Wood Species Used for Our Amish Furniture

When you think of wood furniture, you probably aren’t picturing a specific type of wood. In reality, though, the wood used to make the furniture you bring into your home makes a big difference when it comes to color, style and overall appearance.

That’s not to say one Amish furniture wood species is better than another. The ones we use here at AmishOutletStore.com have certain advantages. When it comes time for you to choose which wood species you want for your furniture, you should understand the pros of each one and why it might look right in your home. Use our wood species guide below to determine the best pick for your home.

Types of Wood Species: Red Oak

Red Oak is not, in fact, all red. It can be any shade, from warm brown to deep cream, but it is streaked with red — which gives the wood its name. This wood is durable and perfect for everyday use.   It’s often employed to make furniture that gets a lot of daily use, such as kitchen chairs and tables. Red Oak can be stained to be very light colored to very dark.

Types of Wood Species: Q.S. White Oak

White Oak has a lot of similarities to Red Oak. It’s equally hard, if not harder and perfect for everyday use, and it takes on stain easily. White Oak resists water better than most woods, and you will find many ships with hulls made from it. The “Q.S.” stands for quarter-sawn, which is a way of cutting the wood at a 90-degree angle to reduce cupping and highlight its growth rings. Like Red Oak, it’s not actually white. A slight green tone runs through the wood which is visible in a natural state. Once it is stained, it has beautiful swirly and tight grain markings.

Types of Wood Species: Rustic Q.S. White Oak

There’s little difference between Rustic Q.S. White Oak and Q.S. White Oak. The main variance is that the Rustic wood is a bit rougher and less refined than the other. Rustic Q.S. White Oak will have knots, streaks, or mineral and color variations not found in regular Q.S. White Oak. It shares the same toughness and coloring. Both types of White Oak are used in a variety of furniture, and both are quarter-sawn. They each have an antique appearance.

Types of Wood Species: Walnut

You may know Walnut is used to make guns, but were you aware it’s also a popular wood for Amish furniture? The wood’s distinctive qualities are how hard and heavy it is. There are two main colors — a chocolate and a creamy sapwood. If you purchase walnut furniture, it will likely be unstained because the wood does not take stain well. This is typically a darker wood.

Types of Wood Species: Cherry

Cherry is one of the least-dense common wood species. Many woodworkers find it preferable to use over White Oak, as they can carve it with minimal effort. You can recognize the wood by the pinkish undertone and circular grains, as well as its smooth texture. Cherry gets darker with age, changing with long-term exposure to sunlight. Amish furniture makers value Cherry’s resistance to warping, and it’s often used for office and bedroom furniture.

Types of Wood Species: Rustic Cherry

Rustic Cherry shares many similarities with Cherry, with less refinement. You can see the knots prominently on the wood, giving it the rustic look. Rustic Cherry may come in a variety of colors, including deep red and brown. You can even find it in white. Furniture makers often employ it on pieces they want to give an old-time look. Rustic Cherry has the same qualities as good Cherry wood, and both stain very well.

Types of Wood Species: Brown Maple

Brown Maple, like Cherry, tends to be soft, and it can be easily scratched. Most people can spot Brown Maple due to its distinctive color in raw wood. It has streaks of tan and white running through the brown. The wood stains well and may be finished to resemble walnut or cherry, a more expensive type of wood. Brown Maple is often used in painted pieces.

Types of Wood Species: Rustic Brown Maple

Looking for a gorgeous country-style material to make your rustic wooden furniture stand out in your home? Rustic brown maple is even more ravishing and distinctive than refined brown maple wood. Its beautiful combination of tan, brown, white and cream streaks is sure to be the focal point of any room, and its additional natural features only add to its authenticity and appeal. Choose handmade chairs, tables, bed frames and more, each with their own unique rippling of color, grain and natural detailing like knots.

Types of Wood Species: Hard Maple

Hard Maple goes by several names — it’s also called Rock Maple and Sugar Maple. The color of the wood varies greatly, from reddish to cream. It displays a curly grain pattern and even texture. Furniture makers like this wood because it’s easy to work with and is widely available.  Due to the hardness of this wood, we can only finish this wood type in a clear coat finish which is a very light creamy color.

