Cherry Wood Millwork and Kitchens
- 2020-12-22 21:29:36 / Home Additions , Home improvement , Kitchen Design Ideas ,
What is Cherry wood?
Cherry wood derives from the cherry fruit tree.
It is a type of hardwood, and it is known for its beautiful color and
durability.
According to commercial and
residential renovation contractors in Toronto, cherry wood is
available in a variety of colors, including white, yellow, red, and dark brown.
The darker wood blends in elegance to its surroundings, while lighter versions
are perfect for furniture. It is cumbersome and durable, which is one reason
that colonial carpenter used it for furniture and cabinets.
Cherry wood comprises a smooth, satiny grain that
can be enhanced with the application of stain. It steams quickly, which makes
it ideal for use in curved projects, such as building boats and furniture. It
does contract and expands slightly as the humidity of its locations changes.
Woodworkers highly prize cherry wood because of its vibrant color, flexibility,
and smooth grain. It is frequently used in caskets, toys, paneling, furniture,
and flooring. Cherry wood is more economical than many other types of
hardwoods, which makes it even more attractive for carpenters and woodworkers.
The Properties of Cherry Wood
This kind of wood is highly sought-after by both commercial millwork companies and homeowners, as is a beautiful kind of wood
that is easy to work with. It also becomes darker and more productive as it
gets old.
- Aesthetics:
When it comes to appearance, cherry wood is generally reddish-brown with a
golden hue, although it is paler when it is freshly cut. Its oxidization
creates the popular rich brown-red over time. The sapwood and heart of the
cherry tree are easy
to identify as the sapwood is narrow and yellowish to reddish, but the
heart is yellowish to light red-brown.
- Texture:
Cherry hardwood consists of a straight-grain, beautiful, uniform, satiny,
and smooth surface. It also has a moderate natural luster.
- Workability: This kind of wood is also known for its excellent
workability, mainly due to its straight-grained qualities. Because the
wood tends to become blemished when it is stained, most people start with
preparing it before it undergoes the staining
process; generally, a sanding sealer or a gel-based stain is suggested.
- Durability:
Cherry hardwood is known to be a moderately durable wood; its heart is
very resistant to rot and decay.
- Strength:
Cherry hardwood is also moderately durable and has a medium ability to
resist shock loads.
- Flexibility:
It is easy to carve, cut, and mold, and is used for many different
applications due to its versatility. It has medium density and excellent
bending properties and low stiffness.
- Structure:
Cherry comprises of a fine pore structure in general, though the spring
growths’ pores are slightly larger. It makes it easier to discern the
several rings in the wood.
Applications for Cherry Wood
Cherry is used in several styles and has also
been titled New England mahogany. It is often used to create 18th century
Colonial and French millwork
designs. This kind of hardwood can have many different
applications, therefore, including:
- Furniture (such as kitchen cabinets).
- Moldings.
- Millwork.
- Flooring.
- Doors.
- Boat interiors.
- Musical instruments (such as violin bows and pianos).
- Turnings.
- Carvings.
- Veneers.
- Joineries.
Source:
Pinterest
Cherry hardwood is economical than walnut wood and more durable than maple and oak and is relatively rare in the sense that it is not harvested as often as other types of wood. Its flexibility, array of colors and patterns, and other physical properties oak Cherry to be known as the most versatile woods to use in a variety of applications.
Types of Cherry Wood
It is available in two main varieties: black and
sweeCherry says Custom architectural
and commercial millwork companies in Toronto.
Black Cherry Wood
Source: Pinterest
About
Tree sizes can vary between 50-100 ft and have a
trunk diameter of about 3-5 ft. They can also live up to 140 to 200 years and
make a durable wood. Their hardiness is one of the best in the market with 950
lb. It means that they can withstand wear and dents well. It is low enough that
you would not have any trouble sanding, nailing, screwing, or sawing the wood
as you desire.
Attributes
Color
It consists of the heartwood of a light pinkish
brown color when you recently cut it. With exposure to light and time, the wood
darkens to medium reddish-brown. The sapwood of the cherry tree comprises of a
pale yellowish color.
Furniture
Furniture manufacturers love this wood because
the wood grain is smooth, straight, and easy to work. Some figured pieces have
a curly grain pattern, which makes it difficult to work with. The cherry wood
consists of a semi-porous to diffuse-porous end grain. There is no specified
arrangement between the small and the medium pores, and the wood has 2-3
radial. Millwork cabinets
manufactured by black cherry wood are highly popular among homeowners.
Deposits
Occasionally you can feel the presence of
gum/mineral deposits in the wood. It is not easily visible with the lens and is
suitable for the owners. The mineral deposits are often required since they
give the furniture a unique grain.
