20 Best Wood For Furniture Making (2023 Updated)

The classic American blonde, Hard Maple features creamy white sapwood with a reddish cast, and rugged durability. The wood has an exceptionally fine, even texture, and tight pores that yield an excellent finished surface.

These thin boards are machined S4S to 1/8″ and 1/4″ thicknesses, eliminating wear and tear on your planer. You won’t have to worry about chipout, which is difficult to prevent when planing thin stock.

Thin boards are ideal for edging, veneering, inlay, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock, bent laminations and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Tree: May reach a height of 70 to 120 feet, with a 24 to 36 inch diameter trunk.

Sapwood Color: White with a reddish cast. Heartwood Color: Uniformly pale reddish brown or light tan. Grain: Usually fairly straight, but can also be curly or wavy. Sometimes exhibits decorative figuring like bird’s eye, maple burl, blister, leaf, and fiddleback.

Texture: Very fine and even. Working properties: Due to hardness, tools must be kept very sharp. Carving: Responds well to carving tools. Steam bending properties: Fair. Strength Properties: Very high bending strength.

Resistance to compression parallel to the grain is high. Hardness is rated as medium. It is heavy, and resists denting and marring. Hard Maple can be up to 25 percent harder than Soft Maple.

With its gorgeous chocolate tone and easy workability, it’s easy to see why Black Walnut is often regarded as the classic American cabinet wood. The heartwood varies from light grayish-brown to deep chocolate brown, occasionally approaching an almost black or purplish-brown.

The grain is slightly open and usually straight, but is famous for its sometimes stunning figure. All boards are machined S4S to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses. Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations.

Thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, moldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Tree: May attain a height of 70 to 90 feet, with a 24 to 48 inch diameter trunk.

Texture: Usually coarse, but uniform. Luster: Somewhat dull, but develops a lustrous patina after many years in use. Odor: Emits a mild, sweet odor reminiscent of cocoa. Movement: Dimensionally stable after seasoning.

Absorbs and releases moisture more slowly than most woods. Natural Durability: Resistance to insects and fungi is very good. Working characteristics: Works extremely well with hand tools. Steam Bending: Steam bends well.

(Roughly 78% of steam bended pieces survive without cracking). Strength: The wood is strong and is able to withstand extra weight with little deflection or bending.

This beige to creamy tan hardwood is an excellent choice for furniture, cabinets, flooring, and other accessories. All of our hardwood and softwood species are premium grade stock.

A long time favorite for its rich color and excellent workability, Cherry continues to gain popularity for use in fine furniture and cabinets. The wood leaves the sawmill with a pinkish, rosy tone, and continues to darken over years to a deep, lustrous red.

The narrow sapwood has a creamy color, similar to Hard Maple. Cherry is easily worked with hand tools and takes an excellent finish and polish. All boards are machined S4S, and are planed to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses, relieving your planer of excess work.

Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations, while the thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, mouldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Distribution: As many as five varieties of Black cherry are reported to thrive throughout North America.

Tree: Attains heights of about 100 feet (30 m) Average tree grows to about 80 feet (24 m) in height, and produces a tall trunk, about 24 inches (60 cm) in diameter. Cherry trees are usually large enough to harvest after 35 to 40 years.

Full height is attained in about 100 years. Light & Air-Induced Changes: Black cherry is very sensitive to UV light, which causes it to darken over time. UV light inhibitors in coatings can be used to prevent color change.

Grain: Fine grain. Material with dark wavy streaks are frequent. Quartersawn lumber has a shimmery appearance. Texture: Fine and uniform. The wood often has narrow brown pith flecks and small gum pockets.

Luster: Rich and satiny. Odor: Emits a fruity aroma when cut. Steam Bending: Good. Often compared to Beech and Ash.

Leopardwood (Roupala montana) is a medium to dark reddish-brown with grey or light brown rays, which resemble the spots on a leopard. It is commonly confused with Lacewood (Panopsis spp. ), but Leopardwood can be darker.

Wood is a product of nature, and as such, no two pieces are alike to start with, while the same wood growing in different locales can vary greatly even though it is the exact same species. Thin Stock.

The thin stock is cut to size from quality, kiln-dried stock. Dimensions are +/- 1/8″ of size listed. Carving and Turning Blocks. Blocks are sawn to +/- 1/4″ of size listed. Plywood. Sizes are nominal.

