Wood types

There are many different types of wood that can be used to make furniture. All of the various types of woods used in the construction of Oak Furniture Solutions’ ranges hold their own unique characteristics and qualities and the colouration and grain pattern of these woods help shape the style of a piece. Woods which are particularly easily carved by nature are more frequently used for more ornate, detailed pieces whilst those wood types renowned for their strength and density are often used for heavier, larger pieces. The characteristics of a wood type are also instrumental in shaping the price of the furniture, since the most sought-after woods such as solid oak are disproportionately more expensive to source than other types of wood as supplies shrink and demand continues to grow. Oak Furniture Solutions are staunchly committed to sourcing wood for our products from sustainable, managed resources, reducing the ecological damage which can be caused by traditional tree-felling.

All of our products are constructed using the highest quality woods from sustainable resources.

All finishes on our ranges are chosen according to the wood characteristics as to maximize both the visual appeal and robustness of the furniture overall.

Wood type guide

Below is a concise guide to the various types of wood used in the manufacture of Oak Furniture Solutions furniture and their respective qualities, appearances and characteristics. *Please note that the images shown are for general guidance and are not representative of particular items across our ranges. For range-specific images please view the relevant range pages on the site.

Oak

Oak is considered to be the most exclusive out of all hardwoods. The bending quality of oak wood makes it a vastly superior choice for furniture makers over any other form of wood. Oak wood carries high resistance toward moisture and is incredibly strong owing to the particularly slow rate of growth of oak trees. Its grain pattern is regarded the world over as one of the most beautiful available from any wood type as is its rich colouration once polished. This beautiful colouration is enduring and versatile, fitting in well in all home environments, light or dark, small or large, traditional or contemporary. Owing to this highly sought-after blend of beauty and versatility oak is one of the most desirable and subsequently expensive woods to source. Oak is sourced predominantly from Europe and America. American White Oak is the most abundant of all types of oak and is a light oak grown largely in the Eastern parts of the USA and Canada. European Oak is less abundant in supply and is mainly grown in England, France, Russia, Poland and Slovakia.

Oak Furniture Solutions specialise in light oak furniture, with a wide array of high-grade, solid oak collections to suit every style. Our solid oak ranges include furniture for all rooms of the house, with ranges such as the Mobel Oak, Hereford Oak and Sherwood Oak amongst our best-sellers.

Ash

Ash is another very popular choice of hardwood for furniture makers. Though not as strong as oak, ash is still regarded as a tough and long-lasting wood. The most unique quality of ash wood, however, is its elasticity, making the wood hard and resilient. For this reason, as well as furniture, ash has been used over the centuries to craft bows, tool handles and musical instruments. Ash has a tighter grain than oak and consequently has less knots. Ash is grown in many countries, though like oak is most abundant in North America.

Ash has always been a popular choice of wood for office furniture though it is hard to find genuine, solid ash office furniture which is not constructed largely from veneers. Oak Furniture Solutions is proud to offer its customers a solid ash office furniture range called the Home Office Ash Range. We also stock a variety of other solid ash ranges with furniture for every room of the house, including the Kudos Range and New England ranges amongst others.

Pine

The use of pine wood for furniture making, like oak, stretches back over centuries. Pine wood is renowned for being easy to carve and is even and unvarying in grain texture, with hardly any knots. Whilst officially categorised as a softwood, pine is remarkably strong and durable, holding its shape particularly well and showing no signs of warping, swelling, shrinking or splitting. The surface of pine wood is smooth, making pine the ideal wood for painted and waxed finishes. Owing to its soft, fine texture, pine is the ultimate choice of wood for forming a solid and permanent foundation for paint. Pine is grown across the entire Northen Hemisphere, though, as with Oak and Ash, is at its most abundant in areas of North America.

Characteristically pine has always been an excellent choice for those looking to create a country charm about their homes, given its warm but versatile colouration. For this reason, as well as its suitability for painting, pine is very frequently used for kitchen furniture. Our Mottisfont collection is the finest example of painted pine furniture available, constructed from the highest quality pine wood and available in a variety of charming and tasteful painted and waxed finishes. You can view the entire Mottisfont collection here.

Walnut

Walnut is regarded as one of the most beautiful and highest quality woods available, as well as being very easy to finish. Owing to its excellent furniture making qualities and highly desirable finish Walnut is often used for the most high-end of furniture, often featuring intricate detailing due to its suitability for carving. The vast majority of walnut is of the American Black Walnut variety native to North America. Walnut's appearance is so desirable that many other types of wood are often stained to resemble its dark and rich colouration. Stained walnut finishes are an attractive and excellent value alternative to solid walnut items, offering much of the visual appeal of walnut furniture without the price-tag. Please Note: Some of our ranges are called Walnut but are in fact a Pine furniture range with a walnut colour finish. Please read the individual product descriptions for details of the timber used. View our selection of Walnut furniture ranges here.

Mango Wood

Mango wood is also a popular choice of dark wood for furniture making. Sourced from the same tree as the popular fruit, the wood at the centre of the tree - the heartwood - can be pinkish, light or dark brown, or golden with occasional dark streaks running through it. It has a relatively coarse interlocking grain and has excellent attributes for finishing and polishing. Mango wood is native especially to India.