One of the most exciting parts of commissioning a custom piece from PDX Woodworks is choosing your wood. It’s also one of the questions we get asked most often: which wood is right for me?
The honest answer is that there’s no wrong choice. Each of the four hardwoods we work with most, Pacific Maple, Cherry, White Oak, and Black Walnut, is beautiful, durable, and sourced from American domestic forests. But each has its own character, its own personality, and its own way of living in a home over time.
Here’s what you need to know about each one.
Pacific Maple
Best for: Modern, minimalist, and Scandinavian-inspired spaces
Pacific Maple is one of our most locally rooted materials. Sourced right here in the Pacific Northwest, it carries a tight, consistent grain and a light, creamy tone that feels clean and contemporary without trying too hard.
If your home leans modern, if you love white walls and natural light and furniture that doesn’t compete with the room, Pacific Maple is worth a serious look. It’s also an excellent canvas for color if you’re considering a Rubio Monocoat finish, since its lighter base tone allows the color to read true.
Over time, Pacific Maple develops a warm, honeyed patina that deepens the look of the piece without darkening it dramatically. It ages gracefully and quietly, which is exactly what a great hardwood should do.
Choose Pacific Maple if you want: A light, clean aesthetic. A locally sourced PNW material. A great base for colored finishes.
Cherry
Best for: Traditional, transitional, and warm contemporary spaces
Cherry is a classic American hardwood with a long history in fine furniture making, and for good reason. It starts with a warm, pinkish-red tone and deepens beautifully over time into a rich, reddish-brown that few other woods can match. If you want a piece that gets more beautiful every year, Cherry is the wood that delivers on that promise most dramatically.
The grain is fine and straight, with a subtle luster that responds beautifully to an oil and wax finish. It machines and finishes exceptionally well, which makes it a pleasure to work with and a joy to live with.
Cherry tends to suit homes with warmth and character, spaces with natural textures, layered lighting, and a sense of history. It bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary effortlessly.
Choose Cherry if you want: A warm, rich tone that deepens with age. A timeless, classic hardwood. A piece that tells its story over decades.
White Oak
Best for: Modern farmhouse, contemporary, and transitional spaces
White Oak has become one of the most sought-after hardwoods in furniture making over the last decade, and it’s easy to see why. Its open, pronounced grain and neutral, greige tone make it one of the most versatile species we work with. It suits a remarkably wide range of interiors without feeling trendy or forced.
Unlike Red Oak, White Oak has a tighter, more refined grain pattern and a cooler, more neutral base tone that pairs beautifully with both warm and cool interiors. It’s also exceptionally durable, one of the hardest domestic hardwoods available, which makes it an excellent choice for dining tables and pieces that see heavy daily use.
White Oak takes stain and color exceptionally well, and its open grain gives Rubio Monocoat finishes a particularly beautiful, textured quality. It’s also worth noting that White Oak is naturally resistant to moisture, making it one of the most practical choices for a dining table.
Choose White Oak if you want: A versatile, neutral hardwood that works in almost any interior. Maximum durability. A pronounced, contemporary grain pattern.
Black Walnut
Best for: Statement pieces, bold interiors, and anyone who wants the best
Black Walnut is our most popular wood, and it’s not a close competition. Rich, dark, and deeply beautiful, it has a bold grain pattern and warm chocolate tones that make every piece feel like a statement. If Pacific Maple whispers, Black Walnut speaks with authority.
It’s the wood we reach for most often when a client wants a dining table that commands the room. The natural variation in color, from lighter sapwood at the edges to deep, dark heartwood at the center, gives each piece a unique character that simply cannot be replicated. No two Black Walnut tables are exactly alike.
Black Walnut is also a joy to work with. It machines beautifully, holds detail exceptionally well, and responds to an oil and wax finish in a way that brings out a depth and richness that photographs struggle to capture. It has to be seen in person.
We source our Black Walnut domestically, and when the opportunity arises, from right here in the Pacific Northwest. It is, in every sense, the premium choice.
Choose Black Walnut if you want: A bold, dramatic statement piece. The richest, most distinctive grain. A wood that stops people in their tracks.
Still Not Sure?
That’s what we’re here for! Come in and see the woods side by side, run your hands across the grain, and let the material make its case in person. We’ll walk you through the options and help you find the right fit for your home, your style, and the piece you have in mind.
Every wood we work with is beautiful. The right one is the one that feels like yours.