Cherry Wood Furniture – Why I Keep Coming Back to It

Cherry Wood Furniture – Why I Keep Coming Back to It has gotten complicated with all the conflicting advice flying around. As someone who researched and evaluated dozens of options in this space, I learned everything there is to know about what actually matters versus what’s just marketing. Today, I’ll share the real insights.

I have worked with a lot of different woods over the years. Walnut gets all the hype. Oak is the workhorse. Maple is beautiful when you can find the figured stuff. But cherry? Cherry is the one I keep coming back to when I am building something for myself or for someone I actually care about.

Let me explain why.

What Makes Cherry So Special

The first thing everyone notices is the color. Fresh-cut cherry is this soft pinkish-brown that honestly looks kind of underwhelming. But then something magical happens. Over months and years, exposure to light transforms it into this deep, warm reddish-brown that literally glows in natural light.

I built a jewelry box for my wife about ten years ago from cherry. When I gave it to her, it was nice but not spectacular. Now? It has this rich patina that makes it look like an heirloom. Same box, completely different character.

The grain is fine and straight, which makes it a joy to work with. Takes finishes beautifully – you can go with just oil if you want a natural look, or build up a glossy surface if that is your thing. Either way, cherry cooperates.

The Practical Stuff

Cherry is what woodworkers call a medium hardwood. Harder than pine but softer than oak. This is actually the sweet spot for furniture:

That’s what makes this endearing to us furniture makers — understanding these details helps make better decisions.

• Tough enough to handle everyday use without denting constantly
• Soft enough that your tools stay sharp longer and cutting is not a fight
• Stable – does not warp and shrink like some species when humidity changes

I have cherry pieces in my shop that are pushing 15 years old. They have been through humidity swings, temperature changes, occasional abuse. Still solid, still beautiful.

A Bit of History

Cherry has been the American furniture wood since colonial times. Those Shaker craftsmen in the 1800s? They loved cherry for its simplicity and warmth. Pennsylvania Germans used it constantly. If you find antique American furniture in good condition, there is a solid chance it is cherry.

The Shaker connection is interesting to me. Their whole philosophy was about beauty through simplicity and function. Cherry fit that perfectly – it does not need fancy carving or elaborate decoration. The wood itself is the feature.

Probably should have led with this section, honestly.

Why I Choose Cherry Over Other Woods

Look, walnut is gorgeous. I am not going to argue with that. But walnut is also expensive and the color does not change much over time. What you see is pretty much what you get.

Oak is cheaper and incredibly durable, but the grain can be aggressive. Sometimes you want the wood to complement the design, not dominate it.

Cherry sits in this perfect middle ground. Less expensive than walnut, more refined than oak, and it gets better with age in a way that neither of those do.

For pieces that are meant to be passed down – a dining table, a chest of drawers, a hope chest – cherry makes sense. You are not just building furniture, you are building something that will tell a story over decades.

Taking Care of Cherry Furniture

Here is what I tell everyone who buys or makes cherry pieces:

The sun is your friend, sort of. Light is what develops that beautiful patina. But uneven exposure creates uneven color. Rotate items occasionally. Do not leave stuff permanently in one spot if one side is getting blasted with sunlight.

Keep it simple on cleaning. Soft cloth, maybe slightly damp. No spray polishes with silicone – that stuff builds up and makes refinishing later nearly impossible. If you want to feed the wood, use a good paste wax once or twice a year.

Water is the enemy. Cherry is pretty stable, but water marks are real. Use coasters. Wipe spills immediately. This is not paranoia, it is just good practice.

Minor scratches are not the end of the world. The nice thing about cherry is that small scratches often blend in over time as the wood darkens around them. For deeper ones, a bit of colored wax or touch-up marker can work wonders.

Buying Cherry Furniture Today

If you are shopping for cherry furniture, here is my advice:

Look for solid construction. Real cherry, not cherry veneer over particleboard. Knock on it – solid wood has a different sound than hollow construction. Check the drawer bottoms and backs where manufacturers often cheap out.

Be suspicious of furniture that is too perfect. Real cherry has some variation in color and grain. If every part matches exactly, it might be stained maple or some other substitute.

New cherry furniture will look lighter and pinker than you expect. That is normal. It will darken. Some shops even have samples showing new versus aged color so you know what you are getting.

Building with Cherry

For my fellow woodworkers, a few notes:

Cherry sands like a dream but be careful about getting the surface too smooth. Going above 220 grit can polish the wood and cause blotching with some finishes.

Speaking of blotching – pre-treating with a wood conditioner or seal coat before staining is not optional, it is required. Cherry absorbs unevenly and you will get splotchy results without it.

Let your freshly milled pieces sit for a few days before glue-up. Cherry can have more internal stress than you expect, and giving it time to relax prevents warping later.

Final Thoughts

There is something about cherry that feels right. Maybe it is the warmth of the color, or the way it develops character over time, or just the knowledge that craftsmen have trusted this wood for centuries.

Whatever it is, when I am making something that matters, cherry is usually my first choice. Not because it is fancy, but because it is honest. Good wood, well made, getting better with age. That is what furniture should be.