The Heritage of Hardwood

The natural beauty and character of solid hardwood cannot be matched.  The warmth, beauty, and durability of hardwoods make them the natural choice for fine furniture and cabinetry.  

Unlike veneers, pressboard, or other engineered wood products, the beauty of hardwood is not just skin deep.  The unique life of each tree is recorded in the grain patterns: knots indicate where branches have grown and figuring reveals the stresses and strains the tree has borne.  Also unlike engineered products, hardwood will not peel, blister or chip.  Hardwood can be finished in a number of different ways, and unlike other products, can be repaired or refinished if need be.  

Displayed below are the wood species most commonly used for furniture.  Almost every piece in our extensive catalog can built just for you in the wood and finish of your choice. To learn more about your finishing process and options, click here.


Red Oak
The Latin name for oak, Quercus, means "a fine tree."  Red oaks grow abundantly in the Eastern U.S. and are used for a variety of important applications.  Oak is a very hard wood with great wear properties.  It takes stain well and looks beautiful in a variety of finishes.  Customers like Red Oak because it is less costly that many other species and matches well with wood floors and other furniture. 

Quarter Sawn White Oak
White Oak was the wood species of choice for artisans of the Arts and Crafts movement, and it still looks stunning on mission and shaker styled pieces.  It is also the state tree of Illinois.  All the white oak used by our producers has been quarter sawn, which means that when the lumber is prepared, the log is first cut into quarters lengthwise.  The boards used to make furniture are then sawed from the quartered logs.  The end result is a beautiful tight and even grain that takes stain and displays natural figuring well. 

Cherry
A member of the rose family, cherry trees can nevertheless grow to 80 feet.  Prized as a wood for furniture and cabinetry, this species has a fine, uniform, straight grain and satiny smooth texture.  Cherry is also lighter in weight than many species, making it a convenient choice for items that will be moved around often.  When given a natural finish, the color of cherry wood changes with time, moving from a light creamy color to a rich reddish-orange. 

Hard Maple
Maple has been a favorite of American furniture makers since early Colonial days. Hard maple is extremely resistant to dents and scratches making it an excellent choice for desks and table tops.  Customers usually choose a natural finish on hard maple, since this shows off its beautiful grain and light creamy color.

Brown Maple
Brown Maple, also called Soft Maple, is a versatile species that offers exceptional customer value.  It is a bit more common, and therefore less expensive than hard maple or cherry, yet it shares with those species a fine delicate grain.  Brown Maple takes stain well and looks especially attractive with moderate to dark brown finishes.