How to Choose the Right Hardwood Top for Your Business Furniture

AUSTIN, Texas - April 26, 2018 - PRLog -- Looking for the beauty and durability of top quality solid American hardwood countertops? You've come to the right place.

As an American heritage manufacturer of industrial-grade furniture (https://formaspace.com/industrial-workbenches/), Formaspace offers a full line of custom, solid wood countertop desks, tables, and workstations — built just for you at our factory headquarters in Austin, Texas — with the authentic, industrial look that you've been looking for.

Choose the Right Hardwood for your Solid Wood Work Surface Furniture

If you haven't picked up on it already, Formaspace offers you the widest possible choice in furniture customization, from specifying materials and finishes to crafting one-of-a-kind, fully bespoke signature designs you'll never see twice.

When specifying industrial-look furniture with solid wood work surfaces (https://formaspaceoffice.com/extras/#surface-materials), one of the major decisions is your choice of hardwood. Understandably, you may have a preference already, or want to match the look of existing furniture. But if you're not sure which type of wood to select, have a glance at our wood species checklist below to help guide you in a decision.  We also recommend speaking with one of our Formaspace Design Consultants who will be happy to discuss your options — including sourcing other species, including exotics, or using wood materials that you provide to incorporate into your furniture order. Just fill out the quick contact form at the end of this article to make contact.

• Solid Hard Rock Maple Countertops
Known variously as hard, rock, black or sugar maple, this group of closely related hardwood species is known for its durability (unlike the soft maple species). Hard maple's lighter color sapwood is commonly used for solid wood work surfaces; the grain is generally fine and straight with a very light white to off-white cream color. Thanks to its inherent anti-bacterial properties, hard maple wood is often used in commercial kitchen countertops, kitchen islands and prep stations, as well as butcher block cutting boards and chopping blocks. For commercial kitchens and other food manufacturing facilities requiring sanitary conditions, we offer NSF certified butcher block countertops crafted from solid hard maple.

• Solid Black Walnut Countertops
Long prized for use in premium cabinet-making as well as rifle production, walnut is known for its rich, lustrous finish, easy workability, inherent stability and shock resistance (an important characteristic for rifle stock!). Black walnut generally has a fine, straight wood grain. As the heartwood tends to be darker than the sapwood, a commercial steaming process is often employed during processing at the sawmill to even out color transitions. Solid walnut wood countertops are an excellent choice when you want to make a traditional, authentic design statement for your furniture project.

• Solid Red Oak Countertops
Characterized by the natural reddish-brown color of its heartwood, red oak is a traditional choice that adds warmth and character to high-end custom kitchens and open plan offices alike. While the grain of red oak is straight, its texture is generally coarser than other wood species; this, in combination with prominent "rays" (the series of short dark lines that flow along the grain), gives the red oak its characteristic natural feel. Like the other hardwoods, red oak* is an exceptionally strong material that's used where durability is important (such as red oak kitchen countertops and hardwood flooring, for example).

*White oak is also available upon request. Ask your Formaspace Design Consultant for details.

• Solid Black Cherry Countertops
A favorite choice for furniture and musical instrument makers, black cherry is a hardwood known for its reddish, brown heartwood. Today, black cherry is often used in creating modern Mission and Shaker furniture pieces, which could be a consideration if you want matching hardwood countertops. Exposure to the sun can darken black cherry's color over time. The grain pattern can vary from straight to curly, depending on the stock selection.

• Solid Hickory Countertops
An exceptionally strong wood, hickory is known for its use in fashioning traditional products out of wood, such as ax handles, drumsticks, ladder rungs, or hockey sticks, where added toughness is required. Depending on the stock selection, hickory can vary in appearance. Hickory sapwood is lighter in color and can change to a pale gray over time. Heartwood hickory has a paler brown to reddish tone. If you are looking for a more rustic look, specify hickory stock with bird-peck or bark inclusions.

• Solid African Mahogany Countertops
After years of over-harvesting, American mahogany is no longer commercially available. (Harvesting is protected by an international treaty.) However, there are species from West Africa in the same botanical family, such as Khaya ivorensis, that are available and can serve as a suitable substitute. This species of African mahogany, known as khaya for short, is exceptionally durable and workable. Better cuts of khaya heartwood have a deep red color, while the sapwood is lighter in color. Careful quarter sawing of khaya stock can reveal highly attractive "ribbon" stripes.

(As an aside, we don't offer pine or other softwood species — unless you request it for some reason — as softwood materials don't meet our high standards for service life longevity; N.B. all Formaspace furniture is backed by a 12-year no-questions-asked guarantee (https://formaspace.com/support/guarantee/).)

Solid Hardwood Countertops for Your Office, Commercial-Grade Kitchen, Craft Room or Workshop


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