Dimensions are +/- 1/8″ of size listed.

Also known as “Pau Ferro,” Bolivian Rosewood features a deep, chocolate brown tone with hints of purple, interlaced with even darker brown or black growth lines. A dense, but easily worked species native to Central and South America, it has a scent reminiscent of Walnut.

The grain varies from straight to irregular and the wood is oily to the touch. Often used for the curving sides of guitars, Bolivian Rosewood steam bends nicely and will take an exceptional finish. All boards are machined S4S, and are planed to 1/8″ and 1/4″ thicknesses, relieving your planer of excess work.

You also won’t have to worry about chipout, which is difficult to prevent when planing thin stock. Thin boards are ideal for edging, veneering, inlay, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock, bent laminations and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Lumber Details: Common Names: Bolivian Rosewood, Morado, Pau Ferro.

Botanical Classification: Machaerium scleroxylonTree is Native To: Bolivia and Brazil. Average Dried Weight: 53 lb/ft. Average Specific Gravity: 0. 85Texture ranges from coarse to fine. Bolivian Rosewood requires pre-boring for fasteners.

The machinery dust from this species may cause severe skin irritation to persons with allergies.

Bocote is an exotic wood loved by woodworkers for its beauty and its good steam bending classification. Use it for cabinets and furniture, decorative pieces, and boat decking.

With its gorgeous chocolate tone and easy workability, its easy to see why Black Walnut is often regarded as the classic American cabinet wood. The heartwood varies from light grayish-brown to deep chocolate brown, occasionally approaching an almost black or purplish-brown.

The grain is slightly open and usually straight, but is famous for its sometimes stunning figure. All boards are machined S4S to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses. Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations.

Thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, moldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Tree: May attain a height of 70 to 90 feet, with a 24 to 48 inch diameter trunk.

Texture: Usually coarse, but uniform. Luster: Somewhat dull, but develops a lustrous patina after many years in use. Odor: Emits a mild, sweet odor reminiscent of cocoa. Movement: Dimensionally stable after seasoning.

Absorbs and releases moisture more slowly than most woods. Natural Durability: Resistance to insects and fungi is very good. Working characteristics: Works extremely well with hand tools. Steam Bending: Steam bends well.

(Roughly 78% of steam bended pieces survive without cracking). Strength: The wood is strong and is able to withstand extra weight with little deflection or bending. ,Hardware > Tools,Rockler.

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a furniture maker, real wood veneers are ideal for any project including repairing furniture and manufacture, facing kitchen cabinets or finishing shelves and countertops, marine applications and endless architectural applications.

These exceptional natural wood veneers contain precision-matched splice lines, have a book-matched appearance and are pre-sanded and ready to apply and finish. The 24″ x 96″ sheets are flexible, 1/42″ thick, have a uniform color, and are easy to apply.

Backing is 10 mil paper. They should be applied to surfaces using any quality contact cement.

A long time favorite for its rich color and excellent workability, Cherry continues to gain popularity for use in fine furniture and cabinets. The wood leaves the sawmill with a pinkish, rosy tone, and continues to darken over years to a deep, lustrous red.

The narrow sapwood has a creamy color, similar to Hard Maple. Cherry is easily worked with hand tools and takes an excellent finish and polish. All boards are machined S4S, and are planed to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses, relieving your planer of excess work.

Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations, while the thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, mouldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Distribution: As many as five varieties of Black cherry are reported to thrive throughout North America.

Tree: Attains heights of about 100 feet (30 m) Average tree grows to about 80 feet (24 m) in height, and produces a tall trunk, about 24 inches (60 cm) in diameter. Cherry trees are usually large enough to harvest after 35 to 40 years.

Full height is attained in about 100 years. Light & Air-Induced Changes: Black cherry is very sensitive to UV light, which causes it to darken over time. UV light inhibitors in coatings can be used to prevent color change.

Grain: Fine grain. Material with dark wavy streaks are frequent. Quartersawn lumber has a shimmery appearance. Texture: Fine and uniform. The wood often has narrow brown pith flecks and small gum pockets.

Luster: Rich and satiny. Odor: Emits a fruity aroma when cut. Steam Bending: Good. Often compared to Beech and Ash.

