Wood Types

When you buy furniture from A-America, you are making a responsible decision to maintain a healthier planet. The solid hardwoods and time-tested craftsmanship used to build your furniture ensure premium quality, luxury and durability. You can relax knowing that both your new solid wood furniture pieces and the forests which produce the wood will be around to enjoy for generations.

American Hardwoods such as alder, ash, oak, cherry and hickory reproduce prolifically. Currently nearly twice as much hardwood grows each year than is harvested, which is why in the last 50 years the volume of hardwood in U.S. forests has doubled. American foresters follow a simple rule: on-going replenishment equals a sustained supply. Hardwood trees are grown through a process patented by nature. They’re not mined or created through a chemically intense manmade process.

Trees use the power of sunlight to separate carbon dioxide into carbon and oxygen atoms. The carbon is used to grow roots, trunk, branches, and leaves, while the oxygen is released to enrich the air. After a tree is harvested a very small amount of energy is needed to turn it into lumber or other wood products.

With growing concern for our environment and the deforestation of the rain forests around the world, it is significant to inform our customers that none of the wood used in the crafting of our furniture stems from the Indonesian rain forest. The farmers carefully grow the trees in distinctive patterns, each field displaying trees in various stages of growth. Once the mature trees are harvested, the fields are re-seeded to maintain a healthy reforestation. The government controls and regulates all wood cuttings.

Our Asian hardwood, mahogany and New Zealand pine are plantation grown and are also legally harvested and certified and controlled under the Lacey Act standards.

 

ACACIA

Acacia wood is one of the best quality woods for furniture making.  Renowned for having a diverse population, is found on almost all continents.  We source this wood from plantations in Vietnam, which makes it an environmentally sound and sustainable choice. The look of this wood is incredibly versatile, ranging from yellow to weathered gray and even a darker cherry when cut closer to the heartwood, or center of the wood.  Not only does it have beautiful coloration (which when finished can go from light to dark) but it’s also extra durable.  This durability and strength properties are bolstered by it’s fine grain, rot and scratch resistance.

BIRCH

Birch is a hardwood that is extremely strong and durable, making it a great choice for solid hardwood furniture. Birch wood has a beautiful appearance, with a fine grain and pale coloring which gives it an elegant look for clean line furniture designs. In recent years, solid birch has been finished in dark espresso color because the heavy density of the lumber makes it harder to dent and scratch, therefore keeping it looking new for an extended period of time. Birch trees used for furniture are traditionally harvested from the colder climates found in Northern Europe and Russia.

HICKORY

A-America is proud to claim to be the only manufacturer who has successfully produced and imported solid hickory furniture. Hickory is part of the pecan and walnut family and is usually from the Pennsylvania region. Hickory wood is very hard, stiff, dense and shock resistant and an extremely difficult material to use in building furniture. There are woods that are stronger than hickory and woods that are harder, but the combination of strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness found in hickory wood is not found in any other commercial wood. Only the most experienced craftsman can produce beautiful, stylish hickory furniture. Amish style furniture is typically made from hickory.

MAHAGONY

Mahogany is a medium density wood that has color variances combining white, pink, peach, grey and brown wood tones to create a more exotic look with stunning with unique patterns that adds character to your home. Compared to oak and maple, mahogany is relatively light weight and is easier to mill and cut than most other hardwoods. Mahogany is a popular choice for both indoor and outdoor uses because it is dimensionally stable, resistant to rot, humidity and insects. Woodworkers refer to mahogany as “the world’s showiest wood” for its beauty and natural patterns. Because mahogany can grow to immense sizes, this wood produces thick, wide and long wood that is perfect for making larger pieces of furniture.

