The Most Beautiful Type of Hardwood, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the type you think is the most beautiful!

Updated on May 6, 2024 06:20

Selecting the right type of hardwood for your home or project can be a challenging decision. Understanding the aesthetic appeal of different hardwoods is crucial since each type offers a unique grain, color, and texture that affects the overall ambiance and value of a space. This is why a guide to the most beautiful types of hardwood can be an invaluable resource. By participating in the ranking of hardwoods based on beauty, users contribute their preferences and experiences, helping others make informed choices. The aggregation of votes ensures that the rankings reflect a wide range of opinions, lending credibility and depth to the results. This dynamic list offers insights into popular trends and timeless favorites in hardwood aesthetics.

What Is the Most Beautiful Type of Hardwood?

1

27
votes
Brazilian Cherry

Brazilian cherry, also known as Jatoba, is a beautiful hardwood with a reddish-brown color that deepens with age. It is known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear.
Brazilian Cherry, also known as Jatoba, is a hardwood species native to South America, primarily Brazil. It is highly regarded for its rich, reddish-brown color and distinctive grain patterns. The wood has a lustrous appearance and adds warmth and elegance to any space. Brazilian Cherry is widely used for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and interior trim.

Wood Species: Hymenaea courbaril

Color: Rich reddish-brown

Grain Pattern: Distinctive and varied

Hardness: 2,820 Janka

Density: 0.78–0.85 g/cm³
2

29
votes
Mahogany

Mahogany is a richly colored hardwood with a warm and elegant appearance. It is frequently used in high-end furniture and is known for its strength and durability.
Mahogany is a rich, dark reddish-brown hair color that resembles the wood of the mahogany tree. It is a highly sought-after hair color due to its deep and vibrant tones, which add warmth and dimension to the hair.

Color Category: Red

Base Color: Brown

Undertones: Red, Purple

Hair Type: Suitable for most hair types

Skin Tone: Complements a wide range of skin tones
3

27
votes
Walnut

Walnut is a beautiful hardwood with a rich, dark color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in high-end cabinetry and furniture.
Walnut is a dark and rich hardwood known for its exquisite beauty and elegance. The heartwood ranges from light to dark brown, often accompanied by darker streaks and occasional lighter highlights. Its grain patterns can be straight, but more commonly display waves, curls, and contrasting veins. Walnut has a smooth and lustrous surface, making it highly prized for furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and decorative veneers.

Botanical Name: Juglans

Family: Juglandaceae

Hardness: 1010 lbf (4,490 N)

Density: 40-43 lbs/ft3 (641-689 kg/m3)

Janka Hardness: 1010 lbf (4,490 N)
4

6
votes
Maple

Maple is a light-colored hardwood that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in flooring, cabinetry, and furniture.
Maple is a type of Traeger Pellet made from pure maple hardwood. It provides a sweet and smoky flavor to your dishes, perfect for enhancing the taste of pork, poultry, and vegetables. The maple pellets add a delicious touch to your grilled or smoked dishes.

Hardwood Type: Maple

Flavor Profile: Sweet and Smoky

Ideal for: Pork, Poultry, Vegetables

Usage: Grilling, Smoking

Pellet Size: 1/4 inch
5

12
votes
Oak

Oak is a beautiful hardwood with a warm and elegant appearance. It is known for its durability and strength and is often used in flooring, cabinetry, and furniture.
The Oak Traeger Pellets are a popular choice among grill enthusiasts for creating a rich and smoky flavor in their dishes. These pellets are made from high-quality oak hardwood, ensuring a consistent burn and reliable heat output. The Oak pellets are versatile and can be used for a wide range of cooking styles, from grilling and smoking to baking and roasting.

Wood Type: Oak

Pellet Size: Standard

Pellet Diameter: 0.25 inches

Moisture Content: 5%

Heat Output: 8,500 BTUs per pound
6

5
votes
Ash

Ash is a beautiful hardwood with a light, creamy color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in flooring, cabinetry, and furniture.
Ash is a type of hardwood known for its stunning beauty and versatility. It is renowned for its distinct grain pattern and light color that ranges from creamy white to pale yellow. The wood has a smooth and even texture, making it highly desirable for furniture and interior design applications. Ash is also appreciated for its strength, durability, and resistance to damage, making it suitable for high-traffic areas. Ash wood is derived from the genus Fraxinus, a group of flowering trees. It is primarily found in North America and Europe, with different species having varying characteristics. Ash is prized for its ability to provide a sophisticated and elegant look to any space. The wood's stunning grain patterns can range from straight to wavy, adding a touch of natural beauty to furniture and flooring. Ash wood is relatively easy to work with due to its excellent machining capabilities. It can be easily shaped, bent, turned, and carved, making it highly sought after by craftsmen and artisans. The creator of Ash is Mother Nature itself, with various species of the Fraxinus genus contributing to its availability worldwide.

