Spotlight on Birch
Yellow birch is one of the most popular types of wood used to create furniture and can be stained to resemble mahogany or walnut.
-
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 18th 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 18th 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