Are you looking for a hardwood that combines exceptional strength, stunning aesthetics, and a sustainable footprint? Look no further than 8/4 Hickory from Gutchess Lumber. This versatile hardwood is a top choice for high-end projects, from durable countertops to elegant furniture.

Gutchess 8/4 Hickory

Our 8/4 Hickory is specifically sought after for its remarkable strength and durability. With a Janka hardness rating of 1880, shagbark hickory is one of the hardest domestic hardwoods available. This makes it incredibly resilient to scratches, dents, and everyday wear and tear, ensuring your projects stand the test of time.

Heartwood and Calico Boards

What sets our 8/4 Hickory apart is the beautiful balance of heavy heartwood boards and calico boards. This unique combination creates a visually appealing variety, offering manufacturers and consumers the flexibility to achieve diverse design aesthetics. Whether you prefer the rich, dark tones of heartwood or the lighter, variegated patterns of calico, this hardwood provides the perfect canvas for your creative vision.

Gutchess Lumber’s Commitment to Quality

At Gutchess Lumber, we understand the importance of quality and yield. That’s why our heavy stock is sawn plump, ensuring our customers have a product that will clean up at standard surface thickness. This meticulous approach maximizes the yield on every board, minimizing waste and maximizing value.

Hickory Wood Carbon Sequestration

Did you know that Hickory sequesters more carbon per board foot than any other species we offer. In fact, hickory stores 6.58 lbs. of carbon per board foot.

Let’s put that into perspective:

• If you used 60 board feet of this species for your kitchen countertops, you would be storing 395 lbs. of carbon, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere.

By choosing this hardwood, you’re making a positive impact on the environment while creating stunning, long-lasting projects.

Applications

The strength, durability, and beauty of 8/4 Hickory make it ideal for a wide range of applications, including:

• Countertops: Its hardness makes it perfect for resisting scratches and dents in high-traffic areas.
• Tabletops: Create stunning and durable dining or conference tables.
• Furniture: Build heirloom-quality furniture that will last for generations.
• Flooring: Add a touch of rustic elegance to your home with hickory flooring.
• Cabinetry: Create strong and beautiful kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

Learn More About 8/4 Hickory

Ready to experience the strength, beauty, and sustainability of this hardwood? Use our interactive map to find your region’s dedicated sales rep and get in touch.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast, “The Hardwood Advantage,” on Spotify for more insights into the world of hardwoods.

Are you a cabinet, furniture, or other solid wood product manufacturer searching for the perfect hardwood? Look no further than Gutchess’ 4/4 Birch F&B lumber. This exceptional hardwood offers a unique combination of beauty, workability, and sustainability, making it the ideal choice for creating stunning, high-quality pieces that stand out in competitive markets.

The Gutchess Lumber Difference: Sap1Face Sorting

At Gutchess Lumber, we understand the importance of consistency and clarity. That’s why our 4/4 Birch F&B undergoes a meticulous Sap1Face and better sorting process. This ensures that every single board in your pack boasts at least one face that is 100% sapwood.

What does this mean for you?

• Consistent Light Color: Achieve a uniform, bright, and aesthetically pleasing appearance in your cabinets and furniture.
• Reduced Waste: Minimize unusable portions of the board, maximizing your yield and minimizing costs.
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Deliver products that exceed expectations with their flawless finish and premium look.

Birch versus Hard Maple Lumber

Birch and Hard Maple lumber share many similarities, often used interchangeably. However, Birch has distinct differences that make it a preferred choice for many manufacturers:

• Straighter Grain: Birch typically exhibits a straighter grain pattern than Hard Maple, resulting in a more uniform and visually appealing surface.
• Workability: Slightly softer than Hard Maple, Birch is easier to machine, cut, and shape. This translates to less wear and tear on your tools and increased efficiency in your production process.
• Exceptional Value: Birch often offers a more cost-effective solution compared to Hard Maple, without compromising on quality or performance.

Birch and Carbon Sequestration

In today’s environmentally conscious world, sustainability is paramount. Gutchess Lumber is committed to responsible forestry practices, ensuring that our hardwood is harvested and processed with minimal impact on the environment.

