What wood is the best for furniture? This is the question on the top of every consumer’s mind when looking to purchase new solid wood furniture. There are many factors to consider: What is the daily usage? What style are you looking for? Should you choose hardwood or softwood? Which type of wood should be used? With all these questions, where do you start? Ultimately, the best type of wood will depend upon the type of furniture you are looking to purchase. Different woods have different characteristics such as grain, tone, and density.
When looking at solid woods, there are hardwoods and softwoods. The most popular hardwoods to use in furniture making are mahogany, oak, maple and walnut. They are durable, dense and last against daily wear and tear. Hardwoods tend to be more expensive due to the fact they take longer to grow and therefore longer to harvest and replenish. Softwoods come from evergreen trees, with the most popular being cedar, redwood, fir and pine. Because softwoods absorb quickly, when finish is applied, it produces rich color and shows off the grain beautifully. They are lightweight, easy to manipulate and more versatile than hardwoods.