WOOD SPECIES
Nestled in Northwest Michigan, Northern Michigan Hardwoods is amidst some of the finest hardwood forests in the world. The changing of the seasons creates one of the world's best growing environments for hardwood trees. This allows us to offer the most prized lumber to create beautiful cabinetry, flooring and other specialty items.
Below are some of our most popular wood species, all of which are available within our standard 2-3 week lead time. If there is a specific wood you would like to request that is not listed below, please ask us. We can obtain nearly any wood imaginable!
Ash is known for its great strength and excellent workable properties. In the early 1930s, Admiral Richard Byrd wore snowshoes made from ash during his polar expeditions. The color of ash is somewhat lustrous; cream to very light brown heartwood with lighter colored sapwood. Ash has a straight moderately open grain and takes a finish very well.
Birch is often used as an ornamental tree and has gained the nickname "Mother Tree" because birches were planted at the White House to honor the mothers of U.S. presidents. The oil extracted from the bark contains a chemical used to treat rheumatism and inflammation. Birch is cream or light brown in color tinged with red, with nearly white sapwood. It is very heavy; very strong; hard closed-grained; with an even texture.
Cherry was used by the Greeks and Romans as long ago as 400 B.C. for furniture making. Cherry helped define American traditional design because Colonial wood workers recognized its superior woodworking qualities. It has a rich reddish brown color that deepens with age and exposure to sunlight. Its exceptionally lustrous appearance almost glows. It’s straight-grained and satiny, and sometimes contains pin knots and gum pockets that give the wood a distinctive character. Its more uniform texture takes a stain very well. Cherry is light, strong, stiff and rather soft compared to maple or hickory.
Fascinatingly, in the 1920s, airplane propellers were made from maple, as well as the heels of women’s shoes. Maple has been a favorite of American wood workers since early Colonial days. Maple coloring ranges from cream to light reddish-brown, with a uniform grain and texture. Maple is heavy, hard, strong, tough and stiff with excellent resistance to abrasion and indentation – ideal for wood flooring or butcher block cutting boards and countertops.
Hickory is famous for its extreme strength, flexibility and shock resistance. Hickory was at one time used for wagon wheels, and even the Wright Brothers’ historic plane. Hickory displays wide variations in colors, ranging from creamy white to chocolate brown. It’s also a great alternative to oak for people who prefer an open-grained wood, but have tired of the traditional oak look.
Oak has a long, notable history in furnishings and interior design. It was a favorite of early English craftsmen and a prized material for American colonists. Red oak grows only in North America and is found further north than any other oak species. A red oak grows slowly, taking 20 years to mature and living an average of 300 years. Red Oak ranges from creamy white to a warm, pale brown color, with tints of red. The grain is known for its “rays,” which reflect light and add to its appeal. 
Depending on the way the logs are sawn into timber (rift cut, flat sliced, flat sawn, rotary cut, quarter sawn), many distinctive and sought after patterns can emerge. Oak is heavy, strong, hard, stiff and durable under exposure. Oaks take a wide range of finishes very well.
Walnut is a beautiful hardwood with a figured grain. Walnut ranges from creamy white to a dark, chocolate brown color. It can contain a lot of character in the grain and looks great in a variety of finishes. Walnut is versatile and popular, since its luster grows over time.
Knotty Alder is light brown in color with yellow and peach hues. The knots and open grain of this species give it an informal, rustic character.
Flat Grain Bamboo is a very environmentally friendly species. This particular bamboo is carbonized, resulting in a warm amber color.
European Beech is very similar to American Beech, but with a much more pinkish hue.
Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba) is a very dense wood often used on old workbenches as work surfaces. A very tight grained wood grained much like hard maple with a light brown/red color.
African Mahogany is a cost effective replacement for genuine mahogany, with wider availability. Very consistent graining and color.
Sapele Mahogany is a much darker brown mahogany with irridescent gold highlights. A perfectly suitable substitute for genuine mahogany.
Santos Mahogany is a very dense South American species with a purplish red color. Mahogany-like grain with wide color variation. A unique species not often seen. Wide plank construction dependent on current availability.
Bamboo is available in both natural and carbonized versions (shown above), bamboo is a perfect choice for contemporary kitchens or those interested in sustainable design options. Limited to 2 1/2" thickness.
Lyptus is a dense engineered wood grown as a crop by Weyerhaeuser. A light pink color and a nice choice for any environmentally-concerned customers.
Paduak is a relatively dense wood that arrives very orange but typically will age to a deep reddish brown color after exposure to light.
Eucalyptus Grandis, also known as Rose Gum, the sapwood of this species is pale pink and the heartwood is light to dark reddish brown with a very straight grain.
Bubinga is a medium red-brown with lighter reddish purple veins. Bubinga will darken naturally with age. Generally has a straight grain.
Wenge is a dark dense wood from Africa. Wenge is an elegant wood that looks wonderful in both contemporary and classic kitchen designs.
Zebrawood is an extremely dense wood that is grown in Africa. It has a golden color with a dark black streaks reminiscent of a Zebra's markings. This wood has wild grains and beautiful coloring. For a truly unique look with some beautiful colors, Zebrawood is a great choice.
Iroko is also referred to as African teak. Iroko is a close cousin of Burmese Teak, but lacks the strong oil content of Burmese Teak. The color veers more toward the golden end of the spectrum.
Cocobolo is a dense, tropical hardwood that is reddish brown in color and has a relatively high natural oil content.
Santos Rosewood is a very dense, rich colored wood that has a deep red hue and streaks of black throughout.
Genuine Mahogany is a very popular wood, particularly for all-weather applications. A light reddish brown, with a open and active grain pattern. Color and graining can vary with the species.
Burmese Teak has a considerable amount of naturally occurring oil. Burmese Teak is a rich olive reddish brown color, with light graining.
Plantation Teak is one of the newest additions to the offerings. Plantation Teak is similar in graining to the Burmese Teak but has a slightly lighter tone.
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