Like Hard Maple, Birch possesses an impressive carbon sequestration rate of 5.68 lbs per board foot. This means that a single truckload of our Birch absorbs nearly 74,000 lbs of carbon dioxide – equivalent to offsetting a round-trip flight from New York City to Los Angeles, By choosing Gutchess Lumber’s hardwood, you’re not only investing in a premium material, but also contributing to a greener future.

Availability: 4/4 and 8/4 Thicknesses

Gutchess Lumber understands that every project has unique requirements. That’s why we offer our this sort in both 4/4 and 8/4 thicknesses. Whether you’re manufacturing cabinetry or furniture pieces, we can help with your hardwood needs.

Gutchess Lumber is Your Trusted Source for Premium Birch

For over 120 years, Gutchess Lumber has been a leading provider of high-quality hardwood lumber to discerning manufacturers across the country. We are committed to delivering exceptional products, unparalleled customer service, and sustainable forestry practices.

Want to learn more about Gutchess or our Birch hardwood? Use our interactive map to find your region’s dedicated sales rep and get in touch.

Red Maple, also known as Ambrosia Maple, is a captivating wood with a story as unique as its appearance, especially in our Wormy grade. Red Maple Wormy is a stunning hardwood that boasts a rich character marked by intriguing patterns created by the natural activity of wood-boring insects.

Insects leave distinctive markings as they tunnel through the hardwood, resulting in striking streaks known as “flagging.” These, combined with the charmingly scattered holes, create a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that sets Wormy Maple apart. Tune in to see the beauty of this unique hardwood in the video below.

Beauty and Strength Combined

Beyond its visual appeal, Red Maple Wormy is renowned for its exceptional strength and ease of workability. These qualities make it an ideal choice for crafting a wide range of exquisite pieces, including:

• Distinctive furniture such as tables, chairs, and cabinets
• Custom cabinetry
• Decorative accents

Want to feature the unique beauty and character of Red Maple Wormy hardwood? Use our interactive map to find your region’s dedicated sales rep and get in touch.

Black Cherry lumber comes from one of the most prized hardwood species. Hailing from North America, Cherry wood has its roots in all aspects of life. From fine furniture to musical instruments, this material is well-loved and sought after by artisans and hobbyists alike. Cherry hardwood has earned recognition thanks to its workability, beautiful grain, and magnificent color, so it’s no secret why it’s a staple for several Gutchess customers.

Let’s take a deep dive into Cherry lumber, covering its uses, history, and why it’s such a popular choice for projects big and small.

What are the different uses of Cherry wood?

You don’t need to be a lumber expert to know Cherry wood’s beauty. This warm-toned, rich hardwood strikes the perfect balance between strength and flexibility, so it has a variety of uses:

• Hardwood flooring: absorbs shock and is scratch-resistant

• Musical instruments: is pliable enough to bend without splintering and creates resonant sound in acoustic instruments

• Boat interiors: takes well to weather-proofing and creates beautiful decks

• Carving: isn’t too dense to hand carve for artistic projects

• Furniture and cabinets: offers rich color and superior durability

Over the past few years, bright colors have inspired interior design trends like “dopamine decor,” that feature maximalist furniture and bright colors. With this trend, Cherry wood is poised to surge in popularity as a way to brighten up a space with warm-toned flooring or furniture.

Types of Cherry Wood

It’s important to distinguish between the Cherry wood types because they all come from different regions, from different trees, and have different characteristics. However, true Cherry wood types all fall under the “Prunus” genus. These include:

Many other tree types fall outside the Prunus genus but are still commonly called Cherry wood. These types aren’t the same species as the true Cherry types we just covered, but they’re categorized as Cherry thanks to their similar properties. They include:

• Brazilian Cherry (Hymenaea courbaril): Otherwise known as Jatoba, this tree earns its name from its resemblance to Black Cherry. The Brazilian Cherry is found in the West Indies, northern South America, and Central America. These trees can grow between 100 feet and 130 feet tall.
• Patagonian Cherry (Guibourtia hymenaeifolia): This tree actually hails from the rose family and is sometimes called the Tiete Rosewood. It’s native to South America, growing between 130 and 165 feet tall. The Patagonian Cherry tree’s wood is dense and hard to work with but its color greatly resembles the Black Cherry tree.
• Barbados Cherry (Malpighia galbra): This tree is known by several names, including Wild Crapemyrtle, Acerola, Manzanita, and more. It can be found in southern Texas, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Barbados Cherry got its name because it produces cherry-like fruit, but that’s where the resemblance ends.
• Chilean Cherry (Nothofagus dombeyi): This “Cherry” tree is part of the Beech tree family, though it’s nearly identical to the Black Cherry tree. The Chilean Cherry tree is also called Coigue, hailing from Chile and Argentina.

