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One of the best woods for furniture in the States is cherry wood. We consider it our most popular seller and it comes from the American Black Cherry fruit tree; chances are big that you have seen one until now.

There’s a diverse range of cherry wood colors and people really appreciate what they can do with it. As time goes it becomes redder so it might be a great choice for different furniture pieces in your home. The hardwood is also easy to work with and can be seen growing in the Eastern regions.

ch1-1 The types of cherry wood and what they're good for
Image source: TEA2 Architects

Usually, the Cherry is highlighted by small pitch pockets that will give a nice texture to the wood together with depth. Because of these complex grain patterns, cherry is really pleasant to look at and this makes it quite popular.

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Image source: MN Builders

Cherry lumber is easy to machine and goes well when we speak about screwing and nailing. It also has great molding properties and can be easily sanded or polished if you want to get that nice smooth finish.

Background

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Image source: The Kitchen Company

The cherry wood played an important role also for the Native American community. What they did was that they boiled its inner bark that was used to treat all kind of illnesses like colds or headaches.

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Image source: Jordan Iverson Signature Homes

Today the extract taken from cherry is used in many cough syrups that are based on these ancient practices and modern scientific research.

In the US most of the cherry woods that are being sold go to wood suppliers and come from the American Black Cherry. This tree is mostly found in Pennsylvania although it can also be found in other areas of the northeastern US.

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Image source: Dura Supreme Cabinetry

What is different about this fruit tree is that compared with other ones like an apple or pear this tree grows so tall that you can’t harvest it so it gets cut into lumber. If you didn’t know cherry wood changes its colors in time and it can really vary a lot.

Most types of wood go darker in time and this process is easy to spot in cherry lumber for example, it starts with a light pink and then goes to a rich dark brown color.

Types of Cherry Wood

Black Cherry Wood

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Image source: CliqStudios

Back Cherry wood is also known as American Cherry if we talk about the tree name. It is one of the supreme hardwood species that you can find in the U.S. and it has warm colors and great finishing qualities.

Sweet Cherry Wood

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Image source: FINNE Architects

The texture that we see in this wood is found and it is a bit wavy or completely straight. The pores have no precise arrangement at all and it has a 2-3 radial as well. The sweet cherry wood can be compared with an alternative for the black cherry wood that is found in North America.

Compared with the black cherry, the sweet cherry wood has more contrasts and is stronger.

Brazilian Cherry

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Image source: Hardwoods4Less, LLC

Compared with the cherry wood the Brazilian cherry is used more in flooring. The reality is that this wood is not even part of the cherry family and it actually is part of legume species called Hymenaea courbaril.

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Image source: Christian Gladu Design

The name was given from a marketing perspective to match the wood’s deep red color. Brazilian cherry signifies over-the-top grandiosity at one time but as its popularity has somewhat faded this beautiful wood can still be a good choice for flooring. You can get it in several forms so for sure you will find the right solution by using it.

Patagonian Cherry

Here we go again on another cherry wood type that is called the Patagonian cherry. This is a unique rose-colored wood that is very dense and can brighten any space where it is going to be used in. It can work for both residential projects and commercial flooring depending on what are your preferences.

Chilean Cherry

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Image source: R. Craig Lord Construction Company, Inc.

Chilean Cherry has a beautiful color that goes towards a light pale pink. It can be used for sure in many projects and in time the colors change to a darker one. It is soft and can be the perfect match for residential flooring use. So why not giving it a real chance?

What are the Common Uses of Cherry Wood?

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Image source: Floor Coverings International of Charleston

As cherry wood is considered a reliable hardwood there are many different ideas that it can be a match for. All the woods that our craftspeople work together with at Vermont Woods Studios are noted as hardwoods.

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Image source: Lumber Liquidators Flooring

This wood from natural forests throughout North America is known worldwide for its warmth of color and fine finish.

it can be used in different styles and has been named the New England mahogany. It can be used to make 18th-century French designs. This type of wood can have different uses and here are some of the most used:

  • Furniture
  • Moldings
  • Millwork
  • Flooring.
  • Doors
  • Boat interiors
  • Musical instruments
  • Turnings
  • Carvings
  • Veneers
  • Joineries

Cherry Hardwood is most of the time cheaper than walnut wood and can be more workable compared with maple for example. It is quite rare because it is not harvested often as the other woods mentioned but due to its flexibility and array of colors, it can be used in different projects that you might have in your mind.

Working with Cherry Wood

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Image source: Hull Forest Products – Wide Plank Floors

The American Hardwood Export Council considers that cherry wood is one of the easiest one to use. Cherry is really favored by different furniture builders because it has rich colors that only seem to get better with age. It sands easily and it finishes relatively easily so there are not that many problems around this.

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Image source: Gabberts Design Studio

Cherry wood has a straight figure and is very strong because it can resist any kind of knocks or other abuses. For sure this doesn’t mean we need to push it to its limits but it is good to know.

After it is cute the first color that you can see is a pink-brown type of color that goes slowly to a darker one. Compared with other woods, it needs to be dried slowly if you want to prevent any warping or cupping to happen to it. If this is done right and you allow the wood to be flat and even it will become very easy to work with.

Ending thoughts on cherry wood colors and where to use them

In conclusion, cherry wood is a great choice especially if you know how to take advantage of its strengths. Its finishes and colors are beautiful so having these benefits in mind you can start thinking about what you are going to build with it or who knows maybe you will get something already done.

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Furniture and decorations