier! And don't worry we are here to help! Come by the store and we can help you find the PERFECT wood (and color) for your piece of furniture!

Come on over,
Team CC

Sources: http://www.hardwoodinfo.com/articles/view/admirer/3/202