Cherry Tree Lore

Cherry wood is more than a stylish material used in woodworking and luxury interiors. It’s also part of one of the most well-known American myths that our first president, George Washington, had Cherry wood teeth.

While Washington’s Cherry tree legend has gone through different iterations over the years, the long-standing narrative is that young Washington received a hatchet and cut down a Cherry tree that he shouldn’t have.

When confronted, Washington was honest about the damage. This act solidified his reputation as a virtuous and honest leader. While the legend has been debunked and rebuked, the myth has endured for over 200 years and is an integral part of America’s cultural heritage.

This Cherry Tree myth speaks to the importance of its enduring presence in all aspects of North America — although we can all agree it can stay out of dentistry.

Cherry Wood Traits

The Black Cherry tree (Prunus serotina) is native to North America and some areas of South America. It grows from southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States. In the southern United States, it’s found further west towards Texas, with smaller populations throughout the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala.

The main commercial areas of Cherry tree growth in the United States include:

• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• New York

The Cherry tree thrives in growing conditions with moist, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. The Black Cherry tree is particularly resilient and can grow despite plunging temperatures. Although it’s a medium-sized tree with an average height ranging between 50 and 60 feet, the Black Cherry tree can grow up to 110 feet tall.

It’s found in abundance throughout North America due to its resilience to changing growing conditions and the wide distribution of its seed from various native birds.

Cherry Hardwood Density

The Janka Hardness Scale measures the hardness of domestic wood species, like Cherry wood. This test measures the force required to embed an 11.28mm steel ball halfway into a piece of wood and is expressed in pounds-force (lbf). A higher number rating indicates that a wood species is harder than a species with a lower rating. Although the Janka Hardness Scale is traditionally used to determine whether a wood species is suitable for flooring, it’s a good measure of a wood species’ overall durability.

On the Janka Hardness Scale, the ranking for standard Cherry hardwood is 950 lbf and different types of Cherry wood have similar ratings. Wood species don’t always share similar Janka ratings. For example, Walnut wood’s hardness ranges dramatically depending on where it was sourced.

Thanks to its medium density, Cherry wood has good flexibility and medium shock resistance. This allows it to withstand wear and dents and is why it’s such a popular choice for hardwood furniture.

Cherry Hardwood Wood Grain

Cherry wood features a fine, straight grain except for figured pieces with curly grain patterns, which make it a fine choice for woodworking. As with any wood, there can be defects from pith, mineral deposits, gum pockets, or knots. Cherry hardwood endgrain features small to medium pores with a random arrangement and distinct growth rings.

Are Cherry Trees Hardwood Trees?

Yes, Cherry trees are hardwood trees because they have the main characteristics we use to classify hardwood species.

• Seed type: Hardwoods are angiosperms, which means their seeds develop from flowers into fruit. Cherry trees flower and create fruit.
• Leaf behaviour: Hardwoods are deciduous, which means they lose and regrow their leaves each year. Cherry trees follow this cycle

They differ from softwood trees, whose seeds have none of the protection offered by fruit — they’re simply dropped to the ground to deal with the elements. Softwood tree seeds are needles and cones called gymnosperm, meaning “naked seed.” Almost all softwood trees are evergreen, which means they retain their needles year-round.

Source Quality Cherry Wood from Gutchess Lumber

Source the lumber your customers need to finish their dream projects. Whether you need a dependable lumber manufacturer for your flooring business or a source of ethical materials for local woodworkers, Gutchess Lumber Co., Inc., has the quality Cherry hardwood you need to meet the demand.

Built for strength and durability, our 8/4 Cherry Hardwood is a great choice for flooring, furniture, and cabinet manufacturers.

This week, we are going through one of our 5/4 Hickory F&B packs. This species is known for having bird pecks, which flooring manufacturers and consumers often desire. Listen in as Noah flips through the pack, reviewing the characteristics and the environmental benefits.

