What is Cherry wood?

Cherry wood derives from the cherry fruit tree. It is a type of hardwood, and it is known for its beautiful color and durability.

According to commercial and residential renovation contractors in Toronto, cherry wood is available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, red, and dark brown. The darker wood blends in elegance to its surroundings, while lighter versions are perfect for furniture. It is cumbersome and durable, which is one reason that colonial carpenter used it for furniture and cabinets.

Cherry wood comprises a smooth, satiny grain that can be enhanced with the application of stain. It steams quickly, which makes it ideal for use in curved projects, such as building boats and furniture. It does contract and expands slightly as the humidity of its locations changes. Woodworkers highly prize cherry wood because of its vibrant color, flexibility, and smooth grain. It is frequently used in caskets, toys, paneling, furniture, and flooring. Cherry wood is more economical than many other types of hardwoods, which makes it even more attractive for carpenters and woodworkers.

The Properties of Cherry Wood

This kind of wood is highly sought-after by both commercial millwork companies and homeowners, as is a beautiful kind of wood that is easy to work with. It also becomes darker and more productive as it gets old.

• Aesthetics: When it comes to appearance, cherry wood is generally reddish-brown with a golden hue, although it is paler when it is freshly cut. Its oxidization creates the popular rich brown-red over time. The sapwood and heart of the cherry tree are easy to identify as the sapwood is narrow and yellowish to reddish, but the heart is yellowish to light red-brown.
• Texture: Cherry hardwood consists of a straight-grain, beautiful, uniform, satiny, and smooth surface. It also has a moderate natural luster.
• Workability: This kind of wood is also known for its excellent workability, mainly due to its straight-grained qualities. Because the wood tends to become blemished when it is stained, most people start with preparing it before it undergoes the staining process; generally, a sanding sealer or a gel-based stain is suggested.
• Durability: Cherry hardwood is known to be a moderately durable wood; its heart is very resistant to rot and decay.
• Strength: Cherry hardwood is also moderately durable and has a medium ability to resist shock loads.
• Flexibility: It is easy to carve, cut, and mold, and is used for many different applications due to its versatility. It has medium density and excellent bending properties and low stiffness.
• Structure: Cherry comprises of a fine pore structure in general, though the spring growths’ pores are slightly larger. It makes it easier to discern the several rings in the wood.

Applications for Cherry Wood

Cherry is used in several styles and has also been titled New England mahogany. It is often used to create 18th century Colonial and French millwork designs. This kind of hardwood can have many different applications, therefore, including:

• Furniture (such as kitchen cabinets).
• Moldings.
• Millwork.
• Flooring.
• Doors.
• Boat interiors.
• Musical instruments (such as violin bows and pianos).
• Turnings.
• Carvings.
• Veneers.
• Joineries.

Source: Pinterest

Cherry hardwood is economical than walnut wood and more durable than maple and oak and is relatively rare in the sense that it is not harvested as often as other types of wood. Its flexibility, array of colors and patterns, and other physical properties oak Cherry to be known as the most versatile woods to use in a variety of applications.

Types of Cherry Wood

It is available in two main varieties: black and sweeCherry says Custom architectural and commercial millwork companies in Toronto. 

Black Cherry Wood

Source: Pinterest

About

Tree sizes can vary between 50-100 ft and have a trunk diameter of about 3-5 ft. They can also live up to 140 to 200 years and make a durable wood. Their hardiness is one of the best in the market with 950 lb. It means that they can withstand wear and dents well. It is low enough that you would not have any trouble sanding, nailing, screwing, or sawing the wood as you desire.

Attributes

Color

It consists of the heartwood of a light pinkish brown color when you recently cut it. With exposure to light and time, the wood darkens to medium reddish-brown. The sapwood of the cherry tree comprises of a pale yellowish color.

Furniture

Furniture manufacturers love this wood because the wood grain is smooth, straight, and easy to work. Some figured pieces have a curly grain pattern, which makes it difficult to work with. The cherry wood consists of a semi-porous to diffuse-porous end grain. There is no specified arrangement between the small and the medium pores, and the wood has 2-3 radial. Millwork cabinets manufactured by black cherry wood are highly popular among homeowners. 

Deposits

Occasionally you can feel the presence of gum/mineral deposits in the wood. It is not easily visible with the lens and is suitable for the owners. The mineral deposits are often required since they give the furniture a unique grain.

