Cherry lumber is one of the most attractive
hardwoods available, but it is not always the
easiest to work with. Woodworkers with patience
and determination, however, are finding that
the deep colours and hardiness of projects made
with cherry lumber are well worth the effort.
Properties of cherry wood
Cherry lumber does not usually come from the
North American species made famous by the ever
truthful George Washington. Instead, many types
of cherry lumber is produced from tropical cherry
trees which grow much larger than their North
American cousins. While North American black
cherry wood is highly prized, tropical cherry
lumber is generally more moderate in price and
more widely available.
Regardless of its source, cherry wood is characterized
by a strong aroma, as well as distinctive colours
which range from light white or yellow for the
sapwood to deep red or reddish brown in the heartwood.
Cherry lumber is also known for its markings;
most cherry wood has prominent gum streaks and/or
pin knots throughout its fine grain.
Unfortunately cherry lumber does have a few
less desirable qualities. Woodworkers who dry
their own lumber may experience significant warping
or shrinkage, in part because cherry wood tends
to dry very quickly. Cherry lumber also does
not react well to nails, which means that screws
are a better fastener choice. Finally, the high
density of cherry wood means that it can be difficult
to get the wood to hold a high polish without
continued maintenance.
Uses of cherry lumber
Cherry lumber has been used in many different
applications over the years. Cherry lumber makes
beautiful cabinets and fine furniture, and can
also be turned in a lathe to produce durable
handles for tools and kitchen implements. But
cherry flooring is probably the most common use
of cherry lumber, at least for do it yourselfers.
Cherry flooring
Cherry flooring brings beauty and warmth to
almost any home. Its deep red colours make the
perfect compliment to many of the most popular
modern wall coverings, while still imparting
a sense of colonial or old-world charm to your
home.
These and many other reasons are why many do
it yourselfers have begun to brave some of the
challenges inherent in using cherry lumber.
Further
articles:
- Small wood working projects
also require lumber for construction.
Additional lots are used for flooring
and parquet. Specialist lumber stores
like lumber
liquidators offer a huge variety
of various types of wooden floors.
- Amongst
many flooring brands Bellawood® is
certainly one of the most known ones. Read
a detailed article on this Flooring
specialist brand.
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