When you think about which wood would be good for furniture for your home, one of the first things you must consider is what kind of wood suits your home’s style and ultimately your taste. You will also have to consider factors such as strength, toughness and durability. Can it take the strain of every day living, the accidently knocks and bangs and is it hard wearing enough for your lifestyle and will it last and keep its appeal?

So the first question is

Do You Go Hardwood or softwood?

One of the first terms you will encounter when it comes to different types of wood is whether they are a hardwood or a softwood.  Hardwoods come from trees that drop their leaves each autumn and grow new ones in the spring as ana example like an oak tree.  Softwoods come from evergreen trees which tend to not drop their leaves or produce seeds as an example like a conifer.

Hardwood trees are the slower-growing trees, and this makes for a much denser wood.  This means that bespoke furniture made from hardwood will last longer and be a lot tougher and stronger. It makes them the ideal choice for furniture.

Best woods for handmade furniture

Most furniture experts and including us here at Kalusto, definitely do prefer the hardwoods for furniture and this is because they are more durable and can look visually stunning.  They work in everything from cabinets and bookcases to wardrobes, kitchen and dining tables, chairs and alsothey are used for entertainment cabinets and even shoe racks! Below we list a few of the hardwoods ideal for bespoke furniture

Oak

Oak is probably one of the most popular hardwoods for furniture and has a lovely open grain to it that makes the furniture visually very and natural. There are two main shades of oak – white which is a greyish-brown colour and red which has a reddish tint to it.

Mahogany

Mahogany is toward the more expensive end of hardwoods and is a deeply rich looking wood which makes it very distinctive from other hardwoods.  It varies in colour from a medium brown to a deep reddish brown depending on how old the tree was the wood has been cultivated from.  It is extremely versatile and is also highly popular for wood veneers.

Beech

Beech is a very strong and heavy wood that has a very fine and tight grain which creates a beautiful even texture.  It is light in colour and has very good shock resistance that makes it popular choice for heavier pieces of furniture such as tables. And for those who hate to polish it is a very easy wood to clean and comes up a treat!

Maple

Maple is a very strong hardwood and is moisture resistant, making it the most suitable for kitchens where there is a higher level of moisture in the air.  It is a pale coloured wood with distinctive swirls and twists to the grain.  It also easily stains or can be painted for those wishing to change their furniture’s look and feel.

Pine

Pine is one of the most affordable hardwoods with a light finish and it is also great hardwood for staining.  It is not as strong as some of the other hardwoods but it blends well with many different woods if you need something to match existing wood furniture.

Walnut

Walnut has a very distinctive rich chocolate brown colour and is also known to be a very versatile hardwood.  The wood is strong and has a straight grain and there are a few different shades available.

Acacia

Acacia wood is a very-strong wood and is known for being scratch resistant. The gran can vary between wavy and straight, and it comes in colours ranging from light ambers to a dark mahogany. No two acacia timbers are alike!

Hardwoods Are The Right Wood For Furniture

Hardwoods tend to be the right wood for most furniture because it is much stronger and more durable than softwoods.  They do cost slightly more but this is worth it for the overall quality, style and lifespan you will get from the furniture.

Despite hardwood being the perfect choice for furniture, softwoods are still quite a stylish choice, with their rustic look and is readily available and there is no shortage of supply. An if you are a DIY enthusiast and wish to make your own furniture softwood is great choice for the beginner!

We here at Kalusto have a varied and stylish selection of hardwood furniture to choose from made from hardwoods such as oak, walnut, acacia and mahogany. All woods as explained above with their own merits and style. All the wood in used for our furniture is from sustainable managed forests. We have furniture for every taste and style. So find your perfect hardwood furniture today.