Resistant to Decay

Black cherry wood has become popular since it is resistant to decay and is very durable, especially the heartwood. It makes it great for furniture and domestic usage since no one wants to invest in wood that is not prone to wear and tear. 

Very Workable

Cherry wood is also considered as one of the best woods to work with, which is why producers also prefer investing in this wood. It machines well, and the grain is stable and straight. Staining the wood is the only difficult part since it can provide blotchy results. Professionals recommend using a gel-based stain or a sanding sealer before staining the wood.

Using sapwood is very common among manufacturers, but it creates a lot of waste, that is why heartwood is preferred.

Odor

It has a distinctive and a mild smell while it is being worked with. Breathing in the sawdust from the cherry wood can lead to serious health concerns. It causes respiratory effects like coughing and wheezing, which is why it is mandatory to have proper protective gear while you are working with the cherry wood.

Pricing

Since cherry wood is manufactured using domestic lumber, the prices of the wood are similar to those of walnut. They are more economical compared to other options but are a little more expensive than maple or oak woods. Since the wood species is vast, it is an easily sourced wood. It is not listed on CITES Appendices or IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which is why the price is lower compared to a number of other species.

You can expect to be paying around $7.25 per board foot for 1″ and $8.75 per board foot for 2″.

Sweet Cherry Wood

Source: Pinterest

About

This kind of wood is also known as the European Cherry wood. The scientific name for this kind of wood is ‘Prunus avium,’ and it is mainly found in the regions of Asia and Europe.  The tree can reach the heights of 32-65 ft and has a trunk diameter that can vary from 1-2 ft. It is smaller than the black cherry trees that are usually are found in America. Despite the size, it has superior hardness, which means that it is one of the most durable kinds of wood in the market. It can withstand a tremendous amount of wear and tear, but it is not easy to sand, saw, or nail.

Sweet cherry wood has wood of a light pink-brown when you freshly cut it. The color darkens with time to a golden brown when it is exposed to light. The sapwood of the sweeCherryry is generally 1-2″ in width and has a pale yellow color.

Cherry wood is a beautiful and reliable kind of wood. It ages perfectly and looks gorgeous as furniture, boats, flooring, etc. 

Attributes

Texture

The texture of rich cherry wood comprises of fine to medium with a close grain. The grain is generally complete straight and slightly wavy. The end grain of the wood consists of semi-ring porous, and the pores do not have a specific arrangement. It has a 2-3 radial, solitary multiple and has distinct growth rings since the earlywood pore concentration is usually high.

Deposits

It sometimes gets deposits of minerals and gum, which are desired by many people since they contribute to the uniqueness of the wood. The unique design is essential if you want to sell the wood at a high cost. 

Sustainability

It is sustainable since it is not on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species or CITES Appendices list. Despite this, it is not available everywhere to manufacture. Sweet cherry wood is expensive since it is only produced in Europe and some other specialized orchards. It is also sold in small sizes or only as a veneer, which makes it an expensive material. In the region where it naturally grows, the prices are not too high.

Durability

The heartwood of rich cherry wood is almost moderately durable to almost non-durable when it comes to being decay resistance. It has an adverse effect when it comes to pest attacks. It is why black cherry wood is more prevalent among furniture manufacturers.

Odor

Unlike black cherry wood, it is odorless even while the wood is being worked. Black cherry wood can also create health issues like respiratory problems, but sweeCherryry has no such adverse effect.

Brazilian Cherry

Source: Pinterest

About

Brazilian Cherry wood is also known as Jatoba in many places. The scientific name for it is  Hymenaea Courbaril, and while it is named after the cherry wood, it is usually of little relation to domestic Cherry. The only similar thing with blacCherryry is that its natural color impersonates the strained color of the domestiCherryry.

BrazilliaCherryry is generally found in the West Indies, Central America, northern South America, and southern Mexico. The tree grows to the size of 100-130 ft and can have a trunk diameter of almost 2-4 ft. It has a high hardness of almost 2,690 lbs, which makes it exceptionally hard, strong, and stiff. This is the reason it is used more like a more economical lumber where high-strength materials are required by woodworkers. 

Attributes

Color

This heartwood varies from a dark reddish-brown to a light orange-brown. It might even have contrasting dark gray-brown streaks, which turns out really unique. Unlike many types of wood like blacCherryry and mahogany, the color of BraziliaCherryry only darkens when it is exposed to light. The sapwood has a light grayish-yellow color.

