Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Cedar What Wood Should I Use?
Black Forest Sawmill is nestled in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, where an abundance of domestic wood types awaits woodworking enthusiasts.
Each wood type has unique characteristics, making them suitable for various woodworking projects. We often receive questions like "What wood species should I use for this project?" or "What makes this wood species preferred over another?"
We hope to answer those questions and explore some of the prominent domestic wood types found in the Shenandoah Valley that are most popular in the woodworking community.
Walnut, Cherry, Maple or Cedar?
Black Walnut
Rich dark color, beautiful grain and a favorite for furniture, tables and cutting boards.
Cherry
Warm reddish-brown color, fine grain and a classic choice for furniture and cabinetry.
Maple
Light colored, dense and durable with excellent hardness for cutting boards and furniture.
Eastern Red Cedar
Aromatic, colorful and naturally resistant to rot and insects, making it popular for outdoor projects.
Black Walnut
First off we would like to discuss Black Walnut, often referred to simply as "walnut." This is one of our most popular sellers and is a prized wood known for its rich, dark brown color with striking grain patterns.
Black walnut has excellent workability, sands easily and finishes beautifully, making it a great entry wood for a novice woodworker. Black walnut is also a popular choice for cutting boards and butcher blocks.
Even though it is not as hard as maple, black walnut is still a durable wood. In the end, many people prefer black walnut for crafting furniture such as tables because of its elegant appearance that fits well into almost any interior design.
Oh, and if you ever want to add a little bit of flavor to your project, find a piece of black walnut with a little sapwood showing through on the sides for some extra pop!
Popular Uses
Tables, furniture, desks, cutting boards, butcher blocks and projects where the natural color and grain are part of the design.
Shop Black Walnut Slabs
Cherry
Next on our list is Cherry. Cherry wood features a reddish-brown hue that tends to darken over time when exposed to light.
It also features a fine, straight grain structure, making it suitable for a wide range of woodworking projects.
Cherry is relatively easy to work with using both hand and power tools, making it a preferred wood choice for furniture including tables, dressers, bed frames and cabinetry.
Cherry is also a good choice for cutting boards, although it will generally not hold up to wear and tear over time quite like walnut and maple.
Popular Uses
Tables, dressers, bed frames, cabinetry, fine furniture and woodworking projects where a warm traditional appearance is desired.
Shop Cherry Slabs
Maple
Third on the list is Maple. Maple is a unique wood with many different characteristics depending on the variety.
Overall, maple has a light, creamy color with subtle grain patterns. Maple is a dense and durable wood with excellent hardness, making it resistant to wear and a great choice for cutting boards and other frequently used woodworking projects.
Maple is also a great wood to include in designs with other species since its light color contrasts especially well with darker woods such as walnut.
What About Ambrosia Maple?
Maple wood is considered "ambrosia" maple when it displays unique and visually striking patterns caused by ambrosia beetles. The beetles carry a fungus that stains the wood as they burrow through it, creating a network of dark streaks that often begin or end at a small beetle hole. The resulting ambrosia maple is highly prized in the woodworking community.
Popular Uses
Cutting boards, butcher blocks, furniture, contrasting multi-species projects and pieces featuring distinctive ambrosia figure.
Shop Maple Slabs
Eastern Red Cedar
Last on our list, but certainly not least, is Eastern Red Cedar.
Eastern red cedar features a purplish hue along with that unmistakable aroma you can almost smell just by reading this sentence — if you've ever worked with it, you know what we mean!
Cedar has a fine, straight grain and is naturally resistant to rot and insect damage.
When it comes to the sawmill process, cedar is a great wood. It's soft, it dries easily and, again, it smells great!
On the woodworking side, cedar is well known for outdoor applications, making it a great choice for benches, Adirondack chairs and picnic tables.
Popular Uses
Benches, Adirondack chairs, picnic tables, outdoor projects and pieces where cedar's natural color and aroma can stand out.
Shop Cedar SlabsSo, What Wood Should You Use?
As we conclude this quick review of four wood species found in the Shenandoah Valley, it becomes clear just how unique each individual species is.
From the elegance of Black Walnut to the versatility of Cherry, the durability of Maple or the aromatic charm of Eastern Red Cedar — yes, we smell it too, you aren't crazy! — each of these species provides endless opportunities for craftsmen and hobbyists alike.
As you embark on your woodworking journey, whether you're building furniture, cutting boards or outdoor pieces, we hope these insights into the characteristics and uses of each species help inspire your creativity and serve as a guide for your next project.
Ready to Pick Your Wood?
Browse our kiln-dried live edge slabs online or visit Black Forest Sawmill in Crimora, Virginia to see our hardwood inventory in person.
Each live edge slab listed online is individually photographed so you can choose the exact piece you receive. We ship throughout the lower 48 states.
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