Resistant to Decay
Black cherry wood has become popular since it is resistant to decay and is very durable, especially the heartwood. It makes it great for furniture and domestic usage since no one wants to invest in wood that is not prone to wear and tear.
Very Workable
Cherry wood is also considered as one of the best
woods to work with, which is why producers also prefer investing in this wood.
It machines well, and the grain is stable and straight. Staining the wood is
the only difficult part since it can provide blotchy results. Professionals
recommend using a gel-based stain or a sanding sealer before staining the wood.
Using sapwood is very common among manufacturers,
but it creates a lot of waste, that is why heartwood is preferred.
Odor
It has a distinctive and a mild smell while it is
being worked with. Breathing in the sawdust from the cherry wood can lead to
serious health concerns. It causes respiratory effects like coughing and
wheezing, which is why it is mandatory to have proper protective gear while you
are working with the cherry wood.
Pricing
Since cherry wood is manufactured using domestic
lumber, the prices of the wood are similar to those of walnut. They are more
economical compared to other options but are a little more expensive than maple
or oak woods. Since the wood species is vast, it is an easily sourced wood. It
is not listed on CITES Appendices or IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which
is why the price is lower compared to a number of other species.
You can expect to be paying around $7.25 per board foot for 1″ and $8.75 per board foot for 2″.
Sweet Cherry Wood
Source: Pinterest
About
This kind of wood is also known as the European
Cherry wood. The scientific name for this kind of wood is ‘Prunus avium,’ and
it is mainly found in the regions of Asia and Europe. The tree can reach
the heights of 32-65 ft and has a trunk diameter that can vary from 1-2 ft. It
is smaller than the black cherry trees that are usually are found in America.
Despite the size, it has superior hardness, which means that it is one of the
most durable kinds of wood in the market. It can withstand a tremendous amount
of wear and tear, but it is not easy to sand, saw, or nail.
Sweet cherry wood has wood of a light pink-brown
when you freshly cut it. The color darkens with time to a golden brown when it
is exposed to light. The sapwood of the sweeCherryry is generally 1-2″ in width
and has a pale yellow color.
Cherry wood is a beautiful and reliable kind of
wood. It ages perfectly and looks gorgeous as furniture, boats, flooring, etc.
Attributes
Texture
The texture of rich cherry wood comprises of fine
to medium with a close grain. The grain is generally complete straight and
slightly wavy. The end grain of the wood consists of semi-ring porous, and the
pores do not have a specific arrangement. It has a 2-3 radial, solitary
multiple and has distinct growth rings since the earlywood pore concentration
is usually high.
Deposits
It sometimes gets deposits of minerals and gum,
which are desired by many people since they contribute to the uniqueness of the
wood. The unique design is essential if you want to sell the wood at a high
cost.
Sustainability
It is sustainable since it is not on the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species or CITES Appendices list. Despite this, it is not
available everywhere to manufacture. Sweet cherry wood is expensive since it is
only produced in Europe and some other specialized orchards. It is also sold in
small sizes or only as a veneer, which makes it an expensive material. In the
region where it naturally grows, the prices are not too high.
Durability
The heartwood of rich cherry wood is almost
moderately durable to almost non-durable when it comes to being decay
resistance. It has an adverse effect when it comes to pest attacks. It is why
black cherry wood is more prevalent among furniture manufacturers.
Odor
Unlike black cherry wood, it is odorless even
while the wood is being worked. Black cherry wood can also create health issues
like respiratory problems, but sweeCherryry has no such adverse effect.
Brazilian Cherry
Source: Pinterest
About
Brazilian Cherry wood is also known as Jatoba in
many places. The scientific name for it is Hymenaea Courbaril, and while
it is named after the cherry wood, it is usually of little relation to domestic
Cherry. The only similar thing with blacCherryry is that its natural color
impersonates the strained color of the domestiCherryry.
BrazilliaCherryry is generally found in the West
Indies, Central America, northern South America, and southern Mexico. The tree
grows to the size of 100-130 ft and can have a trunk diameter of almost 2-4 ft.
It has a high hardness of almost 2,690 lbs, which makes it exceptionally hard,
strong, and stiff. This is the reason it is used more like a more economical
lumber where high-strength materials are required by woodworkers.
Attributes
Color
This heartwood varies from a dark reddish-brown
to a light orange-brown. It might even have contrasting dark gray-brown
streaks, which turns out really unique. Unlike many types of wood like
blacCherryry and mahogany, the color of BraziliaCherryry only darkens when it
is exposed to light. The sapwood has a light grayish-yellow color.
