Comparing 15 popular wood types and where you should use them in your home

Comparing 15 Common Wood Types for Flooring, Cabinetry, Kitchenware & Outdoor Furniture

Finding the perfect type of wood for your home can feel overwhelming...Which wood is best for kitchenware? Is the same type of wood also good for flooring or furniture?

With so many options, it’s hard to know which wood is best for each room, each purpose, and each person's taste.

This guide is your one-stop resource for understanding 15 of the most common woods used in homes.

We’ll break down:

Where each wood stands out, the pros and the cons.
How to make the right choice for flooring, furniture, tableware, kitchenware and outdoor use.
Strength, durability and maintenance.
Sustainability score.
Availability.
Price range.
Common uses.
Where to avoid using each wood.

Whether you’re furnishing a new space, redecorating, or just curious about the best wood types for different uses, this guide will give you the knowledge you need to make informed choices and gain a better understanding of what to look for when choosing anything made of wood for your home.

With out further jibber-jabber, let's get into 15 of the most common types of wood used in the home and their characteristics:

1. Oak (Red and White Oak)

Oak comes to mind first when most people think of a type of hardwood because it's one of the most widely used types of wood. Usually a light sandy-yellow colour (white oak) or an orange-red colour (red oak), both red oak and white oak have a similar grain pattern like in the image above.

As oak is widely available and a long-lasting wood, that makes it a great choice for quality furniture that's designed to last, as well as for cabinetry and flooring. White oak in particular is also known for being quite water-resistant, so it's well suited to outdoor use, such as patio furniture.

Oak Wood Strength: Both white and red oak are strong and durable; white oak is slightly stronger and more water-resistant than red oak.

Sustainability: Oak is widely grown and considered a sustainable option, but it can be a slow-growing tree which means a slightly higher price when compared with some similar alternatives like hard maple.

Availability: Readily available, especially in North America and Europe.

Cost: Mid-range to high-end.

Common Uses: Flooring, cabinetry, furniture, doors and kitchenware.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Oak is a hardwood, but pet claws or heavy furniture can leave marks on oak floors or furniture. Red oak is more porous (than white oak) and can absorb water. Oak is also not recommended if you don't like a traditional or rustic aesthetic to wood.

2. Maple (Hard and Soft Maple)

There are dozens of types of maple trees, all differing slightly, but in general, maple wood is categorised into hard maple and soft maple.

Soft maple is usually more affordable than hard maple, but as the name suggests it is a softer, less durable wood than hard maple.

Usually, hard maple comes from one particular species of maple (Acer saccharum), which is the same species of tree used to harvest maple syrup. Soft maple wood can be harvested from many different types of maple, both are good options for flooring, furniture and kitchenware and will resist wear and tear quite well.

Maple Wood Strength: Hard maple is very dense and strong, while soft maple is lighter and less durable.

Sustainability: Generally considered sustainable, grown widely across North America and Canada.

Availability: Widely available across the global market, although higher priced in some regions.

Cost: Mid-range price, hard maple is more expensive than soft maple.

Common Uses: Kitchenware (cutting boards, bowls), cabinetry, flooring, and furniture. Interestingly, hard maple is non-porous, along with being so durable this makes it a top choice for butcher blocks and countertops.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Soft maple is not as durable, and hard maple can be harder to find. The appearance can also vary across different species of soft maple which can make it tricky to match different maple furniture if they come from different trees.

3. Pine

Pine is perhaps the most commonly used wood for much of the more affordable furniture you come across, as well as being widely used for timber framing in the construction of homes all around the world.

Pine's colour is light whiteish-yellow with grain that ranges from light orange to a darker brown, so it takes paint and staining well, but it is incredibly easy to dent and scratch.

Pine Wood Strength: Pine is a softwood. Softwoods are not as durable as hardwoods but are generally still strong enough for light to moderate use.

Sustainability: Pine is seen as being highly sustainable due to fast growth and wide availability.

Availability: Very common worldwide, practically ubiquitous.

Cost: Affordable, one of the least expensive wood options.