Prized for its rich, crimson color and excellent durability, Padauk is an excellent hardwood for cabinetry and fine furniture. Reddish orange when freshly cut, it matures over time to a bright red with darker red and purple streaks.

It is hard, heavy and extremely resistant to rot, and makes one of the most durable hardwood floors available. It is easily worked, takes an excellent finish and polishes beautifully. All boards are machined S4S to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses.

Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations, while the thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, mouldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Lumber Details: Distribution: Central and tropical West Africa, extending from south-western Nigeria to Zaire.

Tree: Reaches heights of 100 to 130 feet (30 to 40 m), with trunk diameters of 24 to 48 inches (60 to 120 cm), but may reach 60 inches (150 cm). Trunks are often straight and cylindrical, and are clear of branches to about 70 feet (21 m).

Sapwood Color: White when freshly cut, turning to brownish yellow or gray over time. Heartwood Color: Reddish orange, but changes to bright red, with dark streaks, or reddish/purplish-brown or black over time.

Color variation between boards is slight. Grain: Generally straight to slightly interlocked. Texture: Fine to medium. Luster: Has a soft, natural sheen. Odor: Faintly aromatic when freshly cut. Stability: Extremely dimensionally stable.

Durability: The heartwood is exceedingly durable. May last in excess of 25 years in contact with the soil without preservative treatment. Very resistant to termites. Weathering Properties: Excellent.

Care should be taken to prevent splitting when nailing or screwing.

Light-colored to nearly white, this popular hardwood is ideal for furniture, flooring, doors, millwork and moulding.

Our basswood lumber is ideal for building the frames on your custom-made plantation shutters. All stock is pre-planed to the appropriate 1-1/16” thickness. For stiles, buy the 2-1/4” wide stock. For rails, the stock width will vary depending on the height of your louvered panel.

In many cases, you’ll want to buy the 5” stock for the rails, and rip it to the width you need. Use our Design Wizard to generate a cut list for your project, then buy lengths slightly longer than you need and trim to the exact length.

Features: All of our basswood lumber is premium-grade stock (FAS Grade First and Seconds)Surfaced smooth on both faces (S2S) so planing is not required – Guaranteed to be free of defects on at least one face and two edges – Kiln-dried to 7% to 8% moisture content – Planed to 1-1/6” thick—perfect for shutter frames – May be used for numerous other projects as well | Rockler Basswood Lumber by the Piece, 5″W x 48″L x 1-1/16″ thick.

With it’s silky smooth feel and distinctive striated appearance, bamboo lumber has become a popular choice for everything from cutting boards to hardwood floors. These bamboo blanks are offered in the perfect size for cribbage boards made with our new XL Cribbage Template (46368).

They are also ideal for small cutting boards, breadboards, cheese boards or snack trays. And at 8″ wide, they’re ideal for small bookcases or cabinets. Features: Bamboo pieces are sold singlyIdeal for a bamboo cribbage blankComposed of narrow laminated strips of solid bamboo lumber | Rockler Bamboo Lumber by the Piece.

From the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, desert ironwood, also known as Arizona ironwood, is a rare and highly sought after species. Extreme density and vibrant reddish and brown colors make this wood a preferred choice of carvers and turners alike.

The wood is so dense it actually sinks in water. Blanks are available in a variety of sizes.

Spanish Cedar is a lightweight, easily worked relative of Mahogany. Most widely known for its use in cigar boxes, it holds in moisture to create a natural humidor, and imparts its pleasant aroma to cigars.

These thin boards are ideal for cigar boxes as well as any other decorative boxes. They are machined S4S to 1/4″ thickness, eliminating wear and tear on your planer. You won’t have to worry about chipout, which is difficult to prevent when planing thin stock.

Thin boards are also ideal for edging, veneering, inlay, marquetry, bending stock, bent laminations and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Pieces measure 1/4″ x 5″ x 48″ Lumber Details: Tree: Cedrela trees may attain heights of 100 feet or more.

The buttressed trees usually have trunks with diameters of 36 to 72 inches Sapwood Color: The sapwood is pale and not sharply differentiated from the heartwood Heartwood Color: Usually ranges from pale pinkish-brown to dark reddish-brown, darkening upon exposure Grain: Generally straight or slightly interlocked Texture: Moderately coarse Luster: Varies from lustrous to very lustrous Odor: Natural oils in the wood give off a distinctive fragrance Movement: Dimensionally stable.

