Sapwood vs. Rustic Cherry – What’s the Difference?

When you’re out shopping for furniture, especially Amish furniture, you want to know what type of wood you’re looking for and most importantly, what on earth the difference is. There are several differences between the different types of woods, and manufacturers that use mature hardwoods rather than particle board are capable of creating furniture that will stand the test of time. It’s going to be more expensive, most definitely, but let’s be honest here, you’d probably much rather have a long lasting piece of furniture than one that will break down in a few years, or even a few months. Hardwood is critical to proper furniture building, and you need to know the differences between the different types when you are buying from an Amish furniture store.

Understanding Hardwood in Amish Furniture

The first thing you need to know is that in using hardwood to produce furniture, every single piece is going to be different. The thing about trees is that they are not all identical, contrary to popular belief. They are living, breathing organisms, each one completely unique and each one with different characteristics. All trees start out in a similar fashion, and their characteristics develop as they are exposed to new factors in their environment.

One of these factors would be their limbs falling off, which leaves a knot behind – yes, these are the knots that you see regularly in your hard wood surfaces, and most of these natural markings do not have an effect on the stability of the wood. These markings make every single piece a product of its own environment and also gives them the ability to exude their own personality – it’s all part of the best Amish furniture.

A Look at Rustic Cherry

You’ve probably heard of Cherry wood, but then again, who hasn’t? When you think of it, however, you probably think of the smooth, refined planks that are common in walls, furniture, floors, and other pieces. Cherry is beautiful in its refined form, but we are of the opinion that it can be just as beautiful, if not more so, when it is left in its rustic form. Rustic cherry is left in the natural form so that you can see the knots and all of the imperfections that nature has endowed with. The best part is that while it is left in its more natural form, you can still purchase it with different stains including white, brown, and even deep red.

A Look at Sapwood

While the rustic option is certainly both amazing and beautiful you may also want to consider Sapwood which is entirely different. Sapwood resides on the outermost section of the tree, whereas the inner wood is considered to be ‘dead’. Typically, you would be able to distinguish between sapwood and standard heartwood from the lighter color, but you should not that not all heartwood is dark in color – sometimes it is very light, and for this reason it helps to know the difference between the two if you are going to distinguish.

Sapwood itself is pretty complicated, but it is essentially the layer in which you would see all of the minerals dissolved as they are transported between the roots and the top. For this reason, sapwood often appears to be more vibrant than heartwood, and rightly so.

There are some significant differences here, and whether you purchase something made from standard rustic cherry, or go for the more vibrant sapwood, you can be rest assured that you are getting the best Amish furniture on the market. Now would be a great time to start looking through our outstanding and extensive selection, making sure that you are not only getting the best aesthetically, but the best when it comes to functionality.

Amish furniture is absolutely amazing, made with the best wood, and ready to serve your family for many generations to come – don’t miss out on it by buying lower quality goods from a big box store. You might save money, but to be honest, you won’t save much else.