OUR STANDARD WOOD SPECIES

Choosing the right wood is just as important as choosing the right finish.

Each species has its own color, grain pattern, density, character, and way of accepting finish. We offer five standard hardwood options so you can choose the look and feel that's right for your home.

Wood is a natural material, so no two boards—and no two tables—will ever look exactly alike.

RED OAK

Warm • Character-Rich • Excellent Value

Red oak is a strong, durable hardwood with prominent grain and naturally warm undertones.

It's an excellent choice for customers who want the character of oak while keeping the overall project more budget-friendly.

Red oak also responds beautifully to colored finishes, making it especially versatile when you want to create a deeper or more customized look.

Best known for:

• Strong, open grain
• Warm natural color
• Excellent durability
• Great value
• Takes colored finishes beautifully

Our recommendation: Red oak is particularly well suited to our darker colored hardwax oil options as lighter options may have a pink color to them.

WHITE OAK

Refined • Durable • Versatile • Premium

White oak has become a favorite in modern furniture—and for good reason.

It has a strong, attractive grain with a more neutral appearance than red oak, making it especially versatile in modern, farmhouse, Scandinavian, and contemporary interiors.

White oak is dense, durable, and slightly harder than red oak, making it an excellent premium choice for a dining table.

Best known for:

• Refined, attractive grain
• Dense and durable hardwood
• Neutral, versatile color
• Popular in contemporary furniture
• Excellent with both natural and colored finishes

Our recommendation: White oak is one of our most versatile choices and works beautifully with both natural and tinted finishes.

WALNUT

Rich • Distinctive • Premium

Walnut is naturally one of the richest-looking hardwoods we offer.

Its brown tones range from lighter brown to deep chocolate, often with darker streaks and subtle variations that give each board its own character.

Walnut makes a statement without needing a heavy stain or dark finish.

Best known for:

• Rich brown and chocolate tones
• Beautiful natural variation
• Distinctive grain
• Naturally dark appearance
• Premium, upscale look

Our recommendation: For walnut, we often recommend letting the natural wood speak for itself with a clear or lightly enhancing matte finish.

HARD MAPLE

Light • Clean • Dense • Modern

Hard maple is a dense, hard-wearing hardwood with a light, creamy appearance and a fine, relatively subtle grain.

Its clean appearance makes it a great choice for modern and Scandinavian-inspired furniture, especially when you want the room to feel bright and open.

Best known for:

• Light creamy color
• Fine, subtle grain
• Dense and hard-wearing
• Clean, contemporary appearance
• Brightens a space naturally

Our recommendation: Hard maple is especially beautiful with a natural matte finish that keeps its light, clean appearance.

CHERRY

Warm • Classic • Richens With Age

Cherry has a naturally warm color and smooth, refined grain that gives it a timeless appearance.

One of cherry's most unique characteristics is that it deepens and becomes richer in color as it ages and is exposed to light.

A cherry table may look beautiful when it leaves our shop—and even more beautiful years later.

Best known for:

• Warm reddish-brown tones
• Smooth, refined grain
• Classic and timeless appearance
• Naturally beautiful without heavy coloring
• Develops a richer color with age

Our recommendation: We often prefer to let cherry's natural color and aging process be part of the design rather than heavily coloring it.

NATURAL OR COLORED?

Not every species needs the same approach.

Some woods are beautiful enough that we prefer to simply enhance their natural character with a clear or lightly enhancing hard wax oil.

Others—particularly oak—can look dramatically different with a carefully selected color.

Natural Finish

Best when you want to showcase the wood's natural color, grain, and character.

Especially beautiful on:

• Walnut
• Maple
• Cherry
• White Oak

Colored Finish

Hard wax oil can also be used to shift the color of the wood while maintaining its natural grain and matte appearance.

Especially versatile on:

• Red Oak
• White Oak

Color selection is always made with the actual wood species in mind because the same finish color can look very different from one species to another.

For custom orders, we recommend viewing a sample of the actual wood + finish combination before finalizing your selection.

YOUR TABLE, YOUR CHOICE

There isn't one “best” wood.

The right choice depends on the look you're after, the character you want to see, and how you want the table to fit into your home.

Looking for...

Warmth & value?
→ Red Oak

A refined, versatile premium oak?
→ White Oak

Rich, naturally dark character?
→ Walnut

Light, clean, modern?
→ Hard Maple

Warm, classic, and beautiful with age?
→ Cherry

We'll help you pair the right wood with the right finish so the finished table feels like it belongs in your home.

WOOD SHOULD LOOK LIKE WOOD.

That's the reason we chose hard wax oil.

We don't want to hide the grain beneath a thick, glossy coating.

We want you to see the character of the boards, feel the natural texture beneath your hand, and watch the wood develop its own character as your family uses the table.

Natural wood. Matte finish. Thoughtful craftsmanship.

That's the True North approach.