Cherry Maple Wood Color

The grain patterns and colors of our american walnut cherry and maple are so gorgeous that we hate to cover them up with anything other than a clear finish to protect the surface.

Cherry maple wood color.

Maple and cherry wood are two different types of wood. Although called soft maple it s really only about 25 softer than hard maple wood and is still harder than wood from a douglas fir southern yellow pine or california redwood. There are many varieties of soft maple wood though the most common are the striped maple silver maple red maple bigleaf maple and box elder. Cherry wood has a smooth closed grain pattern much like that of maple wood.

A single cherry wood board can have several contrasting grain patterns depending on the growth of the tree. Creamy colors of maple. Cherry can often be identified because of its reddish brown tone which starts out as a lighter pinkish yellow hue that darkens after being exposed to sunlight. The most common type of cherry wood found in north america is black cherry.

When the wood is cut it is very pale in color but the wood tends to become darker and richer with age and eventually takes on its famous rich brown red shade. As with any natural product we expect and embrace unique characteristics in the wood grain. Even expert cabinetmakers can struggle to distinguish between the two. Scuff sand for smoothness and go for it.

Soft maple tends to be blotchy when stained or tinted conventionally. To equalize the light dark areas sometimes it is a good idea to apply a light wash of shellac or sealer to the sanded bare wood before applying any staining materials.