A Practical Guide to Wood Types for Furniture & Joinery
Choosing the right timber is one of the most important decisions in any woodworking project. The species you select affects appearance, strength, workability, cost and how the piece will age over decades of use.
Below we cover the six timbers we use most often in our workshop, with honest notes on strengths, limitations and ideal applications.
European Oak
Oak is the backbone of British carpentry. It is hard, stable, finishes beautifully and develops a rich golden-amber tone with age. The pronounced grain adds character to larger pieces like dining tables, kitchens and structural beams.
- Hardness: 1,120 lbf (Janka scale)
- Best for: Kitchens, dining furniture, flooring, window frames
- Watch out for: Tannin can react with ferrous metals, causing black staining. Use stainless steel or brass fixings.
- Cost: Mid-range. Widely available from managed European forests.
English Ash
Ash is a pale, open-grained timber with excellent shock resistance. Its light colour makes it ideal for Scandinavian-influenced designs and smaller rooms where you want to keep things feeling bright and airy.
- Hardness: 1,320 lbf
- Best for: Chairs, desks, tool handles, steam-bent work
- Watch out for: British ash supplies have been affected by ash dieback disease. Check provenance.
- Cost: Moderate. Sourced domestically when available.
American Black Walnut
Walnut is prized for its deep chocolate-brown heartwood and fine, straight grain. It is the go-to choice for statement pieces — live-edge dining tables, headboards and high-end cabinetry. Over time, the colour lightens slightly toward a warm coffee tone.
- Hardness: 1,010 lbf
- Best for: Dining tables, desks, feature panels, turnings
- Watch out for: Expensive. Sapwood is pale and must be cut away or accepted as a design feature.
- Cost: High. Imported from the eastern United States.
English Cherry
Cherry begins as a warm salmon-pink and darkens dramatically over the first year into a rich reddish-brown. It has a fine, close grain that takes a silky smooth finish straight from the plane. Ideal for pieces where you want warmth without heaviness.
- Hardness: 950 lbf
- Best for: Bookcases, side tables, jewellery boxes, musical instruments
- Watch out for: Softens with UV exposure. Keep away from direct sunlight if you want even colour ageing.
- Cost: Mid-high. Available from UK and European orchards.
Hard Maple
Maple is the hardest domestic timber commonly available. Its fine, uniform grain and near-white colour make it popular for contemporary kitchen worktops, butcher blocks and flooring. It resists denting well and cleans up easily.
- Hardness: 1,450 lbf
- Best for: Worktops, chopping boards, flooring, children's furniture
- Watch out for: Can be tricky to stain evenly due to tight grain. Looks best with a clear or natural finish.
- Cost: Moderate. Imported from North America.
Accoya (Modified Pine)
Accoya is radiata pine that has been acetylated — a non-toxic chemical modification that makes it dimensionally stable and extremely rot-resistant. It performs like tropical hardwood without the environmental concerns. We use it extensively for external joinery.
- Hardness: Variable (treated softwood)
- Best for: External doors, windows, cladding, garden gates
- Watch out for: Pricier than untreated softwood, but justified by a 50+ year expected lifespan outdoors.
- Cost: Mid-high. Specialist supply.
Comparison at a Glance
| Timber | Colour | Hardness | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Oak | Golden amber | 1,120 lbf | Kitchens, furniture |
| English Ash | Pale cream | 1,320 lbf | Chairs, desks |
| Black Walnut | Dark chocolate | 1,010 lbf | Statement tables |
| English Cherry | Salmon to deep red | 950 lbf | Bookcases, turnings |
| Hard Maple | Near white | 1,450 lbf | Worktops, flooring |
| Accoya | Pale gold | N/A | External joinery |
Need Help Choosing?
Every project is different. Factors like room lighting, existing decor, intended use and budget all play into the decision. We are always happy to bring timber samples to a site visit so you can see and feel the options in context.
Get in touch at [email protected] or browse our completed projects to see how different timbers look in finished commissions.