On the Janka scale, walnut receives a 1,010, while cherry gets a 950. Those are respectively strong woods. However, they aren't quite on the same level of strength as hardwoods like maple (1,450) or birch (1,260). While walnut is slightly harder than cherry, the difference of strength is minor.
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.
Cherry is another 5% or so softer than walnut. Wood hardness is certainly something you'll want to take into consideration as you make your species selection.
While it's classified as a “softer” hardwood, cherry wood is still a hardwood and it's no wimp. Cherry remains strong and durable over time. The Janka Hardness scale used to rate the hardness of wood rates the hardness of cherry at 950, which is a bit lower than walnut and maple, but higher than pine wood.
Walnut: I call it a happy medium between Cherry and Maple--it's the "Goldilocks." Very nice on your knife, and it takes a stain well since it is so dark to begin with. Walnut is probably the single most popular wood for us.
Cherry makes the ideal cutting board material because it checks all of the appropriate boxes: it's dense enough to be durable under heavy use, soft enough to keep your knives sharp, and because it's derived from an edible fruit tree it's toxin-free and totally suitable for food contact surfaces.
With a relatively straight grain and a closed pore structure, Cherry is a desirable wood for butcher block countertops and furniture alike.
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.
Note: A hardwood named Quipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia) is commonly reported as the softest known wood, with an alleged Janka hardness of 22 lbf (98 N).
Walnut is often more expensive than cherry. Walnut trees are not as readily available as cherry trees. They also don't grow as tall, producing less wood per tree than other hardwood trees. Walnut wood doesn't usually come in long boards, meaning there are often more knots to work around.
Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF
Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.
“I would encourage people to mix wood species in the same room because it gives a balanced flavor to the space. The lighter hues of new cherry or even ash will complement the richer tones of walnut. Many pieces that we make at Thos. Moser are a great display of this ebb and flow of light and dark.
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.
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.
One of the reasons that Cherry furniture doesn't go out of style is because this furniture comes in so many colors and can be paired well with many different modern accent styles. While Cherry is great for achieving an antique, classic look, it can also supply a tasteful modern appeal.
The best water resistant wood types & species. Iroko, Oak, Western Red Cedar, Cherry, Maple and heat-treated woods are just a few examples of timber that boast excellent dimensional stability and high resistance to shrinking and warping in the face of moisture.
Cedar is among the densest wood species, which helps prevent cracking due to changes in moisture.
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.
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.
Durability: Cherry hardwood is a moderately durable wood; its heart is very resistant to rot and decay. Strength: Cherry hardwood is also moderately strong and has a medium ability to resist shock loads.
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.
Cherry: Cherry wood delivers a mild to medium smoke that is sweet, slightly fruity and blends well with oak wood. Cherry is an excellent wood for smoking pork, lamb, beef, dark poultry like duck and other gamey meat.
Cherry can be stained in a variety of light or dark stain choices, or it can be left in a natural finish. Cherry makes stunning dining room tables and is just the right choice for formal and traditional styles as well as transitional ones that blend traditional and contemporary.
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.