Common Uses: Furniture, cabinetry, panelling, and decorative features.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Outdoor use, furniture or areas with high foot traffic or use where dents and scuffs will build up, also not recommended for kitchenware.

4. Walnut

Walnut wood comes in two main varieties or sub-species: European walnut, which is lighter in colour, and American black walnut, which is a rich dark colour and probably what you picture when you think of walnut wood.

Both types of walnut are hardwoods and are relatively dense, so walnut makes great furniture like tables, shelving, built-ins and cabinetry, as well as tableware like cutting boards, plates or trays.

If cost is of little concern to you then you can even floor your entire home with black walnut, and it will look beautiful, just don't expect walnut to be quite as hard as something like acacia or teak.

Walnut Wood Strength: Walnut is strong and durable, but is actually slightly softer than some other hardwoods like oak, maple, and acacia,

Sustainability: Walnut trees tend to be slow-growing, so walnut wood takes many years to produce. Because of this and depending on where you live, walnut can be a slightly less sustainable choice compared to oak, maple or acacia. Thankfully, walnut trees are responsibly managed in some regions, such as North America.

Availability: Readily available, but more expensive due to the slow rate of growth, as well as its colour, strength and fine grain.

Cost: Walnut, in particular black walnut, is considered a high-end or premium wood, so it is typically priced in the mid to higher price range amongst hardwoods.

Common Uses: High-end furniture, cabinetry, tables, kitchenware, desk accessories and decorative pieces.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Large areas (where cost could be a concern), areas that will see a lot of wear and tear, outdoor use is generally not recommended either.

5. Beech

Beech, similar to ash, is a light (in colour) hardwood that is very flexible while also still being strong. Known for its very distinct and straight grain which resembles dashed or dotted lines on top of a pinkish-golden coloured wood.

Beech is one of the more universal hardwoods often used in a wide range of furniture, kitchenware and home accessories.

It is also often used in furniture that requires the wood to be bent or curved because of this flexibility and strength, examples of this can be seen in modern seating and tables.

Beech Wood Strength: Strong, flexible and durable, with a fine, consistent grain.

Sustainability: Beech is considered a sustainable wood choice as it is widely grown across the Northern Hemisphere.

Availability: Readily available, especially in Europe, the UK and North America.

Cost: Affordable to mid-range - beech is another great value-for-money choice as a hardwood. Part of what brings the price down is the wide availability and the lighter colour tone, which is associated with cheaper woods.

Common Uses: Furniture, cabinetry, and kitchenware (like cutting boards).

Cons/Not Recommended For: The colour spectrum from pink to golden-yellow can make beech harder to match two unique pieces. Often used in office or school desks and cabinetry, which many associate the aesthetic of beech wood with, making it less desirable in the home.

6. Mahogany

Known for its deep reddish-brown colour, mahogany is practically a universal symbol of luxury and craftsmanship.

Be aware of the sustainability concerns and fakery when buying anything claimed to be this wood: Mahogany was once so popular that many people to this day refer to any type of dark-coloured hardwood as 'mahogany' when in reality very little new wood or furniture coming on the market today is true mahogany.

This is sadly due to the over-harvesting of mahogany wood and the tropical rainforests it's native to during the 20th century.

Mahogany Wood Strength: Very strong and durable often cited as one of the toughest woods in existence.

Sustainability: True mahogany is less sustainable due to the mismanagement of its natural habitat; so it is often replaced by similar species from more sustainable plantations, or other hardwoods that are then stained to look like mahogany.

Availability: Availability has decreased dramatically in the 21st century due to deforestation, so sustainable alternatives or composite products are often used (and recommended).

Cost: Expensive. Again, true mahogany is practically worth its weight in gold these days.

Common Uses: High-end furniture, cabinetry, and decorative work.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Large areas, areas where you won't see/appreciate them often, or if you are looking for sustainable wood options, steer clear of mahogany.

7. Cherry

Cherry wood is another popular hardwood choice, and for good reason. With a smooth grain and a beautiful warm reddish-brown hue, cherry wood actually starts out much lighter in colour closer to a light pink, and then darkens over time into a deeper orangish-red. This patina effect over time gives cherry character and is part of what makes it sought after.

