AMERICAN CHERRY
American cherry is a supreme hardwood species from the U.S. hardwood forests and is unique to North America, with warm colour tones and superb finishing qualities. Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data shows U.S. cherry growing stock is 3.0% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock and that while 4.3 million m3 is harvested each year more than 11 million m3 of American cherry is growing naturally across the U.S. forests during the same period. The heartwood of cherry can vary from rich red to reddish brown and darkens on exposure to light with time. The sapwood is creamy white. Being hard and stable when dry, the wood is very easy to stain and finish to an excellent surface. It is highly prized for furniture and interior joinery.
AMERICAN TULIPWOOD
Commercially American tulipwood, known domestically as yellow poplar, is one of the most prolific hardwood species from the U.S. hardwood forests and is unique to North America. Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data shows U.S. tulipwood makes up 7.7% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock and while 12.8 million m3 are harvested each year, more than 32 million m3 of American tulipwood grows naturally in the hardwood forests during the same period. Tulipwood has less strong grain characteristic than species such as ash and oak and exhibits a marked difference between the sapwood and heartwood. The sapwood is creamy white whereas the heartwood can vary from pale yellow or brown to green and purple in extreme cases. The wood darkens on exposure to light. Tulipwood has extraordinary overall strength properties relative to weight, making it highly suitable for structural applications, such as glue-laminated beams and cross laminated timber (CLT).
AMERICAN RED OAK
American red oak is the dominant species in the U.S. hardwood forests with distinctive grain, and wood that is not always red in colour. The name is supposedly due to the leaf colour in the fall. Red oak trees grow only naturally and almost exclusively in North America, although planted elsewhere. Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) data shows U.S. red oak growing stock is 18.7% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock and that while 33.9 million m3 of American red oak is harvested each year, more than 32 million m3 is naturally growing over the same period. In general the sapwood of red oaks is light brown and the heartwood is often pinkish to reddish brown. American red oaks have very good overall strength properties relative to weight. Its main uses are furniture, flooring, doors and certain construction applications.
AMERICAN SOFT MAPLE
Soft maple, growing naturally in the hardwood forests of North America, is one of the most prolific and sustainable species, similar to hard maple but slightly softer in impact hardness. It grows widely across the eastern USA. Forest Industry Analysis (FIA) data shows U.S. soft maple makes up 11.7% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock and that while 14.8 million m3 is harvested each year, in the same time period more than 36 million m3 is grown naturally. Soft maple is much more variable in colour than hard maple and the wood is generally straight grained with fine texture. It is considered where hardness and hardwearing properties may not be essential and is used in furniture, cabinet making and joinery as well as turning and mouldings.