Hickory Hardwood FAQ

What makes Hickory wood a popular choice for hardwood products?

Hickory lumber is renowned for its hardness, strength, and shock resistance. It’s a durable and attractive wood, often chosen for flooring, cabinetry, and tool handles. It also displays unique character markings like bird pecks, which many find desirable.

Where does Gutchess Lumber source its hardwood?

Gutchess Lumber sources its hardwood from the northern Appalachian region of the United States in the proximity of its New York and Pennsylvania manufacturing facilities.

What are the environmental benefits of using Hickory?

Using real wood products like Hickory stores carbon, helping to mitigate climate change. Additionally, sourcing from sustainably managed forests ensures the long-term health of our forests.

Does Gutchess Lumber offer other hardwood species?

Yes, Gutchess Lumber offers other hardwood species besides Hickory. See each of the Northern hardwood species we offer here.

What thicknesses of Hickory does Gutchess Lumber offer?

We stock 4/4, 5/4, and 8/4 in this hardwood species and other thicknesses in other species.

What is “bird peck”?

Bird peck refers to small markings or indentations in the wood grain caused by birds pecking at the tree. These markings are a natural characteristic of Hickory and are often considered desirable, adding character and uniqueness to the wood.

Can I purchase hardwood directly from Gutchess Lumber?

You can purchase truckload and container quantities of hardwood directly from Gutchess Lumber. Please note that Gutchess Lumber does not sell small quantities of Hickory wood or any hardwood species; it must be purchased in either truckload or container quantities. Gutchess ships its hardwood products worldwide. If you are looking for smaller quantities and are in the Latrobe area, check out our brand Forest 2 Home.

At Gutchess Lumber, we’re proud to have a team of dedicated employee-owners who have been with us for over 20 years. These seasoned hardwood lumber professionals are more than just employees; they’re part of our family.

Our commitment to providing the highest quality hardwood is deeply rooted in our history since our founding in 1904. By employing experienced sawmill professionals and utilizing state-of-the-art technology, we ensure that every board of hardwood we produce meets the highest standards.

Meet the Faces Behind the Finest Hardwood

Tune in to hear Noah Barber talk about our Spotlight Species of the Week 4/4 Wormy Ash. This product is commonly used in furniture, cabinets, and tables. What makes our sort different is that our grade is select and better over the wormholes.

Sugar Maple trees grow abundantly and are popular for what is on the inside- Maple Syrup and Hard Maple lumber! Hard Maple lumber has common uses in furniture, hardwood flooring, cabinets, sports equipment, kitchen accessories and more, allowing for this light-colored lumber to be featured in each aspect of your home. Hailing from the Sugar Maple tree, this incredible wood is a staple species that Gutchess Lumber manufactures.

Sugar Maple growth

The Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) tree grows throughout the Eastern United States, Canada, and the Great Lake states, specifically: through central Ontario, the southern third of Quebec, all of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic states, extending southwest to New Jersey and to the Appalachian Mountains, downward to the western edge of North Carolina and the Southern border of Tennessee. The western limit for Hard Maple lumber growth extends through Missouri and into small areas of Kansas, Iowa, and Minnesota. There are a few outliers of Sugar Maple hardwood growth in Kansas, Georgia and the Carolinas.

Its ideal growing climate is cool and moist which is why it is restricted to these regions. That said, it can grow on sand, loamy sand, loams, and silt but it does best on well-drained loams. It does not grow well on dry, shallow soil and is very rarely found it swampland.

Early growth of Sugar Maple trees is slow as they often are regenerating under heavy canopies and shade, though of deciduous trees, they are among the most shade tolerant. The minimum seed-bearing age for Sugar Maples is roughly 30-years. Sugar Maples are a long-living tree, typically reaching 200-years to 300-years in age. The areas in which they reside, where they are hard freezes in the winter for proper dormancy, encourage this slow and long life.

Difference between Hard Maple and Red Maple grain

Differences between Hard Maple and Soft Maple

Hardwood species are classified by the seeds the tree produces. Each hardwood tree species has a coating that takes the shape of a fruit or a shell that becomes a flowering plant. These flowering seeds are known as angiosperm, which translates in Greek to “vessel seed.” Additionally, hardwood trees lose and regrow their leaves annually, making them deciduous.

