How to specify timber for furniture and interior projects

When working on a project, making an informed decision about timber is essential.

We’ve gathered information to help you confidently select timbers and finishes, highlighting their benefits and drawbacks. This blog is primarily aimed at design professionals who often come to us with their timbers already selected. However, there are common features that apply to any client. By commissioning Edward, you will benefit from all the experience and knowledge shared within this blog.

Grain Selection

When discussing grain, consider three main elements: texture, pattern and cut, and character and figure.

Texture

Grain texture differs from grain pattern. The choice between coarser or tighter grain affects both aesthetics and finish. Coarser grains, like those in oak, chestnut, and ash, have open pits and a 3D relief, adding texture. In contrast, walnut features a finer, tighter grain with smaller, spread-out pits, resulting in a different finish.

Coarser grains can be brushed out to increase the texture or filled with liming wax or coloured oil for added detail, while tighter grains, such as walnut, are best left unaltered for a more formal look. Extremely fine grains are considered closed grain, like maple, which is used for solid-coloured painted surfaces. A single coat of primer on maple fills all pores, creating a smooth finish.

Pattern and cut

The part of the tree that a board is cut from influences both the grain you see and the stability. The outer boards are called “crown cut”; the one cuts from the middle are “straight cut” or “quarter cut”; between those is “rift cut”.

As you work your way from the outer tree through to the centre, the grain becomes increasingly straighter because of the way the cuts go through the growth rings.

Crown cut offers a pronounced grain in the timber which can work well on larger surfaces such as dining table tops or cabinet fronts. It is less stable than rift or quarter cut timber as it tends to cup or curve as it dries out. When working with solid timber this uneven movement must be addressed within the design. In veneer form, the movement issues are not a concern.

In contrast, straight cut, or quarter cut, is very stable because of the way it’s cut from across the growth rings. The straight grain achieved from a quarter cut or rift cut is much cleaner and simpler. It is equally useful for producing an elegant, linear aesthetic or perhaps a visually striking starburst effect.

If you don’t want that distinctive quarter-sawn patterning found in some timbers rift cut is a good halfway point between crown and straight cut, combining stability and a fairly straight grain.

It’s worth noting that when specifying oak or London plane, aesthetic can be an especially important consideration when deciding on the cut. Medullary Rays, thin ribbon-like striations, tend to be especially pronounced in oak. It has a very strong aesthetic.

Character and figure

Character

When we talk about character, we’re describing the bold features of the timber which sets it apart from the standard. It encompasses a wide range of natural features that contribute to its appearance, such as knots, wild grain patterns, splits, unusual colouring.

Some projects require timber with distinctive character, while others may be overwhelmed by it. Features such as knots or wild grain can lead to challenges, including increased movement in the timber. Therefore, careful consideration is necessary during the design and timber selection stages. There is nothing wrong with character, as long as it is managed properly in the manufacturing process.

For example, we recently crafted a dining table from characterful crown-cut chestnut, which is naturally prone to cupping and uneven movement. To address these movement concerns, we cut the characterful chestnut into thick 5mm veneers and re-bonded it onto a quartersawn solid chestnut core. This approach allowed us to achieve the desired aesthetic of character timber while ensuring the stability of plain quartersawn timber.

Figure

Figure refers specifically to the patterns and markings we see on the surface of the timber.

Burrs are abnormal, rounded growths on trees which result in highly figured, uniquely patterned wood, characterised by numerous small, tightly packed knots. They’re uncommon and as a result, high quality burrs tend to be converted into veneer. Along with achieving a higher conversion rate, this is also because in solid form, burr timber is very unstable, easily moving and twisting. Burrs don’t tend to grow very big, so they result in quite small pieces. It’s important to bear this in mind as you may have to build up a pattern with the veneer, rather than covering larger sections with single pieces. Typically, we would book-match a burr veneer pattern.

Aesthetically, it’s very different from the other cuts you can get from a tree. Burr oak doesn’t particularly look like oak. Burr maple has not only a different pattern, but often a completely different colour from maple. It’s quite common to buy burrs in oak, chestnut, ash, maple, elm, walnut and poplar. Depending on the species, there can be significant variation between packs of burr timber. Burr walnut, for example, can range from dramatically dark to really light with dark streaks.

Less dense clusters of knots produce a cluster or pippy aesthetic. Unlike the tight patterning of burrs, pippy timber has a more spread out, still distinctive pattern. We see this specified most often in oak, chestnut, ash, elm, yew and poplar.

Ripple and figuring refer to a three-dimensional iridescent effect that is quite rare. Like burrs, this effect is often transformed into veneers due to its sought-after appearance. Although it can be found in solid timber, it is more commonly used in veneer form. Since this effect may not be present throughout the entire tree, it might only appear in specific areas of a board, rather than uniformly across it.

Embracing the use of timber with striking or unique grain can be both exhilarating and intimidating, as it deeply impacts the character and final aesthetic of the piece, much like the overarching design itself. This choice is inherently influenced by the whims of nature and the availability of timber at the time of commissioning, adding an element of unpredictability to the process. Nevertheless, the journey of uncovering a truly exceptional piece of wood, sculpted by the forces of nature, can be a profoundly satisfying experience, offering a connection to the organic beauty and individuality inherent in each unique piece.

Colour

We can separate out the base colour of the timber from the ways in which you can build on that in various ways. If you want a dark timber, you’re not necessarily restricted to a walnut, bog oak or similar. You can start with oak, chestnut or maple and build on those colours in various ways.

