Species of Wood Used in Amish Furniture

In 2000, commercial production of household furniture had an estimated value of $25.6 billion. The production of wooden furniture was responsible for 48 percent of that overall value, or $12.1 billion. Today, wooden furniture remains popular among consumers, with 42 percent of American consumers believing it is essential to have hardwood furniture.

Many consumers seeking wooden furniture for their homes are also looking for Amish furniture. Some of this is to avoid additional costs caused by tariffs. It has also been driven by the increased availability of genuine Amish furniture on the internet. Due to their beliefs, Amish craftsmen cannot operate a website to sell their goods, but they can establish a relationship with a third party who will sell their furniture over the internet for them.

Before the proliferation of the internet, it was much more difficult for consumers to buy furniture made by Amish artisans. Until recently, Amish furniture was primarily reserved for people who lived near an Amish community and those who visited these locations. Thanks to the internet, Amish furniture is now available to people located all over the country.

The Advantages of Wooden Amish Furniture

In addition to its increased availability, consumers are drawn to Amish furniture for it’s satisfactory quality. As a general rule, Amish furniture is made using high-quality materials to craft furniture that will last for generations.

The additional benefits of Amish furniture include the following:

•  Unique Look: Every piece of Amish furniture is genuinely unique. Since no two pieces of wood share the exact grain, every piece of Amish furniture has its custom markings. An Amish craftsman makes the piece to ensure the end product has a desirable, aesthetically pleasing look that is like no other.
• Saves Money: Depending on your preferences, you may want a stained or painted piece of Amish furniture. As your tastes change over the years, save money by stripping and re-staining your Amish furniture. Don’t spend thousands of dollars on new furniture. You can give your furniture and living space a brand new look for just the cost of some paint or stain and a paint brush or two.
• Eco-Friendly: Unlike other materials that may contain carcinogenic substances, the wood used in Amish furniture is all natural and carcinogen-free. Because Amish furniture is so durable, you’ll be less likely to throw out your Amish furniture after just a few years. This means there will be less discarded material in your local landfill. If you’re handy, you can always repurpose the wood from your Amish furniture for another project.

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Different Types of Wood Used in Amish Furniture

The solid wood types used in Amish furniture can be broken down into two separate categories: hardwoods and softwoods. A hardwood comes from a tree that has broad leaves and no needles. Maple, cherry, walnut, and mahogany trees are all examples of hardwood trees. Hardwoods are typically stronger and more stable than softwoods.

Evergreen trees that have needles produce softwoods. Softwoods come from pine, spruce, redwood, and cedar trees. Softwoods are often the material of choice for projects that require a lot of detailed carving. As their name implies, softwoods are softer than hardwoods, which makes them more vulnerable to dings or marks due to wear and tear. While this may be a deterrent for some consumers, it’s this very quality that gives many pieces crafted from softwoods a desirable, weathered look over time.

Getting to Know the Most Common Wood Species

Now that you’re familiar with the broad categories of solid wood used to create Amish furniture, you’re probably curious about the specific kinds of wood Amish craftsmen use to make their home furnishings. Amish artisans select the wood they’re going to use to create a piece of furniture with great care.

They consider many things when they’re hand-picking the wood they’re going to use. Amish craftsmen examine more than just how a piece of wood will look in the context of their overall design. They also consider how well the material will hold up to the rigors of daily life and the wear and tear that may become apparent if a home has kids and pets. Each manufacturer considers how well a given type of wood absorbs stain or paint. They consider how strong, pliable, and heavy the wood is, too, to ensure it’s appropriate for the furniture they’re going to make. Then, they consider which woods are best suited to withstand heat when creating a fireplace.

Some of the most common wood types for Amish furniture are as follows.

Oak

Oak is the most popular kind of wood used to craft finer, more durable pieces of furniture. These trees grow slowly, which enables them to yield dense, long-lasting wood. Oak wood is renowned for being resistant to scratches, stains, and dust. This means it doesn’t have to be cleaned as often as furniture made from many other kinds of wood. Well-built furniture made from oak can last for more than a century. The oak Amish furniture you buy today may end up being treasured heirlooms your family will enjoy for generations.

The following two kinds of oak are among the most common types in Amish furniture:

• Red Oak: Also known as “black oak,” red oak varies in color from cream to a warm brown. The wood will have characteristic reddish streaks running through it. Given its durability, red oak is often used to make cabinets, flooring, and furniture for the living room and bedroom. It is also used to make kitchen furniture that’s used every day, such as tables and chairs.
• White Oak: Like red oak, white oak can be stained with ease. In its natural state, white oak has a modestly greenish color running through it. Even harder than red oak, white oak holds water quite well, which is why it has historically been used to make barrels and ships. The hull of America’s oldest commissioned naval vessel, USS Constitution or “Old Ironsides,” was constructed using white oak. When used to make furniture, white oak is quarter-sawn to reduce cupping, splitting, and shrinkage. This technique also highlights the wood’s eye-catching medullary ray fleck. Many people think white oak has a natural antique look.

Cherry

Cherry wood has a moderate density, which makes it easier to work with than red and white oak. Also known as “fruitwood,” cherry has a delicate, smooth texture, circular grains, and a pink undertone. As the cherry ages and is exposed to sunlight, the wood’s color darkens just like the color of mahogany. For this reason, American colonists often referred to cherry wood as “New England Mahogany.” Cherry is easy to carve and polish, making it a popular material for Amish furniture makers. Given its strength, visual appeal, and resistance to warping, cherry is used to make bedroom, living room, and office furniture.