In the home, cherry wood is popular for fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, and decorative accents - similar use cases to black walnut. Also similar to walnut, is that cherry is dense and stable (so it will not easily warp or crack over time), making it ideal for anything that needs to withstand daily use, such as dining tables, kitchen cabinets, flooring and bedroom furniture.

Cherry Wood Strength: Cherry is fairly strong and durable as a hardwood, although it's softer than similarly priced timbers like maple, walnut and oak.

Sustainability: This wood is generally sustainable, but cherry trees are on the slower end when it comes to the growth rate.

Availability: Readily available in much of the world, but it tends to demand a higher price tag, largely because of the colour, patina, and slow growing time.

Cost: High-end, premium.

Common Uses: Traditional furniture, cabinetry, flooring, decorative work.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Areas that will get a lot of sunlight, or uneven levels of light, where the wood patina will form unevenly or quickly. Where maximum 'bang-for-buck' is the goal, consider other hardwoods in a similar or lower price range.

8. Birch

Birch is a great all-rounder timber, especially for the home. The only thing about birch that will divide people is the light, sandy colour of the wood - many people love it, but some think it looks 'low-end' or washed out.

Birch wood is often used for Scandinavian-style furniture, minimalist cabinetry or even entire tiny home interiors.

What makes birch a good all-rounder is its value for money. It's priced at a mid-range level but the wood is of mid-to-high-end quality, so you tend to get your money's worth and then some, with birch wood.

Birch Wood Strength: Fairly strong and durable, though it's more of a softer hardwood than other examples listed above.

Sustainability: Birch is considered sustainable due to its fast growth and wide availability.

Availability: You guessed it, widely available. If you cannot find birchwood in your area, some similar alternatives are ash, beech, alder, poplar or maple.

Cost: Affordable to mid-range. Often available in its most affordable form as plywood.

Common Uses: Minimalist furniture, shelving, cabinetry, tiny home interiors, and general-purpose plywood.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Heavy-duty use, or for those who don't like the look of lighter-coloured wood, areas with high levels of traffic where dents and scratches will show quickly.

Image via Tom Raffield

9. Ash

Ash is similar to birch in appearance, but ash is considerably stronger and more flexible. Known for its light sandy colour and contrasting greyish-brown grain pattern, ash makes for great furniture. It's often used for the popular steam-bending technique where the wood is steamed to become flexible and then bent into curved furniture.

Although ash grows in a wide range of climates, its availability to buy as wood is still somewhat limited, so it's not as common to see as other woods like oak and walnut, but is equal in strength and durability.

Ash Wood Strength: Ash wood is very strong and flexible, often compared to oak in durability.

Sustainability: Some species of ash trees are at risk due to the emerald ash borer, but it is otherwise a sustainable option when responsibly harvested.

Availability: Ash is moderately available, though declining in some regions due to tree diseases.

Cost: Mid-range to high-end, depending on the availability in your area.

Common Uses: Steam-bent Furniture, flooring, staircases, countertops.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Un-sealed outdoor use (always add a protective wood sealant for ash outdoors), If you don't like the appearance of light wood, or if ash is not available in your area it might not be worth paying the premium to source it.

10. Acacia

Acacia is another outlier amongst wood because it has many of the qualities of much more 'premium' woods like exotic rainforest species such as teak and mahogany, but is much more sustainable to grow and harvest.

Naturally occurring oils in acacia wood give it an amazing level of water-resistance, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal protection.

Acacia also has a high density and hardness, meaning it won't scratch or dent easily. Having this incredible strength, as well as a striped pattern are all part of what makes acacia such a popular choice for homeware like kitchenware, outdoor furniture, and flooring - anything getting frequent use and/or exposure to the elements.

Acacia Wood Strength: Acacia wood is very strong and durable, resistant to water, bacteria and scratches, and has one of the highest density levels amongst hardwoods.

Sustainability: Acacia Is considered sustainable due to it being a fast-growing species that can thrive in a wide range of climates and conditions.