Texture
The grain of Brazilian cherry wood consists of a
medium to coarse texture and is generally interlocked. It has very few but
large pores. The wood occasionally portrays signs of mineral deposits, which
gives it a sleek look.
Workability
Jojoba is a real hardwood to work with since it
has a really hard surface. It can cause tool cutters to turn blunt, and you
cannot plan it without a significant amount of tear-out. It can steam-bend,
stain, glue, finish, and turn well.
Pricing
This wood is available in a wide variety of sizes
and widths for lumber use. Many people also use it for flooring since it is a
very rich color. Unfinished Brazilian cherry planks for the flooring the size
of 5″ x 1/2″ can cost you around $4.65 to $5.00 psf; this not very expensive
considering the cost of imported timber. It is more commonly used for tool
handles, railroad ties, shipbuilding, furniture, flooring small specialty
items, and turned objects.
Patagonian Cherry
Source: Pinterest
About
Patagonian Cherry is more commonly called Tiete
Rosewood since it actually comes from the rose family. The scientific name for
it is Guibourtia hymenaeifolia and is more commonly found in South America. The
tree can grow to be quite huge, ranging from 130-165 ft with a trunk diameter
of 3-6 ft. It has a high hardness of 2,790 lbs, which makes it difficult to
work with.
Attributes
Color
Patagonian Cherry is usually pinkish-brown to a
lighter orange. It often reddens and darkens with age. It generally has a bland
and straight patterning in terms of grain. The wood has a very uniform color
and appearance; this is why most workers do not use it in interior flooring,
turned objects, and other small specialty wood products.
Workability
The wood is actually really hard and dense to
work with. Many producers prefer to work with lighter woods since they do not
strain the tools and machines as much. It also contains silica content, which
can dull cutter prematurely. However, its grace is the straight and uniform
grain that enhances workability.
Pricing
It is usually used in flooring, which is sold under the trade name of
Patagonian Cherry. Tiete Rosewood is also more commonly sold for lumber and is
inexpensive, considering it is an imported hardwood. The price of this type of
wood is about $5.00 sq/ft if you want to have it as your flooring.
Pros and Cons of Cherry Cabinetry
Cherry finishes darken with time, bringing out
the varied patterns and grains. Ultraviolet (UV) light speeds up the darkening
process. The darkening of the finish can be an advantage or a disadvantage in
the utilization of cherry wood, depending on your taste. Some benefits
of Cherry are:
- Cherry can take many different finishes very well
- Cherry is a smooth and close-grained, wood and has beautiful
variations of the finish varying from natural to almost black
Some cons of Cherry are:
- Cherry reacts to sunlight, which will change its color in
unbelievable ways
- It has a key color variation which will affect the appearance
of a set of cabinets
- Cherry is highly known to be one of the most expensive of the
cabinet materials
- It is not as resilient as hardwoods such as hickory and oak.
Cherry Kitchen Design Ideas
Source:
Pinterest
A small contemporary kitchen that enhances the
wall space to create this sleek kitchen design. At the side of the kitchen,
there is a full-height pantry cabinet/ storage with a built-in microwave and a
cooking range stove. It uses cheery wood laminates all around, and the sleek
look of the kitchen definitely gives a neat and modern look. The flooring
completely blends in with the cherry cabinets enhancing the visual appeal. To
distinguish the reds from the cabinets, the countertop materials are of greyish
quartz, and the backsplash is of cream color.
This is a country-style kitchen that utilizes
simple paneled kitchen cabinets in dark cherry wood finish. The elegant
detailing of the cabinets provides it an elegant yet modern appeal due to its
straight, clean lines. In the middle of there is a kitchen island that also
works as a bar/dining space. The countertop
materials used are black and cream quartz for the kitchen island. Meanwhile,
the backsplash is adorned with light yellow mosaic tiles, adding texture and a
soft pop of color to the surface.
This is another country style kitchen with an open floor plan, which enhances the visual appeal. It uses solid wood-paneled cherry wood cabinets blend with yellowish granite. It has an exposed ceiling. Pot lights and the hanging lights give it a more contemporary appeal. The cherry wood floor blends in perfectly with the white kitchen island, which also acts as a dining table. The kitchen is also exposed to let in a good amount of natural light.
When it comes to cherry wood, there are tons of ideas that you can apply to your kitchen to give it a more modern contemporary look. Finding the right commercial renovation contractor and material for your kitchen is the key. Make sure to give your kitchen a look it deserves. A sleekly designed kitchen is sure to catch hearts. A kitchen is also known as the heart of the home, so why not treat it like one? Make sure you do thorough research and interview several contractors and choose the best one for the best results.
You can also read Benefits of Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation Simultaneously