Introduction to Cherry Wood:

This introduction to cherry wood will cover the basic information that a consumer will be interested in when considering a piece of furniture manufactured from this fine wood.  We’ll cover the different types of Cherry woods available online or in the marketplace and the common characteristics of each.  Our goal is to give our online furniture shoppers more background information while shopping for furniture in a store or online.  We have taken steps to make this information as condenced and relevent to furniture as is possible.  Should any questions remain, feel free to call our furniture store directly for more detailed information about cherry wood furnishings!

Basic Characteristics of North American Cherry Wood:

• Species name: Prunus
• Wood type: Hardwood: (Angiosperm)
• Comes from: North America

Other Types of Cherry Wood:

There are three major types of Cherry wood:

• Black Cherry (Commonly referred to as American Cherry)
• Wild Cherry
• Red Cherry

For the purposes of this article we are going to focus on the Black Cherry.  Wild cherry and Red cherry are not commonly used in the construction of furniture in the United States.  For more information about Wild Cherry, see Wikipedia.  For more information about Red Cherry see Wikipedia. 

Black Cherry Wood (Prunus Serotina):

This wood is commonly called: black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry or mountain black cherry.  It is a hardwood, with hardwood characteristic perfect for it’s key uses: in the making of quality interior furniture and cabinetry. 

Mature Tree Characteristics:

• Size: 15 – 30 m tall
• Leaves: 6 – 14 cm long
• Small flowers (10 – 15 mm diameter)
• Produces edible fruit with a bitter and sweet taste
• Bark is thick, dark and broken

Uses of Black Cherry Wood:

Considered a premium wood in the home furnishings and cabinetry industries.  The fruit is used for jams; cherry pies; flavoring liqueurs and sodas.

Why American Cherry is a Premium Wood for Cabinet Making:

In the construction of quality home furnishings and cabinets it’s important to use a wood that has a high density.  The American Cherry wood has a density of about 580 kg per cubic meter.  Additionally, the look and feel of the grain pattern is important to quality cabinet and furniture makers, American cherry has an often cited “dramatic” grain pattern that gives furnishings a more unique look and feel.

Other Characteristics:

Heartwood Color:

The American cherry has heartwood (close to the center) that has a beautiful red hue.  This red hue is favored among buyers of fine furnishings.

Milling Characteristics:

Unlike other hardwoods, American cherry wood is easy to mill and does not dull machinery and tools.   Additionally the wood cuts easily without tearing out, giving a finer finished product without as many “tries”.

Finishing:

American cherry is the canvas for a host of fine finishes.  The wood finishes well with a deep and beautiful color.

Size:

This tree grows to a varying number of large sizes giving you the freedom of using various widths; lengths and thicknesses.

Why North American Cherry is Seldomly Used in Chinese Made Furnishings:

The answer to this commonly asked question comes down to logistics and expense.  There are few furniture manufacturing companies with plants in China that take the time and energy needed to cull and ship North American Cherry woods overseas to China.  The cost of shipping the woods adds perceived "wasted" expense to the furniture.  There are a few companies that do procure North American Cherry and then ship their lumber overseas to produce quality furnishings, those companies include: A-America; Tradewins (now out of business); Legacy Classic Furniture among a handful of other select suppliers. 

Caution:

Consumers of North American Cherry furnishings should keep in mind that the wood will age darker over-time. 

Visual Aid:

Resources:

• Where to buy North American cherry lumber: Highland Hardwoods.
• Where to buy cherry furniture: Furniture From Home