Availability: Moderately available, acacia has become popular relatively recently (within the last 10 years or so), so it's not yet as common to find in furniture showrooms or high-street stores.

Cost: Mid-range, acacia's price has thankfully not (yet) risen to match the high quality and appearance of this wood.

Common Uses: Kitchenware (bowls, plates, utensils), as well as outdoor furniture, countertops and flooring.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Anyone who prefers a more subdued wood colour (like birch, beech or ash) may not like acacia's colour variations.

11. Teak

Teak has been used for over 2,000 years for building ships and is still used today as standard for decking on boats of all sizes because of its incredible resistance to rot and damage in general.

This is mostly due to the hardness, strength and natural oils present in teak wood, giving it a 'coat of armour' in many ways.

Teak is commonly used in the context of the home for outdoor furniture, where it will naturally patina into a grey colour over time and still be resistant to rot, insects, fungus and bacteria. It's also used indoors for accent pieces, flooring or cabinetry, and is at the high end of the price list for all timber due to it lasting essentially forever.

Teak Wood Strength: Very strong and highly resistant to weather, salt, rot, insects, dents, etc.

Sustainability: Teak's sustainability is a concern due to over-harvesting, much of which is used in the boating industry; look for FSC-certified teak from responsibly managed plantations when shopping for teak.

Availability: Limited availability of high-quality teak due to over-harvesting.

Cost: Very expensive, due to all of the reasons mentioned above.

Common Uses: Outdoor furniture, decking, flooring and marine uses.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Large areas where price matters, those looking for more sustainable woods should also avoid teak.

12. Hickory

Hickory is one of the toughest woods you can use in your home, and so is ideal for use cases in high-traffic areas like flooring, staircases, dining tables, heirloom furniture, worktops, and benches.

You often will find hickory used in farmhouse-style homes where the muted golden colour with contrasting patches of dark grain will add a lot of character and warmth.

Hickory Wood Strength: Extremely strong and durable; one of the hardest North American woods.

Sustainability: Sustainable due to its wide growth in the US.

Availability: Readily available in North America but not as commonly found elsewhere, unfortunately.

Cost: Mid-range to high-end.

Common Uses: Flooring, staircases, barn doors, cabinetry, and furniture.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Hickory will easily expand/contract, has a dramatic wood grain and so it needs a bit more maintenance than similar wood types. This makes it less suitable for humid areas, intricate designs, outdoor use, kitchenware or minimalist interiors.

13. Cedar

You can think of cedar as pine's slightly more durable cousin. Although cedar is a softwood, it's actually very resistant to moisture thanks to the high level of oils or sap present in the wood.

Although it might be less resistant to scratches and dents than hardwood is, cedar wood makes up for this with its reasonable pricing, weather resistance and sustainability.

Strength: Cedar is a softwood, so it's not as strong or dense as a hardwood is, but is still very durable in outdoor conditions.

Sustainability: Considered sustainable, especially western red cedar, which is commonly grown in North America.

Availability: Cedar is readily available in many regions around the world.

Cost: Moderately priced, a great choice for budget-friendly furniture or decking.

Common Uses: Outdoor furniture, decking, siding, and closet linings.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Cedar's softness, susceptibility to wear, scent and regular maintenance needs make it less suitable for flooring, heavy-use furniture, and food-related applications. Also, be aware of the strong cedarwood scent which some do people not like.

14. Bamboo (Technically a Grass, But Commonly Used as Wood)

Let's first clear this up - bamboo is not technically a type of wood but a species of grass, but it is used in place of wood, and very commonly too.

Bamboo is a bit of a magical material in terms of the speed at which it grows, the strength and versatility that it has.

In many parts of Asia, bamboo is still used to this day as scaffolding for large construction projects, because of how affordable, lightweight and strong it is.

In the home, we are seeing more and more products pop up that are made of bamboo in some form - many of which even look and feel like wood, plastic or ceramic at first.

Traditional bamboo furniture is often paired with glass and bound together and you will likely find some in your grandmother's home somewhere! Right now it seems they are discovering more and more uses for bamboo every day, so it's definitlely a great choice for the home.

