What is the Best Wood for Furniture?

Well-crafted English oak furniture can be a lovely addition to any home. We take pride in offering versatile, handcrafted pieces with a style that goes beyond mere trends, offering something that can truly stand the test of time.

As you browse our site, you’ll notice that we use oak and various other woods for different items. That’s because every wood offers something different, whether that’s a change in look, touch, or even weight.

If you’re wondering which types of wood are the best for furniture, take a look at some of the factors we consider with our craftsmen when choosing how our items should be made.

Comparing Different Wood Types for Furniture

There are dozens of different woods that can be used to craft furniture. For this comparison, we will be looking at our three favourites that we use across our ranges – oak, pine and beech.

 

Beyond comparing various styles of wood, you also need to look at the quality of individual woods. We only use quality European solid woods in our products to ensure all our furniture will last a lifetime, just like the finest antiques from generations past.

Choosing Hardwoods or Softwoods: Which is Best for Furniture?

Before looking at each wood in more detail, it’s worth demystifying what is meant by hardwood and softwood, as this can confuse people.

The differences between hardwood and softwood are biological and not specifically concerning the strength of the wood itself. While it’s usually the case that hardwoods are denser and heavier than softwoods, that’s not to say that quality softwoods are weak by comparison.

What is often most important when it comes to the ‘strength’ of furniture is durability and stain resistance. While denser woods do help with these factors, softwoods like pine, when well-carved and treated, can be just as durable and long-lasting.

The density of hardwoods, formed over their longer lifespans, makes them a very attractive and sought-after material for furniture. However, because softwoods can be grown quickly, they can offer similar quality looks and feels at a cheaper production cost.

Ultimately, the choice between hardwood and softwood comes down to preferred aesthetics and costs. In terms of their longevity, there’s not too much between them, so long as the furniture is well-crafted.

Pictured: Our Charlbury Oak Dining Stool

Oak Wood Furniture: The Ultimate Classic

Few woods have the tradition, history and reputation of oak, and with good reason. This hardwood takes a long time to grow and makes for some of the densest wood available, creating incredibly solid and robust furniture with character and weight.

Oak tends to be associated with darker furniture, creating pieces full of character that look like they’ve been part of a home for hundreds of years (sometimes because they really have). However, oak can also have a lighter finish, which makes it feel more airy and modern while maintaining its distinct, earthy grain.

It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that oak is one of the most expensive woods available. This is partly down to how long oak trees take to mature compared to alternatives, but it’s also due to quality. When skilled craftsmen use oak, you’re guaranteed a stunning piece of furniture with the strength to last multiple lifetimes.

Pictured: Our English Pine Farmhouse Table

Pine Wood Furniture: Perfect for Farmhouse Finishes

Pine is arguably the most popular wood for furniture because of its incredible versatility and relative affordability.

As a softwood, pine is more easily worked than alternatives, which allows for the creation of very intricate designs. The naturally paler colour also provides a wonderful light but weathered appearance, really encompassing the popular English farmhouse aesthetic.

Despite being faster growing and less dense than hardwoods like oak, pine can still give that timeless feel to wooden furniture and create pieces that last for many generations.

Pictured: Our Beech Captain’s Spindle Tub Armchair

Beech Wood Furniture: an Elegant Newcomer

The use of beech in furniture is relatively new compared to the age-old traditions of woods like oak. However, it’s becoming an increasingly popular option, particularly for those seeking a sleek, modern look like the Scandi style.

Beech wood is a great all-rounder, sitting between the lightness of pine and the hardness of oak. Beech is a hardwood, so it has a similar density to oak, but is much more flexible, which is why you’ll see it a lot in curved designs.

Most beech furniture has a slightly smoother surface than most woods with a natural red tint (especially in the case of European beech). Its density, combined with a very fine grain, means it’s incredibly durable and stain-resistant, perfect for our modern, busy lives.

While there are other woods out there, we believe these three provide a wonderful, varied selection of wooden furniture. We take pride in the quality of materials used across our range, so explore our collections today to discover life-long wooden furniture.