Find Your Perfect Wood
The wood you choose is the foundation of furniture built to last generations. Every piece we craft is solid hardwood — but each species has its own personality, character, and strength. This guide will help you find the perfect match for your home.
Hickory
Hardest & Heaviest
Hickory has the highest hardness rating out of the options listed, and the heaviest. This has been a popular wood for dining tables and other furniture that experiences frequent use.
Hickory can vary in darkness but tends to remain fairly neutral, making it good for both warm and cool stain colors.
Quarter-Sawn White Oak
Durable and Versatile
Quarter-Sawn White Oak is the second hardest wood option in this list with small stripes in the wood grain – a pattern developed by cutting the boards into quarters.
It is heavier than oak and a great wood for daily wear. While this wood is also neutral, some find it’s slightly warmer in tone than hickory, great for a variety of styles.
Red Oak
Medium Hardness
Red Oak falls in the middle of the hardness ratings and handles tough use well. As the name implies, it is slightly warmer in tone than QSWO and has a strong arch-shaped grain that is seen in many traditional styles.
This wood is often readily available, making it a common option for furniture.
Brown Maple
Soft and Light
Brown Maple is a classic wood in Amish furniture, and is classified as a softer hardwood.
This wood is lighter, making it desirable to bring out the pigment range of stains, but it can experience mineral streaking that can make the wood look gray. As such, it does better with medium and dark finishes
Cherry
Soft and Traditional
Cherry is a very smooth grain with the same hardness as Brown Maple. This wood is noticeably red/pink when compared to other woods.
This elegant undertone is often seen in traditional furniture but has been making a comeback in some modern furniture.
Cherry
Premium and Refined
Walnut is considered one of the premier American hardwoods, and falls in the middle of the hardness scale. It handles daily use well while bringing a depth of grain and color no other wood can match.
The wood ranges from rich chocolate brown to purplish-brown, often with traces of black, gray, and even dark blue streaking. Walnut darkens and deepens beautifully over time, making it a top choice for heirloom and statement pieces.
Wood Durability: The Janka Hardness Test
The Janka hardness scale measures how much force it takes to dent a piece of wood. The higher the Janka rating, the harder and more durable the wood — and the better it resists dings, scratches, and the small accidents of everyday life.
When comparing hardwood for furniture, Janka hardness is one of the most reliable indicators of long-term durability. But hardness alone doesn't tell the whole story — grain, color, and how the wood ages all matter just as much.