Gurjan, Hardwood & Veneer · Wood Species Guide
Types of Hardwood and How to Use Them in Your Project
Oak, maple, walnut, cherry, mahogany and birch each bring a different grain, colour and hardness to a project — worth knowing before you pick a veneer face or solid accent.
Six Hardwoods and Where They Fit
Oak
Strong, prominent grain and good versatility make oak a dependable choice for both flooring-adjacent furniture and general cabinetry.
Maple
A light, fine, understated grain suits contemporary interiors that want a clean, bright look.
Walnut
A rich, dark tone gives walnut a premium feel, popular for statement furniture pieces and feature panels.
Cherry
A warm reddish tone that deepens attractively with age, suited to furniture meant to develop character over years of use.
Mahogany
A deep reddish-brown tone with a classic, high-end furniture association, often used where a traditional, formal look is wanted.
Birch
Pale and smooth with a subtle grain, birch is a budget-friendly veneer option that still gives a genuine natural wood look.
Species Sets the Tone, Grade Sets the Performance
Choosing a hardwood species is largely a design decision — tone, grain character and how the piece should feel in the room. The structural and moisture performance still comes from the plywood core grade underneath, independent of which species faces it, so don't let species choice distract from getting the core grade right for the application.
Applying This to Plywood and Solid Wood
These species show up both as veneer faces on plywood and as solid wood accents — see our veneer plywood guide for the veneer-faced approach, and our plywood vs solid wood guide for when a solid accent in one of these species is worth the extra cost.
We also stock sawn timber by species — current Ahmedabad rates for Burma teak, Ghana teak, Ivory Coast teak, white ash, meranti and NZ pine are on our timber price page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which hardwood is best for a warm, traditional look?
Mahogany and cherry both bring warm reddish tones associated with classic, formal furniture styles, with cherry deepening further in colour over time.
What hardwood suits a modern, minimalist interior?
Maple's light, fine grain and birch's pale, smooth surface both suit contemporary interiors looking for a clean, understated wood tone.
Is walnut a good choice for a statement furniture piece?
Yes — its rich, dark tone gives a premium feel that works well for a feature piece meant to stand out in a room.
Is birch a budget-friendly hardwood option?
Yes — birch offers a genuine natural wood look at a more accessible price point than species like walnut or mahogany, making it popular for veneer faces on a budget.
Does hardwood species choice affect a plywood sheet's strength?
Not directly — species choice is primarily a visual and tactile decision for the face veneer; the plywood's structural and moisture performance comes from the core grade underneath.
Need the Right Board for Your Project?
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