They differ from softwood trees, as trees classified as softwoods seeds do not have any coating and are instead, dropped to the ground to deal with the elements. Examples of softwood tree seeds are needles and cones that are dubbed gymnosperm, meaning “naked seed.” Except for the Larch tree species, all softwood trees retain their needles year-round, making them evergreen trees.

That said, “Hard Maple” and “Soft Maple” do hold distinct meanings when referencing the tree species. The term “soft maple” is used to reference several different types of maple trees, including Red Maple, while “Hard Maple” specifically references the lumber that comes from the Sugar Maple tree and, on occasion, the Black Maple tree. Both Soft Maple and Hard Maple are harvested from dicot trees, making them both hardwoods. Soft Maple wood comes in many varieties and is 25% softer than Hard Maple wood.

Difference between Oak and Maple wood

Appearance and hardness are the biggest differences between Oak and Maple wood. Maple wood appears less “grainy”, has smaller pores compared to Oak wood, and is a white or cream colored hardwood. Oak wood has a distinct grain pattern and colors that range from a yellow-white to reddish brown, depending on the species. In terms of hardness, Hard Maple hardwood has a Janka hardness score of 1450, while Soft Maple has a hardness score of 950. Red Oak scores 1290 and White Oak scores 1360 on the Janka hardness scale. You must know which species you are comparing to determine the specific difference between Oak and Maple wood.

Hard Maple density

The Janka Hardness Scale is used to determine the relative hardness for domestic wood species, like Hard Maple hardwood. The test measures the amount of force that is required to embed a 11.28mm steel ball halfway into a piece of wood. While the Janka Hardness Scale is traditionally used to determine whether a wood species is suitable for flooring, it is a good measure of determining a wood species resistance to wear and its overall durability. Wood species with a higher number rating are harder than wood species with a lower rating. The data from the Janka Hardness Scale is expressed in pounds-force, or lbf.

On the Janka Hardness Scale, the Hard Maple hardwood species rating is the highest of all the Maple hardwood species. Hard Maple has a Janka Hardness Scale value of 1,450, while its soft maple relative, the Red Maple, has a rating of 950 lbf.  When compared with other hardwood species, Hard Maple wood falls in the middle of the Janka Hardness Scale. It is less durable that Red Oak wood and White Oak wood but marginally more durable than Cherry wood.

Different types of Maple wood

• Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum): this maple hardwood species is one of two hard maple wood types. It is also the first choice for those seeking to make maple syrup. It grows to a height of 50 to 80 feet, is abundant throughout the Northeastern and Southern United States and Northeastern Canada, and is one of the species of maple that Gutchess Lumber manufactures.
• Black Maple (Acer nigrum): this maple hardwood is the second of two hard maple wood types. It is incredibly closely related to the standard Sugar Maple tree and as such, is commonly known as the Black Sugar Maple. This Maple hardwood species grows between 80-115 feet tall in the Northeastern and Southern United States and Northeastern Canada.
• Red Maple (Acer rubrum): dubbed for its red leaves in the autumn, the Red Maple tree also is known as the Scarlet Maple, the Soft Maple, the Drummond Red Maple, the Carolina Red Maple, the Swamp Maple, the Trident Red Maple and the Water maple. It is a soft maple hardwood tree that grows from 30 to 100 feet in its native area of the Eastern United States and Canada.
• Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum): like the Red Maple, the Silver Maple gets its name from the leaf color, with the underside of its leaves reflecting a silver flash in the wind. It goes by various names regionally, including the Soft Maple, the Creek Maple, the River Maple, the White Maple and the Water Maple. Growing from 50 ft to 100 ft in its native region of the Eastern United States and Canada, this Maple tree type is over of the most abundant.

Birdseye Maple vs Spalted Maple

Maple wood species are commonly referred to by other names. While these names, like Birdseye Maple and Spalted Maple are popular, they are indicative of character traits of the lumber and are not, in fact, a Maple species.

Birdseye Maple, sometimes written as bird’s eye maple, was given its name due to the tiny knots in the grain that resemble a small birds eye. Birdseye Maple is in actuality Hard Maple lumber. The figuring of the lumber is caused by an unfavorable growing condition for the tree and as the tree makes repeated attempts to start numerous new buds to increase the amount of sunlight it is receiving, with the poor growing conditions the new shoots are abandoned and a number of tiny knots remain. The “defect” created by these growing conditions make for a incredible Birdseye Maple boards.

