Solid Wood Furniture

At DutchCrafters, we offer solid wood furniture handcrafted by the Amish – more than 12,000 different fine furniture products for your bedroom, dining room, office, living room and outdoor. Because our furniture is handcrafted in America by master craftsmen, it is not only solid wood, but solid value.

Unlike cheap imported furniture that is made with veneers and synthetics, our American made, expertly crafted, heirloom quality solid wood furniture is built to last. Your investment will hold its value as you pass along our Amish furniture from one generation to the next.

There are many woods to choose from for your furniture, and it can be hard to decide what is the best choice for your style and needs. We have developed resources for you to learn about the different woods used to make our furniture and the characteristics of those woods.

Furniture Wood Types

Our solid wood furniture includes many types and styles, most of which is available in a variety of hardwoods and many different finish options. Some of our wood options include oak, quartersawn oak, cherry, maple, walnut, rustic cherry, brown maple and hickory. Because solid wood furniture is made from natural fiber, its beauty lies within the wood itself – a natural, wholesome, elegant look and feel that makes solid hardwood furniture unique and special.

Examples of popular wood types. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 license.

Quick Reference to Popular Furniture Wood Types

Brown Maple comes from the same logs as hard maple but is the darker heartwood. It is a smart choice for darker stains or paints. It can stain unevenly, which can be charming if expected. Brown maple is sometimes an alternative to cherry, since it has a similar look and is less expensive. Read more about brown maple.

Cherry has a smooth grain. It has a soft light gold/red tone but can be stained to create many appearances. Cherry ages to a rich reddish-brown color over time and is often peppered with exotic black specs and swirling grain. Cherry has very small knots that are dark in appearance and sometimes create a dip in the wood. Read more about cherry.

Hard Maple is a naturally light hardwood with smooth grain. Maple mellows to beautiful golden tone over time. Maple is sometimes flecked with naturally occurring black mineral deposits. Maple is an excellent choice for strong durable furniture. Maple can also be stained to create many appearances. Read more about hard maple.

Red Oak is a naturally light wood with a prominent grain, which makes groves in the wood that you can feel when you slide your finger across it. This grain is evident even with dark stains and usually appears darker than the rest of the wood. Knots may occasionally appear in the wood, which add to its character. Oak has a strong heavy look, and the look isn’t deceiving. Oak is a great choice for staining and generally is our most inexpensive hardwood. Read more about oak.

Quarter Sawn White Oak stains very well. Beautiful irregular markings or flakes are a result of logs cut in a special way. Quarter Sawn White Oak is known for its amazing strength and firm texture. Quarter Sawn Oak is a top choice for many of our customers who want the look of oak without the standard grain patterns. Read more about quarter sawn white oak.

Walnut is a dark wood with a medium amount of grain that makes slight groves in the wood. Even with different stains, the appearance of walnut does not change much. Knots may occasionally appear in the wood. Walnut brings an extra elegance to any room. If your taste leans toward formal, then the rich dark browns of walnut may be a sensible choice. Read more about walnut.

Guides to Furniture Wood Types

Click on the wood type below for more detailed information about that wood and the finishes that bring out its best qualities.

As you browse the many wood varieties we offer, please keep in mind that many of our wood shops use sustainable forestry techniques. These practices are not only better for the environment than clear-cutting and other harmful harvesting techniques, but can actually strengthen the forest in which they harvest the wood. When you remove an old tree near the end of its life cycle, you clear that area for the saplings to reach for the skies. This ensures that the wood used in our furniture is of the utmost quality and the forest from which they come will be more beautiful and stronger than ever.

Whichever wood type you are thinking of using, please read through and learn about the characteristics of each wood to better understand what goes into your solid wood furniture. If you need assistance, please reach out to our Amish furniture specialists at 941-867-2233.