•  Rustic Cherry: Rustic cherry wood is a less refined-looking cherry wood. It is used for many of the same purposes as traditional cherry. This wood showcases the natural pits and knots that run through it. Rustic cherry comes in several colors, including white, brown, and deep red. Suppose you decide to buy Amish furniture made with this kind of wood. In that case, you will enjoy a casual, rustic feel in your home that is both elegant enough for a romantic dinner and practical enough for family get-togethers.

Hickory

Hickory is one of the strongest, heaviest, and hardest woods available in North America. It’s easily identifiable by its intense, natural contrasts of dark and light colors. Hickory’s dramatic look and strength make it ideal for kitchen tables and chairs, desks, bedroom suites, and living room furniture such as couches. Like red and white oak, hickory is easy to stain to give it an even more dramatic appearance. Unlike other woods that break when they’re under too much pressure, hickory’s unique elastic qualities enable it to bend under force and remain intact.

Brown Maple

Like hickory, brown maple is easy to spot because of its unique natural colors. Brown maple typically has streaks of brown, gray, tan, white, and cream running through it. Although this softer wood is vulnerable to dents and scratches, its strength and durability make it an excellent choice for bed frames, chairs, and dining room and kitchen tables. This type of wood handles stains and painted finishes wonderfully. Often, a darker stain is used on brown maple wood to prevent apparent color variation. Brown maple can be refinished easily, so it looks like more expensive hardwoods such as walnut or cherry.

All these woods listed above are among the most common wood types for Amish furniture. However, they’re not the only ones used to make the long-lasting, high-quality furniture produced by Amish artisans. Additional types of wood that are commonly used to make Amish furniture include beech, elm, walnut, cedar, and pine.

Types of Wood for Amish Furniture by Region

Depending on where an Amish community is located, certain types of wood may be more accessible and therefore used more often to make furniture than other kinds of wood. Here is a list of the most common solid wood types by region, which may provide an idea of the type of wood an Amish furniture maker located in a specific part of the country may use:

• Oak: Oak wood is derived from deciduous and evergreen trees that grow in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Red oak grows in the eastern United States and thrives particularly well in the Appalachian Mountains. White oak trees can live for several centuries, and you can find them in states located east of the Mississippi River, including Maine, Minnesota, Georgia, and Texas, among others.
• Cherry: Black cherry trees grow in Canada and Central America, while European cherry wood is used predominantly in Europe and Southeast Asia. While cherry trees can be found along the east coast of the United States, American black cherry trees are more prominent in New York and Pennsylvania.
• Hickory: Hickory trees can be spotted throughout the eastern part of the United States, including the state of Pennsylvania. This hearty tree also grows well in certain parts of Canada and Mexico.
• Maple: Similar to many of the other types of trees that are harvested to make Amish furniture, maple trees grow in abundance on the eastern coast of the United States.

The Benefits of Shopping at AmishOutletStore.com

While you have many options when it comes to buying furniture, shopping at AmishOutletStore.com provides benefits that many physical retailers simply can’t. When you shop with us, you’ll enjoy the personal attention you get. Operated in Smithville, OH, near the center of Amish country, AmishOutletStore.com is perfectly positioned to help you pick the Amish furniture your family will love for years, decades, and generations to come.

Everyone knows that for many consumers, their household furniture is their second most valuable asset in their home. That’s why we are dedicated to helping you find the right pieces of furniture. Our commitment to help you create a truly personalized living space runs so deep that we give you the chance to customize the furniture you want right on our website. If the options listed on our website don’t give you the variety of choices you’re looking for, you can contact us, and we’ll provide even more customization options.

Whether you want to customize a piece of furniture or buy one of the hand-crafted pieces we have at our location, you’ll know your furniture is truly unique. Every piece of furniture we sell is hand-made by Amish craftsmen who use construction techniques that have been passed down through generations of skilled furniture makers.

All of our furniture is constructed with kiln-dried, solid hardwoods to ensure it will last a long time. Unless you choose from our Rustic Furniture Section, we craft our furniture from the wood types listed above. If you prefer the look of Cherry wood or Oak, most of our pieces are available in that kind of wood as an option. We never make our furniture with particle board, pressboard, or masonite-type materials.

Satisfactory Products, Prices, and Customer Service

As the proud sellers of hand-crafted Amish furniture made in America, we care about the people who make the items. We have the privilege of selling their products and lending support to our neighbors in Amish country, helping them preserve their way of life for their children and grandchildren.

We also care about our clients and do everything possible to exceed your expectations. That’s why we offer a discount of up to 33 percent when you buy furniture from us. It’s also why we offer you the chance to sign up for our free email newsletter. These updates will help you stay on top of the products we have for sale, learn about updates to our company and industry, and get helpful hints about how you can keep your Amish furniture in top condition.

Contact us to learn more about our furniture and how we make it. Already found a piece or suite you love? Get a custom quote quickly through our website. We look forward to helping you select breathtaking Amish furniture whenever you’re ready. If you’re going to refurnish your home, contact us today so we can help you get the Amish furniture you’ve always wanted.