Like Birdseye Maple, Spalted Maple refers to a defect created by growing conditions and not a wood species itself. Spalting is a fungal discoloration of wood, not exclusive to the Hard Maple wood species. Spalted Maple can be found in wood that has begun its initial stages of decay and then subsequently dired to prevent further decay. Spalted Maple, otherwise known as Black Line Maple, is referred to as the latter because of the dark, contrasting lines and streaks created by fungus in decaying wood.

Birdseye Maple and Spalted Maple are similar in the way that they are both common defects produced in the Maple hardwood species. They have become so common that they fall in line with the actual tree species that fall in the wood type. While they share similarities in being defects, the Birdseye defect is most notable in Hard Maple wood, while Spalting can be commonly found in Sycamore Trees, Beech trees, Birch trees, Hickory trees and others.

Cherry wood is one of the most prized hardwood species. Hailing from North America, Cherry wood has its roots in all aspects of life; from fine furniture to custom cabinetry, to flooring, to musical instruments, to small scale woodworking, wood carving and wood turning projects. Well-loved and sought after by interior design professionals, furniture manufacturers, cabinet makers, and others, this hardwood species has earned its recognition thanks to its workability, beautiful grain, and magnificent color. Cherry has become a staple for several Gutchess customers, and we understand why.

Cherry tree lore

Not only has the Cherry tree made roots in various areas of woodworking and interior design, but it has had a presence in story telling for centuries! By far, the most well-known myth of the Cherry tree in the United States comes from our first president, George Washington.

While Washington’s Cherry tree legend has gone through different iterations over the years, the long-standing narrative is that young Washington received a hatchet and cut down a Cherry tree that he was not meant to. When confronted, Washington was honest about the damage he had caused. George Washington’s candor in admitting his mistakes solidified his reputation as a virtuous and honest leader. While the legend has been debunked and rebuked, the myth has endured for more than 200-years and is an integral part of America’s cultural heritage. The presence of the Cherry tree in that myth speaks to the importance of the Cherry trees enduring presence in all aspects of North America.

Cherry wood growth

The Black Cherry tree (Prunus serotina) is native to North America and some areas of South America. Specifically, it grows from southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States, west towards eastern Texas, with smaller populations within central Texas, the southwestern United States, Mexico and Guatemala. The main commercial areas of Cherry tree growth in the United States include Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and New York.

The growing conditions in which the Cherry tree thrives include moist but well drained soil and full sun to partial shade. The Black Cherry tree has general climate resilience with the ability to bare the incredible cold. Though considered a medium sized tree, the Black Cherry tree can grow between 25 feet and 110 feet, though the more common height range is between 50 feet and 60 feet.

In part due to its malleability through various growing conditions, as well as the wide distribution of the seeds of its fruit by birds, the Black Cherry tree has always been in abundance in North America.

Are Cherry trees hardwood trees?

Hardwood species are classified by the seeds the tree produces. Each hardwood tree species has a coating that takes the shape of a fruit or a shell that becomes a flowering plant. These flowering seeds are known as angiosperm, which translates in Greek to “vessel seed.” Additionally, hardwood trees lose and regrow their leaves annually, making them deciduous trees.

They differ from softwood trees, as trees classified as softwood’s seeds do not have a coating and are instead dropped to the ground to deal with the elements. Examples of softwood tree seeds are needles and cones that are dubbed gymnosperm, meaning “naked seed.” Except for the Larch tree species, all softwood trees retain their needles year-round, making them evergreen trees.

Cherry trees fruit contains a pit, or seed, that is transplanted into the soil and grows the tree. These kinds of seeds are those known as angiosperm and make Cherry trees deciduous, hardwood trees.

Cherry density

The Janka Hardness Scale is used to determine the relative hardness for domestic wood species, like Cherry wood. The test measures the amount of force that s required to embed a 11.28mm steel ball halfway into a piece of wood. While the Janka Hardness Scale is traditionally used to determine whether a wood species is suitable for flooring, it is a good measure of determining a wood species resistance to wear and its overall durability. Wood species with a higher number rating are harder than wood species with a lower rating. The data from the Janka Hardness Scale is expressed in pounds-force, or lbf.

