Casegoods 101

An overview of the different types of wood used in home furnishings.

by Tracy A. Mozingo

Your furniture selections can set the mood for your entire home. Wood furnishings (casegoods) are solid, classic and timeless. Nothing compares to the intricate wood grain a well-rubbed finish reveals. The look of each piece is determined by the designer's plan, but without the perfect natural material, it would be nothing more than a sketch on paper. Here’s an overview of the different species of wood used to create casegoods and how their characteristics influence design.

Oak

• The most popular hardwood
• Two basic varieties: red (or black, in reference to its bark) and white
• Heavy, strong and typically light-colored
• Features well-defined rings and large pores, which gives oak furniture a prominent grain and course texture
• Because of its structure, oak isn’t typically used for intricately carved case goods
• American and English country designs frequently feature oak
• Oak is also used in Gothic and William & Mary reproductions, as well as transitional and contemporary pieces

Maple

• Hard rock maple and sugar maple are the two most popular species used
• Maple is so resistant to damage that it is often used for bowling alley floors
• Most Maplewood has a fine texture and even grain due to its evenly sized pores
• Some maple has a curly grain, and this is often used for crafting violins
• Burls, leaf figure and the rare birds-eye figure are often used for veneers
• Medium- and lower-priced American Colonial furniture is the most popular type featuring maple
• Because it closely resembles cherry wood, maple can also be stained to simulate its look

Mahogany

• Mahogany is a tropical hardwood and comes in a variety of grades and species that vary in quality and price
• Its reddish-brown color and many types of patterns (striped, ribbon, rope, ripple, fiddleback, etc.) make for beautifully finished case goods
• Caribbean mahogany is touted as the strongest and best quality variety, and African mahogany is slightly lower in quality. Philippine mahogany is not truly mahogany and is therefore less valuable
• Featured in Georgian, Empire and Federal reproduction furniture, mahogany is excellent for carving
• You may also see mahogany used in Victorian reproductions and contemporary furniture

Cherry

• Also known as fruitwood, cherry is grown in the eastern United States
• It is moderately strong, hard, close-grained and features light to red-brown coloring
• It resists warping and is easy to carve and polish
• Cherry is frequently used in the production of 18^th century, Colonial and French provincial designs

Walnut

• Known as one of the most versatile and popular woods for cabinetry, walnut grows in Europe, America and Asia
• Although it is strong, hard and durable, walnut is not an overly heavy wood. This  allows for extensive woodworking and beautiful finishes
• Walnut wood is light- to dark-chocolate in color with a straight grain through the trunk that gets wavy toward the roots
• Walnut is used today in many 18^th century cabinet reproductions

Pine

• Originally used as a structural component and as a drawer lining in Europe, pine is softwood that is pale yellow or white, lightweight, and straight-grained
• It resists shrinking and swelling, and the knotty pine variety has a pleasant decorative effect.
• Today, pine is used most frequently in country or provincial furniture with pickled, whitened, painted or oil finishes

Ash

• White ash is the most commercially used species of this hardwood
• Its prominent grain resembles oak and hickory wood, but ash has white dots that can be seen with the naked eye
• It is widely use for structural frames and is typically less expensive than other hardwoods

Hickory

• As one of the heaviest and hardest woods available, hickory is often used for structural parts, especially where strength and thinness are necessary
• Hickory has a close grain without much figure
• Decorative hickory veneers are popular in furniture design

Rattan

• Rattan is a climbing Asian palm with very long stems
• Its pole is round, strong and solid, but can be bent into many shapes or pared down to the core material, which is used for wicker work
• You'll see rattan in casual dining, bedroom and upholstered furniture

Beech

• Hard, strong and heavy, beech has small pores and noticeable rays (similar to maple)
• Its reddish-brown heartwood and light-colored sapwood lend beauty to this relatively inexpensive wood
• It is often used for frames and many bent and turned parts. Beech veneers are also frequently used

Birch

• Yellow birch is one of the most popular types featured in commercial furniture
• Featuring a close-grained hardwood, birch can be cut in such a way to highlight straight, curly or wavy patterns
• Birch can be stained to resemble mahogany or walnut

Cedar

• Found in the southern United States, Central America and South America, cedar is well-known for its smell and red-brown color and light streaks
• The aroma makes this wood moth-repellent, so it is often used to line drawers, chests and boxes
• Storage closets are also made from this light and brittle wood

Redwood

• Known for their amazing height (300 feet) and length of life (2,500 years), redwoods are indigenous to the Pacific United States
• Wood from the heart of the tree is resistant to deterioration and is used to construct outdoor furniture and decorative carvings
• Redwood burls are rare and valuable and feature a figure known as a "cluster of eyes"

Teak

• The true variety of teak is grown in Southeast Asia, but similar hardwood is also grown in Africa
• Teak can be yellow to dark brown, and it is extremely heavy and durable
• With its strong figure, teak can have a straight grain, mottled or fiddleback figures
• It carves very well, but because of its high value, it is often used as a veneer
• You'll also see teak featured in Scandinavian modern and Oriental furniture styles