MANGO

Yes, the very same trees that produce delicious mango fruits also produce beautiful wood after the fruit has been harvested! Often referred to as the “affordable” teak alternative, mango trees are fast growing from Southeast Asia and the ideal substitution for endangered species like teak. Mango wood has unique “tigard” stripes and multitudes of grain and color variations while also naturally repelling water. It is a hard wood which will provide durability even with everyday usage and does not require extensive processing, seasoning nor drying which is better for the environment. Mango lumber is best used in a rustic finish and craftsman designs. It is easy to love this beautiful, exotic wood that is also an affordable value.

MINDI

Originally from Asian and India, mindi wood is known in the states as Chinaberry.  It’s prized among woodworkers for its ease of carving and dimensional stability.  This means no warping or twisting that can occur with other woods.  We choose to use mindi at A-America because it is as durable as oak and has a straight, close-grain texture with almost no knots.  Mindi is especially good for our popular rustic finish and has a deep cherry color when cut close to the center.  Our mindi wood is plantation grown for sustainable harvesting.

OAK

Beautiful solid oak wood adapts well in a wide range of light to dark finishes to create modern or traditional designs. Oak is durable and long lasting because oak trees take their time to grow slowly to produce high density material. It is no wonder that some of the most treasured American antiques are made of oak. If fact with proper care, you can continue using this oak furniture for even a century so what you buy today will be your children and even grandchildren’s heirlooms. Oak is known to be scratch, stain and dust resistance making it easier to maintain and clean when compared to other woods.

PINE

Pine is a light weight, straight grained soft wood usually white or pale yellow in color. Because pine is an evergreen, it is technically considered a softwood but in fact is a very stiff. It’s durability and strength makes it an excellent option for building furniture and naturally resists shrinking and swelling. Pine is also one of the few softwoods that is produced like a hardwood and is a popular choice for furniture makers because it’s so easy to work with, versatile, and takes stains and finishes very easily.

POPLAR

Derived from the Latin “Populus” because the trees were routinely planted in public spaces or near people, or the “populus.” It provides an excellent surface for painting and a variety of finishes.  A-America uses poplar to add structural integrity to our furniture.   It is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is commonly referred to in North America as the beautiful Tulip Tree. The genus also includes aspen and cottonwood. Poplar grows best around bodies of water and can be easily farmed, making it another environmentally positive choice.

SOLID HARDWOOD

Solid Hardwoods are primary milled from rubberwood trees which are plantation grown and responsibly harvested in Southeast Asia. Trees are cut down once they have aged and have completed their latex sap production cycle. Amazingly, the rubber wood tree species is fast-growing yet also very high in density and provides a hard wood material which is excellent for furniture production. Today, the most well-known American furniture brands use solid Asian hardwoods because of its durability and can be finished into beautiful high-end looks.

ALDER

Alder has been used in many ways throughout history. Common alder is a member of the birch family, yet the fine, even texture of alder wood makes it similar to cherry. We often refer alder as the “poor man’s cherry” because of its beauty and affordability. Its appearance and high quality make it a popular choice for furniture and cabinets. Red alder grown in the Pacific Northwest is medium in density and is the preferred specie used to build furniture. Alder trees are a gift from Mother Nature since they replant themselves in the forest by dropping its cones.

CHERRY

Cherry wood is perhaps the most prized furniture hardwood in America.  In fact, some of the highest valued antiques in the world are made of cherry wood. Our craftsmen typically use natural solid cherry that is grown in sustainable forests in Pennsylvania region, as that is home to the finest cherry wood in the entire world. For each piece of furniture, natural cherry boards are carefully selected for excellence in grain match, color and width. When you own solid cherry furniture, you will experience the “metamorphosis” of this wood by watching its beautiful glowing patina deepen and become more beautiful with age.

MAPLE

Red Maple, which is also called Soft Maple, is a medium-high density wood, from deciduous trees in eastern North America. Soft maple takes any finish colors well, though like all maple, its grain and color varies from white to grey tones with mineral deposits. These natural wood characteristics are becoming more and more sought after because it adds an “organic” feel to furniture. Soft maple can be mixed in production of furniture with birch wood to create a better value.