Color: Creamy white to pale yellow

Grain pattern: Distinct and varied

Texture: Smooth and even

Strength: High

Durability: Excellent
7

10
votes
Teak

Teak is a beautiful hardwood with a warm, golden color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in high-end outdoor furniture due to its resistance to weather and decay.
Teak is a highly sought-after tropical hardwood known for its exceptional beauty, durability, and versatility. It is native to Southeast Asia and is widely used in various applications such as furniture, boat building, and outdoor decking. One of the distinct features of teak is its rich golden-brown color that darkens over time, giving it a unique patina and timeless appeal.

Workability: Easy to work with

Hardness: Very hard

Density: High

Strength: Very strong

Resistance to decay: Excellent
8

12
votes
Cherry

Cherry is a beautiful hardwood with a warm, reddish-brown color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in high-end cabinetry and furniture.
Cherry is a popular energy drink flavor known for its sweet and fruity taste. It typically has a vibrant red color and a refreshing aroma that is reminiscent of freshly picked cherries. The flavor profile is often balanced between tartness and sweetness, making it appealing to a wide range of consumers.

Taste: Sweet with a hint of tartness

Color: Vibrant red

Aroma: Refreshing, reminiscent of freshly picked cherries

Popularity: One of the most popular energy drink flavors

Caffeine content: Varies depending on the brand, typically around 80-150 mg per serving
9

10
votes
Rosewood

Rosewood is a beautiful hardwood with a rich, dark color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in high-end cabinetry and furniture.
Rosewood is a highly prized type of hardwood known for its exquisite beauty and remarkable durability. It is known for its rich reddish-brown color and intricate grain patterns, making it a popular choice for luxury furniture, musical instruments, and decorative items. The lustrous finish and smooth texture of rosewood add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any space. It is believed to have originated from different parts of the world, including India, Brazil, and Madagascar.

Color: Rich reddish-brown

Grain Pattern: Intricate

Durability: Remarkable

Common Uses: Luxury furniture, musical instruments, decorative items

Origin: India, Brazil, Madagascar
10

6
votes
Hickory

Hickory is a beautiful hardwood with a light, creamy color that is highly prized for its beauty and durability. It is often used in flooring, cabinetry, and furniture.
Hickory pellets are created using the finest blend of 100% pure hardwood, offering a rich and smoky flavor to enhance your grilling experience. They are perfectly suited for a variety of meats, including beef, pork, poultry, and game.

Wood Type: 100% Hickory hardwood

Flavor: Rich, smoky, and robust

Ideal For: Beef, pork, poultry, and game

Weight: 20 lb (9.07 kg)

Low Ash: Produces minimal ash for easy cleanup

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Ranking factors for beautiful type

Color and grain pattern

The natural color and grain pattern of the hardwood is a crucial factor in determining its beauty. Each wood species has its unique color and grain pattern that adds to its aesthetic appeal. Look for hardwoods with rich tones, beautiful patterns, and unique character.
Variation and consistency

Some hardwoods have a consistent color, while others exhibit a great variation in shades and patterns. A beautiful hardwood should have a balance between consistency and variation in the overall appearance, with neither overwhelming the other.
Texture

The texture of the hardwood is an essential factor in its overall appearance. Woods with a smooth and uniform texture are considered more appealing than those with rough and irregular surfaces.
Durability

A beautiful hardwood should also be durable and resistant to wear and tear over time. Hardwoods with good durability are better suited for long-term investments in furniture and flooring.
Finish

The finish applied to the hardwood plays a significant role in enhancing its beauty. A high-quality finish can enhance the natural color, grain, and texture of the wood, making it look more refined and polished.
Workability and versatility

A beautiful hardwood should be easy to work with and versatile. It should be easy to cut, shape, and sand, and it should also accept various finishes well.
Historical and cultural context

Some hardwoods have a strong historical or cultural significance, which adds to their beauty. For example, certain hardwoods may have been traditionally used in specific regions or by specific craftsmen, making them more valuable and beautiful in that context.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most beautiful type of hardwood. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or type is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

4269 views
154 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each type once every 24 hours. The rank of each type is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

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More information on most beautiful type of hardwood

Hardwood is a popular choice for flooring and furniture due to its durability, longevity, and natural beauty. There are many different types of hardwood, each with its own unique characteristics and appearance. Some of the most popular types of hardwood include oak, maple, cherry, and walnut. Each of these hardwoods has its own distinct grain pattern and color, making them perfect for adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to any space. When it comes to selecting the most beautiful type of hardwood, it ultimately comes down to personal preference and the specific look and feel that you are trying to achieve.