On the Janka Hardness Scale, the ranking for standard Cherry hardwood is 950 lbf. While there are various types of Cherry wood, they all generally rank around 950 lbf, unlike Walnut wood, with its different wood types by region having significantly different hardness levels. Thanks to its medium density, Cherry wood has good bending properties, low stiffness, and medium shock resistance, allowing it to withstand wear and dents well.

Cherry wood grain

The grain of Cherry wood lends to its workability. Cherry wood features a fine, straight grain with the exception of figured pieces with curly grain patterns or when defects from pith, mineral deposits, gum pockets and knots arise. Cherry hardwood endgrain features small to medium pores with random arrangement. Growth rings are generally distinct.

Different kinds of Cherry wood

It is important to distinguish between the Cherry wood types, as in reality, they hail from distinctly different trees in distinctly different regions. Commonly known Cherry wood types include:

• Black Cherry (Prunus serotina): Black Cherry wood is mainly manufactured in Eastern North America and the Cherry wood that you will find here at Gutchess Lumber. Commonly known names for Black Cherry wood include American Cherry, Rum Cherry, and Wild Cherry. When settlers first came to the United States, colonial furniture builders referred to it as “New England Mahogany” due to its tendency to change color after sunlight exposure. Black Cherry wood has heartwood of a light pinkish brown color that darkens to a medium reddish brown when exposed to lights. The sapwood of the Black Cherry tree is a pale, yellow color.
• Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium): otherwise known as European Cherry wood, this species is mainly found in Europe and Asia. Its stature is smaller in comparison to that of the Black Cherry tree with heights that reach between 32 feet and 65 feet tall. The heartwood and sapwood of the Sweet Cherry tree is consistent in color with that of the Black Cherry tree.
• Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata): native to China, Korea and Japan, this flowering tree is likely the first that comes to mind when Cherry trees are mentioned outside the context of woodworking. Alternative names for the Japanese Flowering Cherry tree include the Oriental Cherry, Hill Cherry, East Asian Cherry and Japanese Cherry. The sapwood of this tree is pale pinkish brown to creamy with the heartwood being brown with gold and green hues.
• Paperback Cherry (Prunus serrula): the Paperback Cherry tree, otherwise known as the Birchback Cherry or Tibetian Cherry hails from Western China. It grows from 20 feet to 30 feet tall, skewing it to be one of the smaller Cherry trees. The Paperback Cherry tree is an ornamental tree, thanks to its distinct bark that is peels in layers to reveal smooth, mahogany colors.
• Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus): this Cherry tree is almost exclusively grown for the fruit it produces which is why it has obtained the alternative names of Pie Cherry and Tart Cherry. Native to Europe and southwest Asia, these types of Cherry trees can reach up to 50 feet tall but are consistently pruned and kept between 12 feet and 15 feet tall.

There are many other “Cherry” types that fall outside the Prunus genus that the Black Cherry tree falls into. These types trees, while not technically within the same species, are categorized as Cherry thanks to their similar properties. They include:

• Brazilian Cherry (Hymenaea courbaril): despite its little relation to the Black Cherry tree, the Brazilian Cherry tree, otherwise known as Jatoba, has its name thanks to its color resemblance. Located in the West Indies, northern South America and Central America, these trees can grow between 100 feet and 130 feet tall.
• Patagonian Cherry (Guibourtia hymenaeifolia): otherwise referred to as Tiete Rosewood, this tree actually hails from the rose family. Native to South America, this tree can grow between 130 feet and 165 feet tall. The Patagonian Cherry trees wood is dense and hard to work with but its color greatly resembles that of the Black Cherry tree with its pinkinsh brown to light orange color.
• Barbados Cherry (Malpighia galbra): known by several names, including Wild Crapemyrtle, Acerola, Manzanita and more, this tree can be found from south Texas, through Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The Barbados Cherry obtained its Cherry association through the fruit that is produced, though the resemblance to the Black Cherry tree ends there as this species is a shrub, growing to 3 feet to 6 feet in height.
• Chilean Cherry (Nothofagus dombeyi): this “Cherry” tree is part of the Beech tree family, though it closely resembles the Black Cherry tree to the point where they can easily be mistaken for one another. The Chilean Cherry tree is otherwise referred to as Coigue and is native to Chile and Argentina.

What are the different uses of Cherry wood?