Texture

The grain of Brazilian cherry wood consists of a medium to coarse texture and is generally interlocked. It has very few but large pores. The wood occasionally portrays signs of mineral deposits, which gives it a sleek look.

Workability

Jojoba is a real hardwood to work with since it has a really hard surface. It can cause tool cutters to turn blunt, and you cannot plan it without a significant amount of tear-out. It can steam-bend, stain, glue, finish, and turn well. 

Pricing

This wood is available in a wide variety of sizes and widths for lumber use. Many people also use it for flooring since it is a very rich color. Unfinished Brazilian cherry planks for the flooring the size of 5″ x 1/2″ can cost you around $4.65 to $5.00 psf; this not very expensive considering the cost of imported timber. It is more commonly used for tool handles, railroad ties, shipbuilding, furniture, flooring small specialty items, and turned objects.

Patagonian Cherry

Source: Pinterest

About

Patagonian Cherry is more commonly called Tiete Rosewood since it actually comes from the rose family. The scientific name for it is Guibourtia hymenaeifolia and is more commonly found in South America. The tree can grow to be quite huge, ranging from 130-165 ft with a trunk diameter of 3-6 ft. It has a high hardness of 2,790 lbs, which makes it difficult to work with.

Attributes

Color

Workability

The wood is actually really hard and dense to work with. Many producers prefer to work with lighter woods since they do not strain the tools and machines as much. It also contains silica content, which can dull cutter prematurely. However, its grace is the straight and uniform grain that enhances workability. 

Pricing

It is usually used in flooring, which is sold under the trade name of Patagonian Cherry. Tiete Rosewood is also more commonly sold for lumber and is inexpensive, considering it is an imported hardwood. The price of this type of wood is about $5.00 sq/ft if you want to have it as your flooring.

Pros and Cons of Cherry Cabinetry

Cherry finishes darken with time, bringing out the varied patterns and grains. Ultraviolet (UV) light speeds up the darkening process. The darkening of the finish can be an advantage or a disadvantage in the utilization of cherry wood, depending on your taste. Some benefits of Cherry are:

• Cherry can take many different finishes very well
• Cherry is a smooth and close-grained, wood and has beautiful variations of the finish varying from natural to almost black

Some cons of Cherry are:

• Cherry reacts to sunlight, which will change its color in unbelievable ways
• It has a key color variation which will affect the appearance of a set of cabinets
• Cherry is highly known to be one of the most expensive of the cabinet materials
• It is not as resilient as hardwoods such as hickory and oak.

Cherry Kitchen Design Ideas

Source: Pinterest

A small contemporary kitchen that enhances the wall space to create this sleek kitchen design. At the side of the kitchen, there is a full-height pantry cabinet/ storage with a built-in microwave and a cooking range stove. It uses cheery wood laminates all around, and the sleek look of the kitchen definitely gives a neat and modern look. The flooring completely blends in with the cherry cabinets enhancing the visual appeal. To distinguish the reds from the cabinets, the countertop materials are of greyish quartz, and the backsplash is of cream color.

This is a country-style kitchen that utilizes simple paneled kitchen cabinets in dark cherry wood finish. The elegant detailing of the cabinets provides it an elegant yet modern appeal due to its straight, clean lines. In the middle of there is a kitchen island that also works as a bar/dining space. The countertop materials used are black and cream quartz for the kitchen island. Meanwhile, the backsplash is adorned with light yellow mosaic tiles, adding texture and a soft pop of color to the surface.

This is another country style kitchen with an open floor plan, which enhances the visual appeal. It uses solid wood-paneled cherry wood cabinets blend with yellowish granite. It has an exposed ceiling. Pot lights and the hanging lights give it a more contemporary appeal. The cherry wood floor blends in perfectly with the white kitchen island, which also acts as a dining table. The kitchen is also exposed to let in a good amount of natural light.

When it comes to cherry wood, there are tons of ideas that you can apply to your kitchen to give it a more modern contemporary look. Finding the right commercial renovation contractor and material for your kitchen is the key. Make sure to give your kitchen a look it deserves. A sleekly designed kitchen is sure to catch hearts. A kitchen is also known as the heart of the home, so why not treat it like one? Make sure you do thorough research and interview several contractors and choose the best one for the best results.

You can also read Benefits of Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation Simultaneously