Types of Wood Species: Wormy Maple

Also referred to as Ambrosia Maple, this wood is part of the soft maple family. This makes it slightly easier to work with than harder woods. It gets its discoloration from the ambrosia beetle, which bores through the wood and leaves behind a fungus that affects the coloring. Many people love this distinctive appearance for their furniture.

Types of Wood Species: Hickory

If you want a hard and sturdy wood, Hickory stands out. It can withstand a great deal of pressure, bending but not breaking. The wood’s natural light and dark colors contrast remarkably, creating a dramatic look that becomes even more distinctive when you stain it. You can find Hickory in a lot of furniture, including bedroom sets and living room couches.

Types of Wood Species: Cedar

As part of the coniferous family, cedar is classified as a softwood. Its softness makes it versatile and malleable, meaning it is well-suited to a variety of shapes and furniture types. Because cedar wood itself is a natural moth repellent, it is often the top material choice for furniture used to store clothing — like wooden wardrobes and chests. Despite its lightweight and soft nature, cedar is stable and durable when used to build, making cedar furniture longlasting, hardy and warp-resistant. In addition to its fine quality, this wood boasts a rich, rustic appearance that makes a beautiful addition to your home. Our custom cedar pieces at AmishOutletStore.com are made with the finest northern kiln-dried wood.

Types of Wood Species: Aspen

With a uniform, fine texture and a straight-grained pattern, this generally soft and light wood can be found in white sapwood and light brown heartwood varieties. Because of its low bending properties, medium shock resistance and stiffness, Aspen is ideal for durable furniture — especially because despite its stiffness, it doesn’t split when nailed or crack easily. Aspen also offers the perfect surface for decorative work, precise furniture shaping and detailing because it sands well and tends not to shrink. With the right stain, you’ll love how aspen enhances your home with rustic warmth.

Types of Wood Species: Rustic Walnut

Hoping for a rich, country look in your home? Rustic walnut is a raw, natural variation of the regular walnut species. Like its close relative, it comes in stunning dark shades and boasts a heavy, durable quality, but it retains more of the natural features and textures of the trees it comes from. When you choose furniture made with rustic walnut wood, you can expect unique and natural attributes like knots, as well as mineral and sap deposits. The best part of this gorgeous wood is that every piece of rustic walnut furniture is unique and offers you its own touch of authenticity.

Types of Wood Species: Burnt Hickory

Sharing the sturdiness and stunning dark and light colors of classic hickory, burnt hickory furniture offers even more style and character. As its name suggests, this wood species is partially charred for a special aesthetic and a touch of rustic flavoring. Burnt hickory is a beautiful choice when you’re looking for something with country style and unbeatable quality, as well as a unique, eye-catching finish. Our furniture pieces are made to order and are always one-of-a-kind.

Types of Wood Species: Pine

If you’re looking for a versatile and durable option for your furniture, pine is a perfect choice. Derived from softwood pine trees, it offers solid shock resistance and stiffness despite its soft nature, but it’s also easier to work with when building furniture. Pine is typically light and ranges from creamy white to a yellow shade, but it stains beautifully and can be modified to whatever color you prefer. This classy wood’s prominent grain pattern and darker knots make it distinctive. Pair your pine furniture pieces with any color scheme and complement your rustic home decor look.

Types of Wood Species: Rustic Pine

Like regular pine, rustic pine offers versatility in style and stain options while providing longlasting quality and stiffness. Rustic pine furniture is shock-resistant, resistant to swelling and shrinking, and lightweight but sturdy. With less refinement than regular pine and more natural qualities like knots, texture and prominent grain, rustic pine furniture is one of your most attractive and rustic options. It comes in a variety of styles and custom-made options at AmishOutletStore.com.

What Types of Wood Are Best for Your Furniture?

Which type of wood should you choose for your furniture? We offer you the option to customize all of our wooden pieces with a choice of wood species. Whether you opt for rich, dark woods like rustic walnut, light options like rustic pine and quartersawn white oak or unique grains like brown maple, we know you’ll find furniture you love in our selection of custom handmade wood pieces. Depending on the look you desire, you may decide to match your existing décor or find something new and different. You really can’t go wrong when you can pick your own wood.

Browse through our selection of furniture today, and contact AmishOutletStore.com with any questions you may have about our furniture wood types.