Popular Hardwood Species for Amish Furniture

You can choose from many wood species when purchasing your Amish furniture. We've included some of the most popular options below. Each species is available in multiple finishes, from lighter to darker and anywhere in between. Please note, however, these are just a selection of species and finishes available. When visiting one of our locations, you can see actual samples as well as floor displays. Be aware that viewing electronic renditions of stain samples is no substitute for viewing actual stain samples.

If interested in knowing more about the hardness of each species and which may be best suited for your needs, visit our Janka Hardness Scale.

Cherry Finishes

Hard and heavy, Cherry features fine to medium grains that are often wavy in nature. You’ll find Cherry also offers a very smooth texture. While Cherry offers excellent color consistency, it tends to darken with age or exposure to light. For a more rustic look with character, consider Rustic Cherry that features natural knotting.

Hickory Finishes

Hickory is the hardest of the woods we offer. It is dense and heavy. Its grain is more pronounced than cherry and maple but milder than red oak. Hickory is ideal for obtaining a rustic look.

Brown Maple Finishes

Brown Maple offers a fine, uniform, and tight grain that offers a smooth appearance. Brown maple is a hard wood - the same hardness as cherry. Its wood coloring is not as consistent as cherry. Likewise, maple is the preferred species when painting rather than staining wood. Therefore, maple is commonly found in two-tone combinations.

Red Oak Finishes

Red oak, or commonly just called oak, is the original hardwood species that showcased Amish furniture. The woodgrain is pronounced, but the wood itself offers color consistency throughout. It tends towards the hard side, but is not as hard as quarter sawn white oak.

Quartersawn White Oak (QSWO) Finishes

QSWO is a hard wood that features prominent grains. The cutting angle at the sawmill produces countless rays and flakes that give QSWO it’s beautiful, unique, and even antique look. If you prefer a more rustic look, rustic QSWO featuring knots is also available.