When it comes to overall strength and durability, maple triumphs. Maple is a significantly stronger hardwood product than cherry. In fact, maple is one of the strongest and most durable natural wood options available. It holds up well resisting significant dents or dings.
Density: Is Maple wood harder than Cherry? With a rating of 1450 on the Janka hardness scale, Maple is one of the hardest species of wood commonly used for flooring. Cherry, on the other hand, is one of the softest hardwoods in the flooring industry, with a Janka rating of 950.
That's because maple trees are grown all over North America and are much easier to source. Conversely, cherry wood is not as populous, which results in it being harder to source and more expensive.
Cherry is more expensive, but earns its price with its smooth grain and rich cherry shades, as well as its even display of stain and its ability to be carved into detailed shapes. Hard maple displays light colors, looks gorgeous in a natural finish, and can handle heavy use.
Many people think that cherry cabinets might be going out of style because they've been around for so long, but the answer to that is that they're here to stay. Designers have even found ways to incorporate them into the modern and contemporary style.
Cherry is used in a wide variety of applications, including: Furniture: From cabinetry to tables to veneer, cherry is a staple in practically every American woodshop; Millwork: Interior millwork such as doors, moldings and trim; Flooring: Cherry is durable and sometimes used as flooring.
Cherry is often rather brittle and the fibers occasionally fracture while the log is still standing. So it came as no surprise as I worked the curly cherry for the April issue project that I came across a rather wide board that was substantially cracked over a great deal of its length.
Cherry tree
The key to the probability of wood cracking is the size of the wood texture and whether the moisture content is stable. Wood with a finer texture has a lower cracking probability than wood with a larger texture. Cherry and walnut are relatively less likely to crack.
Natural cherry wood is perhaps the most prized furniture hardwood in America. Easily our most popular seller, cherry is a smooth-grained, reddish-brown hardwood that comes from the American Black Cherry fruit tree. Cherry is renowned among woodworkers and furniture aficionados for its color and aging process.
The most expensive wood is agarwood. Other expensive woods include: African black wood, sandalwood, koa wood, Brazilian rosewood, lignum vitae, cocobolo wood, purpleheart wood, bocote wood, holly tree wood, bubinga wood, and pink ivory. Several of these woods cost upwards of $100,000 per kilo.
As you may have guessed by now, maple wood is strong! In fact, maple wood is second in hardness only to hickory wood. This makes it a natural choice for many, many different types of flooring. Maple is the second most popular choice for hardwood floors in the United States, just behind Oak.
Cherry and Oak Wood Comparison
Oak is more dense and more durable. Cherry is less dense and can dent more easily. Cherry is easier to work with than oak, and it's easier to carve and sculpt. Both are strong hardwoods, but oak is stronger and does not have to be watched over as much.
Perhaps no wood offers these features quite like teakwood, the best wood for outdoor furniture use given its natural durability, extreme moisture resistance, and resistance to beetles, termites, wood rot, fungus, and general weather damage. Other reliable outdoor woods include shorea, acacia, and cedar.
Ash, Maple, and Cherry are more abundant as they grow larger but have highly sought after aesthetics in the grain which make them less expensive than Walnut but more expensive than some hardwoods. Birch is slightly cheaper than all of these because the natural tones in the wood grain are not as even.
It depends on what you are looking for in terms of strength, durability, and appearance. If you want beautiful wood that is strong and durable, then cherry wood is a great option. But, if you are looking for an easier to work with wood, then walnut might be a better choice.
The simple answer is yes. Natural cherry wood oxidizes when given exposure to UV lights, causing it to gradually darken over time. In most cases, 80% of the oxidization happens in the first year.
All wood species on Earth, including cherry, contain moisture in the walls and nuclei of wood cells. Wood naturally continues to absorb and release moisture into the air based on changes in the relative humidity (RH) of its surrounding environment.
As cherry is exposed to sunlight and air, it changes color, shifting from a light salmon to a deep, rich reddish-brown. This transformation begins in as little as six months. Through oxidation and UV exposure, the cherry's molecular makeup changes how light is reflected, giving the cherry its recognizably rich hue.
Cedar is among the densest wood species, which helps prevent cracking due to changes in moisture.
How Long to Season Cherry Wood. Due to its high sap content, cherry tends to be very slow to season. So how long does cherry wood take to dry cherry wood? On average, you should expect to wait at least 12 to 18 months before it can be safely used.
Cost – Cherry wood is more expensive than other hardwoods like maple. The cost ranges from around $3-$8 per board foot. Blotchy Stain – It is difficult for beginners to stain cherry wood as it does not accept stain in a uniform manner. Changing Color – Cherry wood changes color over time.
Has a fine, even texture with moderate natural luster. Rot Resistance: Heartwood is rated as being very durable and resistant to decay, though not typically used in exterior applications. Workability: Black cherry is known as being one of the best all-around woods for workability.
Current lumber prices for Black Cherry rank the species comparable in value to hard maple, higher than ash, but lower than yellow birch. Cherry is most valuable in veneer log form, and prices up to $700 per thousand board feet are being paid for the best logs.