Strength: Very strong, comparable to hardwoods like walnut and oak, while being more lightweight than pine and more flexible than ash!

Sustainability: Extremely sustainable due to fast growth (matures in 3-5 years).

Availability: Widely available, especially in Asia, with a growing popularity globally.

Cost: Affordable to mid-range, depending on the use case and processing that went into the finished bamboo product.

Common Uses: Bamboo is used for flooring, furniture, kitchenware (cutting boards, utensils, straws), and decking. It's also often processed into a pulp and used as an alternative to plastic and ceramic.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Depending on your style preferences and the form the bamboo is in, it can look artificial or low-end to some people.

15. Poplar

Poplar is a hardwood, although it's definitely on the softer side of the hardwood scale. It's also smooth and easy to work with, and it takes paint very well so you often will find poplar wood being used for more affordable furniture, cabinetry and interior trims.

The downside of poplar wood is the fact that it is quite soft for a species of hardwood, and so will show dents and scratches relatively easily.

It's also got a more plain and muted appearance which is why it is regularly found in painted furniture. Saying this, poplar is still a great choice as long as you are not too concerned with it getting some scuffs and scratches here and there because it is affordable, sustainable and quite easily sourced.

Strength: Poplar is relatively soft, but still a durable wood for lightweight applications.

Sustainability: Highly sustainable due to its fast growth.

Availability: Readily available and abundant in most parts of the world.

Cost: Poplar is so popular (pun intended), because it's one of the most affordable hardwoods you can get.

Common Uses: The softness, low cost and plain appearance make poplar wood a common choice for painted furniture, cabinetry, and interior trimming.

Cons/Not Recommended For: Poplar is generally quite soft and can dent easily in busy areas, the grey colour and unremarkable grain pattern mean it's not ideal for areas or uses where the wood will be on show (ie not painted or veneered).

comparing common types of wood for use in the home

So, Here's What We Recommend For...

Each Wood Summarised by Category & Benefits:

Strength: Hardwoods like oak, maple, and hickory are very strong and durable, making them ideal for furniture, flooring, and cabinetry. Softer woods like pine and cedar are better for decorative elements and outdoor uses.

Sustainability: Woods like bamboo, acacia, pine, and beech are among the most sustainable due to their fast growth, while teak and mahogany can raise concerns if not sourced responsibly.

Cost: Pine, poplar, and beech are affordable options, while walnut, teak, and mahogany are premium-priced woods. Mid-range woods like oak and maple offer good durability at a reasonable price.

Availability: Pine, oak, and maple are among the most readily available, while exotic woods like teak and mahogany may be harder to find and more expensive due to deforestation concerns.

Choosing the Right Wood for Your Use Case

Which Wood is Best for Flooring?

Budget wood flooring:

Assuming you want to use solid wood flooring (and not laminate or faux wood floorboards), then either pine or poplar make great options for budget-friendly solid wood flooring.

Both will be more susceptible to dents and scratches than other wood species, but also won't dent the renovation budget as much as other woods will.

Bamboo is another great choice, but might be harder to source in the form of flooring depending on where you live.

Mid-range wood flooring:

For a mid-range priced wood floor, either red or white oak is ideal - particularly if you want a more rustic or traditional interior style. If you prefer the Scandinavian or minimal interior aesthetic, then we'd definitely recommend going with either birch or maple in this price range.

Just know that maple can be tricky to stain (with a wood stain or oil) because of its high density, but it will also naturally darken over time. The one downside with choosing birch is that it can be a little more susceptible to warping, so be sure that the space will be relatively highly climate-controlled and not be too humid (or does not have a fluctuating humidity).

High-end wood flooring:

If cost is further down on your priority list, and you want the best of the best hardwood flooring, then here are our recommendations from this list of 15 most common wood types used in the home: Walnut or black walnut, both make beautiful, dense floorboards that are full of character and feel luxurious.

One drawback of black walnut versus European walnut is that the darker wood will show scratches a little easier due to the darker colouration of the wood, where scratches will stand out more.

