The Different Wood Species We Use
At Hoboken Wood Company, we use an incredible variety of woods - both American hardwoods and exotic hardwoods. Here is a comprehensive list of the species of wood the studio has worked with:
Black Walnut
Walnut comes in a variety of species, all of which are very durable and reliable. Black walnut is primarily used by our studio because of its beautiful color, longevity, and workability. This type of walnut is primarily found in central and east North America. Benefits of black walnut is that it is rot resistant - although like maple, it is susceptible to insect attack. We have made a variety of walnut tables, piano benches, and cabinetry out of it.
Maple
Maple is a domestic wood, found generally in the Northeast. There are two varieties of maple, soft maple and hard maple. We tend to use hard maple because it is a stronger material, able to withstand the test of time. It is not insect resistant, so we recommend that any maple products ordered are not placed in an outdoor setting. We have made pedestal tables, custom dining tables, desk shelves, and cabinetry out of this wonderful material.
Pecky Bolivian
Another species of walnut we use is Pecky Bolivian walnut, an equally reliable wood that has beautiful distinct grain patterns resulting from natural voids that give it its 'pecky' appearance. An example of our work with Pecky Bolivian walnut is this minimalist desk.
White Oak
White oak is durable, workable, and has an appealing grain pattern. It is rot resistant and naturally insect resistant, making it a great wood to be used for outside projects. It is used in all sorts of exterior contexts like boat building and porch paneling. We have used it to make custom dining tables, cabinetry, and chairs.
Ash
There are a lot of different varieties of ash - it is a common American hardwood. Unfortunately, many ash trees in the U.S. have been infected with an invasive beetle species that destroys the wood. It is predicted that many of these beautiful trees will die because of the insect infestation. We have used ash in many projects, and we hope that we will be able to continue using it despite this.
Cherry
Cherry is the last of the American hardwoods on this list - with its technical name being “Black Cherry” wood. This tree does not produce the cherries we are used to eating - that is the “Sweet Cherry” tree, found in Europe and Asia. This wood is rot resistant and strong; its most appealing characteristic is its pinkish red color. One of the projects we made in cherry is this solid wood coffee table.
Baltic Birch
Unlike the other woods on this list, baltic birch is a plywood and not a solid piece of hardwood. Plywood is made out of thin pieces of wood glued together to create a much stronger and workable material. Baltic Birch is a plywood made from thin pieces of birch sourced from the Baltics and Finland; unlike other plywoods, there are no filler parts placed in between the slices of wood, making it of a higher quality than its counterparts.
Mango
Mango is an exotic hardwood that is absolutely beautiful in color pattern and grain texture. Delivered to us from Hawaii, it is slightly less durable than harder woods like walnut and white oak. However, it can and is readily used by woodworkers for furniture and other objects, as well as floor paneling. We have used it in our woodworking desk shelves, making sure to highlight the intricacy of the wood surface.
Sapele
Sapele is an African hardwood similar in quality to mahogany. It is rot resistant and mildly resistant to insect damage, although it is not recommended for outside use. We have used it for solid wood coffee tables.
Speciality Veneers:
Besides these hardwoods and plywoods, we are also open to using specialty veneers. Veneer is a thin layer of wood that is adhered to plywood to create a beautiful surface look to any piece of furniture.
If you are interested in any of the woods mentioned to be used for a project, please use the contact page to reach out to ask about prices and availability.
