Cherry Wood Countertops and Table Tops
Cherry
General Description:
A softer hardwood known for it's fine furniture graining and for changing color over time from a pinkish tone to a warm reddish hue. It has excellent moisture resistance with minimal shrinkage and swelling. Cherry is also renowned for its rich color, and a warm atmosphere it lends to any interior. Cherry is deservedly a staple of many interiors, and has been for centuries.
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Janka Hardness
950
Color:
North American Cherry has a cream colored sapwood which contrasts sharply with the reddish heartwood. In the heartwood the color can range from a pinkish red to darker red. North American Cherry also has small dark brown gum veins that are part of the character of this species.
Color Change:
North American Cherry undergoes an extreme degree of color change with pronounced darkening from a pale pink color when fresh milled to a dark reddish color when fully aged. This process occurs within a few weeks in direct sunlight and by oxidation. Out of sunlight or with a water based finish the process occurs over a six to eight month period.
Grain:
Straight-grained, satiny, and smooth textured.
Characteristics:
The wood is of medium density. It has low stiffness and medium strength and shock resistance. Cherry hardwood's grain has a very interesting appearance. It has brown pith flecks and small gum pockets, which produce distinctive markings.
Finishing:
Stains and finishes very well.