If you do encounter scratches on your wood flooring though, don't worry - we have a full guide to remove and repair practically any kind of scratch, stain or damage to wood.

Of course, there is also teak flooring, which will be more expensive than walnut, but is also more durable and scarce too, and is the best in terms of quality and durability for wooden flooring, but is visually less interesting than some other species of hardwood.

Which wood is best for cabinets and built-ins?

Which Wood is Best for Cabinets & Built-Ins?

On a budget cabinets & built-ins:

Poplar makes for great kitchen cabinets and built-in furniture if price is more of a concern. It's inexpensive, light, and easy to paint or stain, making it quite versatile for different designs or styles.

Pine is also a great option in this price range but will look more rustic or 'farmhouse kitchen' than poplar. Although both poplar and pine will get dented and scuffed quite easily, it can add character over time, depending on how you look at it.

Mid-range cabinets & built-ins::

If you are comfortable with spending a bit more to get better quality, more durability, or just to fit your taste then oak (red or white oak) will be a great choice, especially if you like the look of distinct wood grain and more noticeable patterns.

Oak wood is strong, with characterful grain and also takes stain or paint well, but might be best suited if you are after a more traditional or country-style aesthetic.

Now, some of you won't like the traditional grain-heavy look of oak and will prefer a cleaner, calmer or 'Scandi' look for cabinetry.

Ash or birch are both great mid-range woods for cabinetry and built-ins if you like the lighter wood tones often used in Nordic/Scandinavian furnishings. They also both have subtle grain and are easy to stain or paint, as well as having a decent level of toughness, Ash and birch are great all-rounders for use in your home cabinetry.

High-end cabinets & built-ins::

If you're looking for the best of the best, you have a lot more options, but in some ways a lot less too - depending if you're prioritising strength, a specific colour or appearance, or sheer rarity.

Our top two recommendations for cabinetry in the high-end, if you care about strength and appearance equally, would be black walnut or cherry.

Go for black walnut if you prefer the rich dark appearance, want a luxury, exclusive or modern look and if cost is less of a concern.

Go for cherry if you prefer the vibrant pinkish-orange hues of cherry, want a bit more toughness, want to go for a more elegant or contemporary aesthetic in your cabinets and don't mind the additional maintenance needed for cherry.

Which Wood is Best for Furniture?

On a budget wood furniture:

On a budget, most of the wood furniture available is either MDF or some other sort of composite with a veneer on top. If you want true solid wood furniture at the lower end of the price scale it's still possible to find, but choices are limited.

Pine and poplar are often used for lower-cost solid wood furniture, bamboo (technically not a type of wood, but still) is also often used for cheaper furniture, and will probably outlast you(sorry!) but is sometimes not that nice to look at depending on your taste.

Consider checking thrift stores, second-hand furniture stores and online marketplaces for used wood furniture if you're on a budget, you can find some truly beautiful solid pieces that cost half-nothing if you're willing to do a bit of leg work in the search! Also, remember that a great thing about wood is that it's easy to repair and make look brand new again!

Mid-range wood furniture:

You will find the bulk of the options in this price range. Some great mid-range options for wood furniture are again, oak and maple, but also beech - it's incredibly strong, pretty lightweight and can also take paint and staining well.

Acacia is another great one at this price range, especially if you want a wood that can take a lot of everyday wear and tear and has varied intricate patterns and grains.

If you like the more subdued look of Scandinavian furniture, birch or ash are also great choices.

High-end wood furniture:

Much of high-end wooden furniture shares some commonalities. High-end or luxury wood furniture pieces are usually made from dark, heavy and durable wood.

Part of what makes it so desirable is the fact that it can, in theory last 'forever'. There are one or two wood types which you probably already associate with luxury wooden furniture, whether you know it or not - and those are mahogany and walnut.

Mahogany is extremely durable with a rich colour that deepens over time, and so is ideal for heirloom-quality traditional furniture.

Which Wood is Best for Kitchenware?

Budget wood kitchenware:

When shopping for wooden kitchenware in the lower price bracket, you will come across mostly pine and bamboo.

