What Projects is American Cherry Good for?

What Projects is American Cherry Good for?

American Cherry is a timeless wood, and you’ve probably already seen a number of its primary uses without even realizing it. It’s prime material for caskets, furniture building, veneers, and even musical instruments.

If you’ve picked up a decent stock of American Cherry and want to get creative with it, check out our recommended American Cherry projects.

Furniture

American Cherry is perfect for furniture crafting. It’s a medium-density hardwood that provides the strength you need, but it’s not so difficult to work with that you’ll need extravagant tools or decades of experience to use it properly.

American Cherry is frequently used to make grandpa-style rocking chairs, coffee tables, end tables, and other forms of rustic furniture because of its ability to slowly darken and “age” as it’s exposed to sunlight. This matches the rustic vibe perfectly after you’ve given your furniture a few years to develop its unique look.

However, you have to consider a few things before starting your project. American cherry has light-colored sapwood, but its heartwood is a subtle red that gets fairly dark as it ages. If you don’t want both of those colors in your furniture, you’ll have to either purchase processed wood, or you’ll have to put in the time to separate the sapwood from the heartwood.

Also, watch out for gum streaks in the heartwood.

Instruments

American Cherry’s easy-to-use nature and potential for luxurious beauty make it a great candidate for instrument building. An American Cherry acoustic guitar gives off the rustic vibe country singers want, but it’s also capable of producing a classy and elegant look that fits a variety of musical styles.

Due to the strength and versatility of American Cherry, you can easily use it to complete the body and neck of a guitar or other string instrument without negatively impacting performance.

However, wind instruments such as wooden flutes, ocarinas, and other classics are also great choices for American Cherry wood, and such projects will result in long-lasting and beautiful instruments.

Of course, American Cherry can also be used for instruments that don’t rely as heavily on your wood choice. Piano bodies made from American Cherry exude the class and elegance the piano is known for, and items such as bongos and slap boxes are also great choices for American Cherry.

Veneers

If you want a thin hardwood surface, look no further than American Cherry. It’s an affordable hardwood that slices into veneers with ease. You can even make your own with a decent planer and a bit of experience.

These veneers can be used as table toppers, countertops, flooring, and more. Just keep in mind that American Cherry is a medium-density hardwood. It’s a little more vulnerable to gouging or scratching than harder options such as teak.

With that being said, American Cherry veneers can offer an unbeatable rustic vibe if that’s what you’re going for.

Try American Cherry Today

If you want to learn more about American Cherry, or if you want to pick some up for your next project, check us out at Timber Source. We offer high-quality timber products, informative guides, and more.

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