cherry wood lumber alamo hardwoods san antonio moldings

alamo hardwoods san antonio Cherry wood lumber molding

American Black Cherry

Amercian Cherry (Prunus serotina) is on old favorite for finer furniture and cabinetry. It has a very smooth appearance and no visible pores. The outer edge of the tree, the Sap wood, is lighter in color than the darker Heart wood. There are often black specks in the wood as a result of gum. People will create this effect on other woods with splatters of dark stain to create a "fruitwood" effect. The heart wood will darken with exposure to air, a process known as "oxidation". People in the antique business look for this on furniture to gauge the age of a piece. Areas hidden behind hardware for years will remain lighter than the surrounding wood. Cabinets made from cherry will therefore darken over time and the choice of finish will encourage or inhibit this process. Many older houses had wood paneling that darkened to the point where some homeowner has pulled out the paint cans and covered it over. The heart wood is water resistant and used in the printing industry. Many old wood block prints were carved directly into cherry wood. The soft texture of the wood allows for very fine detail carving, and it works easily with hand tools. People in glass making studios will use cherry for their tools, soaking them in water overnight before they use them. The softness of the wood makes it less desirable for flooring, except in very lightly used areas.