Both can be fine for everyday use, but pine in particular will not tend to last longer than a few years for things like wooden spoons, boards or utensils before showing some serious signs of wear and tear.

Bamboo is probably a better choice for kitchenware than pine if you're on a budget.

Mid-range wood kitchenware:

If you're willing to spend a little more up-front for higher quality kitchenware like boards, bowls and cookware, you will get more use out of it, and fewer troubles with maintenance too.

Great wood choices for mid-range wooden kitchenware are acacia, beech, maple, or even jujube/ fig wood (which we didn't list here because it's less common).

If the items will get a lot of use, and be subjected to lots of heat and moisture or sharp metal objects (eg cooking utensils, bowls or boards), then acacia is definitely our top recommendation because of its high density and natural resistance to germs and moisture.

High-end wood kitchenware:

Maybe you want wooden kitchenware you save for special occasions, or perhaps won't get as much wear and tear - or maybe you want to get a whole set of high-end wooden kitchenware and servingware just because you want to treat yourself, then there are absolutely options out there.

If you want something top-end but also forgiving and strong enough to take a lot of wear and tear then teak or cedar are probably the best choices. If you want something with a lot of character and a reasonable amount of strength - then cherry or walnut wood (either European or American black walnut) will make for great conversation pieces.

Which wood is best for outdoor furniture, patios and decking?

Which Wood is Best for Outdoor Furniture, Verandas & Decking?

Budget wood for outdoor use:

Generally, with lower-cost outdoor furniture, you start to feel the sense of 'you get what you pay for' after the first year already. Saying this, there are still some decent options for wooden furniture at the lower end of the price scale.

Cedar would probably be our top recommendation for outdoor furniture like decking, benches or picnic tables, etc as it has a natural resistance to insects and decay, but it's also not as cheap nowadays as it used to be and is quite soft.

In that case, pressure-treated pine would be the next best option if you're on a budget and looking for outdoor furniture or decking. Just remember that it still will need a layer of paint or varnish to be properly sealed.

Consider also bamboo, it's used all across Asia for all manner of construction from scaffolding on skyscrapers to supporting entire terraces on stilts above water.

Mid-range wood for outdoor use:

Ok, you've got more options in this range, and interestingly, choosing what wood type for outdoor furniture is similar to choosing it for your kitchenware.

Both will have to endure the elements, lots of moisture and temperature changes, as well as more wear and tear - and even the possibilities of fungus, microbes, and insects in the case of outdoor furniture, entering the wood.

For all of these reasons, acacia is a top recommendation in the mid-to-high range level, as it will resist almost as much moisture or cracking as teak at a significantly lower cost.

Otherwise, oak or ash can be good options for outdoors, but will also need a consistent layer of protection (paint, varnish or other sealant) to stay protected and have any long-term chance of lasting.

High-end wood for outdoor use:

If you want the best of the best wood for the outdoors, whether it's a decking, veranda, pergola, balcony or benches, teak will outlast practically everything.

There's a reason this incredible wood is used to this day for the decks on boats and ships of all sizes, it's tough, resistant and requires almost no maintenance, but everything comes at a cost, and teak's cost is two-fold: It's one of the most expensive types of wood, and is also somewhat rare, so it's not the most sustainable choice.

Speaking of which, if you want something even more exclusive and less sustainable again, then look no further than mahogany for your outdoor furniture. Despite these obvious downsides, mahogany does make for durable and beautiful outdoor furniture or verandas, just make sure it gets some slight cover from the weather if you want it to maintain its beauty.

Consider cedar (which can be on the higher end of the price scale depending on current availability) if you want a more sustainable option when compared with teak and mahogany.

Summary

When it's all said and done, choosing the right type of wood for your specific home, use cases, and preferences will be a choice that you and only you can make - and now you can make that choice a more informed one!

We hope that this guide has given you a better understanding of the top types of wood used in homes, and what characteristics you should prioritise for each room, your budget, and how the wood will be used in day-to-day life.

If you made it this far, thank you for reading - we know this was a long guide! And if you enjoyed it then you will love our other guides (and wooden homeware).

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