Holds its shape very well after seasoning Natural Durability: Heartwood has high natural resistance to decay. The sapwood is vulnerable to attack by powder-post beetles. Moderate to high resistance to termites Working characteristics: Easily worked with both hand tools and machines Strength Properties: Medium bending strength, much weaker than White oak or Teak.

Resistance to compression parallel to grain is low. Surfaces may dent or scratch easily since the wood is soft. Weight and density are about average. Relative to weight, strength properties are generally high S4S – Surfaced Four Sides Planed on top and bottom surfaces to be parallel.

Both edges are straight-line ripped perpendicular to top and bottom surfaces and parallel to each other. This milling produces boards that are ready for your craftsmanship. All surfaces are parallel and square allowing ends to be cut square or at any angle you require.

Boards with this milling can also easily be ripped to whatever width your project requires. Great for all crafts, casework, furniture pieces, boxes, moldings. really any project!.

True to its name, purpleheart boasts vibrant purple heartwood, and a fine, satiny texture. Initially a dull brown, it takes on its brilliant tone shortly after the wood is cut. The sapwood is creamy, pinkish cinnamon.

It has exceptionally high bending and crushing strength, is dimensionally stable, and is extremely resistant to decay. All boards are machined S4S to 1/8″, 1/4″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ thicknesses. Thin boards are well-suited for edging, veneering, marquetry, sides for decorative boxes, bending stock and bent laminations, while the thicker boards are ideal for furniture, paneling, cabinet doors, moldings, drawer sides, fine jewelry boxes and whatever else your imagination can dream up! Lumber Details: Alternate name: Peltogyne.

Tree: Usually tall, with a height of about 100 to 150 feet and a diameter of up to 48 inches, usually between 18 and 36 inches. Heartwood: Initially dull brown, rapidly changing to a bright, vibrant purple.

Prolonged exposure darkens wood to a dark-purplish brown or dark brown, but the original color can be preserved with a UV inhibitor. Color variation among boards is reported to be moderate to high. Presence of minerals in some boards may cause uneven coloration and steaming is reported to affect the color.

Light & Air-Induced Changes: Treatment against the effects of ultra-violet rays maintainss the original color of the wood. Treatment with Armorall, the car finish product, under lacquer is reported to hold the color well.

Grain: Typically straight, occasionally wavy or irregular. Texture: Medium to fine. Luster: Medium to high. Movement: Very dimensionally stable. Natural Durability: Highly resistant to attack by decay fungi, very resistant to dry-wood termites, and somewhat resistant to attack by marine borers.

Also reported to be resistant to chemicals such as acids. Cutting Resistance: Purpleheart is moderately difficult to saw. Tools usually require frequent sharpening. A reduced cutting angle of 15 degrees is recommended, especially when planing and moulding material with interlocked or wavy grain.

Nailing: The wood requires to be pre-bored, but nail-holding capabilities are reported to be good. Steam Bending: The wood steam bends fairly well. Strength Properties: Bending strength in the air-dry condition is very high, and crushing strength is exceptionally high.

It does not mar or dent easily, and is very heavy and dense.

Exotic Padauk wood exhibits beautiful bright red-orange color that gradually fades to a warm brown with age and exposure to sunlight. The darkening can be slowed by using a UV-inhibiting finish. Durable, stable and dense, these blanks are ideal for vases, candlesticks, coffee table legs and other spindle turning projects.

They can also be resawn into blanks for pens, knife scales, bottle stoppers and much more.

Cherry exhibits a pinkish, rosy tone when fresh off the lathe, but darkens over time to a deep, lustrous red. The narrow sapwood has a creamy color, similar to hard maple. Use these blanks full-length to make table legs, balusters and chair spindles, or cut them down to make tool handles, rolling pins and other smaller turnings.

The blanks are rough sawn and may contain some sapwood. Dimensions are nominal.

Ideal for signs, cutting boards, game boards and more. Each slab is unique in shape and color. Widths will vary from piece to piece, and are wider on average for the longer lengths. See the Technical Details section for average widths.

For a wider selection, or to choose your own slab, visit your local Rockler store.