Building your own custom piece is really fun. You get to imagine the style you want, the space it will go into, and all of the amazing stories to come. But what about the materials? Will your table be made out of wood? What kind of wood? There are over 100,000 different species of wood out there. That’s a lot of wood, and thus, A LOT of decisions to be made!
Depending on what you’re wanting to build, your budget, your space, and it’s function, there are different things to consider to ensure your investment will stand the test of time and that you can pass it along to your grandkids. Don’t run to the library just yet – we’ve got your back and I’ve put together a quick hit list of some of the most popular woods we work with and why/when they’re great to use.
1) White Oak
Oak is a beautiful, heavy, strong hardwood that you often see in furniture or cabinetry construction. Oak comes in two types of varieties – red and white. We love the look of the natural grain in this type of wood. We tend to use more white oak than red in our work for both residential and commercial spaces, and it is very well priced for such a beautiful and high quality wood type. It is also incredibly complimentary for decor or against other wood grains.
(above: white oak)
2) Reclaimed
Reclaimed, recycled, or salvaged – these are all words to describe wood that once had a previous life as something else. Reclaimed wood has really increased in popularity for sustainability reasons, but also in that we’ve seen a surge in popularity for a more industrial or rustic feeling in residential and commercial design.
We love using reclaimed wood for the soul it brings to a piece or space. The reclaimed wood that we source for Pacific comes from a few different local sources. We were able to find some beautiful massive wooden beams that were once in an old local building, and they’re now finding their new homes in what we call “butcher block” tables or countertops. We also uncovered some beautifully maintained fir planks from a heritage home that was being town down in Strathcona – our home and Vancouver’s oldest residential neighbourhood. The wood has so much heart and history!
Like anything, “reclaimed” wood can vary in price point depending on the quality, the size, the source, and what kind of shape it’s in. Protect your investment and make sure you look closely at the quality before building a piece as well. Ensure it is durable and strong, and that it still has some good years left in it.
(above: reclaimed wooden beam or “butcher block”)
(above: reclaimed wood planks)
3) Live Edge Cherry
Live-edge or raw-edge wood is named due to the fact that the wood is left essentially raw and unfinished. This wood does not come as milled 2 x 4’s, but this wood is actually the cut-offs from the mill as they create their planks. This beautiful wood in it’s natural state otherwise would be wasted, but we think it is incredibly special and makes for spectacular pieces to be enjoyed.
Cherry is a beautiful hardwood with a warm honey finish. Live edge can be a bit more difficult to find (and thus pricier), but when you do it’s well worth it. Whether it be a counter top, bar, dining table or coffee table, if you’re looking for a more organic or natural feel for your piece than something made with live-edge wood would be a perfect fit for you!
(above: live edge cherry)
4) Fir
Fir is an awesome multi-purpose wood for all types of millwork and makes for an excellent choice for finishings, frames, or furniture. It is an affordable, beautiful wood with a nice grain. It also works well with all types of stains, so you can play with the texture and feel of this wood to make it a little bit more rustic if you wish, or on the softer side if preferred. We love burning fir with a hand-torch to give it an amazingly deep + dark colour. It looks stunning and…it’s also fun.
(above: fir)
5) Walnut
I love the richness of walnut. It is a beautiful hardwood that is gorgeous and durable for furniture or cabinetry. The deep brown and heavy grain give it a luxurious feel that I love contrasting against a clean neutral space. The pricepoint is a little bit higher but the finished product is always a stunner and well worth the price.
(above: walnut)
These are just a few of the most popular wood types you’ll see coming in and out of our custom millwork shop for our commercial construction projects, and hopefully this helps in differentiating between some of them and when/why you might use them. This is just a start though – our woodworkers are experienced with all wood types and there are so many others that we have available for all options, price points, and creative ideas. Anything is possible, really!
Stay tuned to our commercial construction journal and Instagram Stories for more woodworking tips, or reach out to us if you have any questions on how we can help your business.