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Wood guide

Twenty-one woods, explained in plain language: how hard each one is, how its color changes over the years, whether it’s safe for food, and what it looks great with.

New to this? Start with Wood 101: HardnessThe two finishesWhy wood changes colorShimmerSafe for food?Weight and cost

Food use
Color
Wood cost
Sort
Showing 21 of 21 woods
06Red Oak
Hardness 1,220$ Serving pieces only
12Sipo
Hardness 1,180$$ Good for food
15Bubinga
Hardness 2,410$$$ Serving pieces only
17Wenge
Hardness 1,930$$$ Not for food

All woods at a glance

Sorted hardest to softest. Select a column heading to sort by it.
Macassar Ebony 3,220 Extremely hard Almost none Serving pieces only $$$$$
Purpleheart 2,520 Extremely hard Big: purple to brown Serving pieces only $$
Bubinga 2,410 Extremely hard Some: deepens to burgundy Serving pieces only $$$
Wenge 1,930 Very hard Slight: may lighten in sun Not for food $$$
Zebrawood 1,830 Very hard Slight: background warms Not for food $$$
Padauk 1,710 Very hard Very big: orange to brown Good for food $$
Hard Maple 1,450 Hard Slight: warms to honey Ideal for food $$
Birdseye Maple 1,450 Hard Slight: warms to honey Good for food $$$$
Sapele 1,360 Hard Big: darkens to copper Good for food $$
White Oak 1,350 Hard Some: turns golden Good for food $$
White Ash 1,320 Hard Slight: warms a little Good for food $
Red Oak 1,220 Hard Some: warms to amber Serving pieces only $
Sipo 1,180 Hard Some: darkens Good for food $$
American Black Walnut 1,010 Medium Some: gets lighter Ideal for food $$$
Peruvian Walnut 960 Medium Slight: lightens a little Good for food $$$
Ambrosia Maple 950 Medium Slight: warms to honey Good for food $
Cherry 950 Medium Big: darkens to red-brown Ideal for food $$
Aromatic Cedar 900 Medium Big: red fades to amber Not for food $
Curly / Quilted Maple 700–1,450 Medium–hard Slight: warms to honey Good for food $$$$
Spanish Cedar 600 Soft Some: darkens Not for food $$

Hardness is the Janka number, in pounds. What the hardness number means

Take the cost ratings with a grain of salt. I based them on what I’ve paid for each wood in the past, and wood prices move with global supply and demand. I once bought hard maple cheap, came back a year later, and paid three times as much because that year’s maple harvest wasn’t as good.

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