Natural options

You can choose timber based on its natural colour, which can vary due to different environmental factors. For example, oak can exhibit a wide range of colours. The standard oak is lighter in colour and is commonly used. However, when fungus grows on a tree, it can leach colour into the wood, resulting in brown oak. In between standard oak and brown oak, there is tiger oak, which features a striking, patchy appearance.

For a darker brown, and in some cases, jet black colour, you can specify bog oak. This timber comes from ancient oak trees that fell into peat bogs, where the tannin in the oak reacts with the peat, causing a dramatic colour change. Bog oak is highly prized for its unique appearance.

Another timber with naturally occurring colour variations is ash. Typically very light, English ash often displays a darker colouration in the centre, known as olive or coloured ash. This beautiful timber is underused.

Chemical changes: fuming

The other way you can change the colour is through fuming, which creates a chemical reaction with the natural properties of the timber. When we’ve sanded a piece and it’s ready to have a finish applied to it, whether oil or lacquer, we build a big, plastic tent around it and place bowls of very strong ammonia inside. As the ammonia evaporates, it reacts with the tannin. You can fume timber at different levels. We control the process by how long we leave the piece in the tent with the ammonia, anywhere from one hour to twenty-four hours.

Compared to staining, fuming gives a greater depth of colour. It’s not a uniform colour. Where the tree has different levels of tannin, it will go lighter or darker accordingly. Where there’s sap, which doesn’t have tannin, it won’t go dark at all. Some readily available and sustainable timbers that work well for this are oak, chestnut, eucalyptus and aspen.

Staining

Stains can be used to dye timber in a variety of colours and shades. The success and uniformity of the stain can vary based on the intricacies of the design and the type of timber chosen. Typically, the stain is applied directly to raw timber before lacquering or oiling.

It is important to note that wood is not uniformly porous, which means the stain may appear heavier in some areas than in others. This effect is particularly noticeable when working with open-grain timbers, such as oak, where the stain tends to accumulate more in the pores, resulting in a flecked appearance.

While we often use stains, they are usually applied subtly to enhance the natural base tone of the wood rather than completely changing its colour.

“Edward Johnson’s designs are creative, original and beautifully crafted. I was so delighted with the elegant walnut Chichester mirror that I bought a second one!”

– Client

Solid timber or veneer

Each form has its own benefits and drawbacks, and the choice of which one to use will depend on a few key factors, including durability, aesthetics, availability, movement concerns, and the desired finish. It is common to use a variety of forms within a single project to meet the needs of each specific component. However, matching solid wood and veneer from different sources or trees can be challenging due to the natural colour variations from tree to tree.  

Durability

Solid timber provides far more durability and longevity than veneer. It might move, shrink, expand, slightly twist or cup, but it can sustain bangs, be refinished and sanded heavily. It can take the knocks that life throws at it to build up a character over time, in a way that veneer doesn’t.

Location-driven movement issues

As a general rule, timber shrinks 1% of its width and thickness. It doesn’t shrink in length. Wherever a piece is installed, it needs time and space to move, and move it will.

Equally, consider the temperature and humidity of the piece’s intended environment. For example, I would avoid putting a solid timbered piece of furniture in a conservatory, which varies between hot and cold, humid and dry. Be mindful as well of central heating. We regularly put furniture in houses which seem to be heated to a constant 25 degrees. I encourage clients to turn that down for the first couple of weeks to help acclimatise the piece and to keep it away from the radiator. Ultimately, you want to help the solid timber to continue its natural drying process in an even and gradual manner.

Design-led movement issues

The starburst dining table is a good example of design-led movement considerations. If you were to create a starburst table from solid timber, it would quickly crack when the circumference of the table shrinks by 1%, leading to a split that runs from the centre outward.

Finish

If you want an oil finish, you should use solid timber or constructional (thick) grade veneer.  Standard veneer (0.4-0.5mm) is so thin, the oil just bounces off it, resulting in a very patchy finish. However, veneer comes in different sizes. Constructional veneer is available in thicknesses from 1.5mm to 2.5mm and could take an oil. That said, specifying constructional veneer limits what range of species you can choose from unless you’re willing to pay a premium for cutting the veneers in-house.

Constructional veneer or solid timber are also necessary for carving, distressed finishes and organic undulated finishes. These aren’t achievable without that thickness.

Dyed veneers

Tabu and Alpi veneers offer a vast colour spectrum to work well with your interior scheme. Location and sustainability are the main considerations when specifying these materials.

Avoid specifying these in an area where they’ll be exposed to a lot of sunlight, which can have a bleaching effect on the colour. It’s worth noting that all timbers change colour; some go lighter, some go darker. A rich, deep dark American walnut will start to look orange after six months in a sunny room. In contrast, oak, cherry, maple, ash and sycamore tend to go slightly darker. Depending on the situation, this can happen quite quickly. An ideal project for a Tabu veneer would be a windowless dressing room. You could be confident that this wouldn’t change dramatically over time.

Man-made texture

There’s a wide range of textures and 3D relief you can put onto pieces of furniture. Here’s an overview of some of the patterns and textures you can choose from:

Reeding

We can achieve reeding detail by using numerous different pieces of timber and joining them back together by bonding them onto a stable plywood and substrate.

Ripples

This signature texture is an example of 3-dimensional laminate, comprising curved and wavy forms created from gluing thin layers together over a mould.

Carved

Chip carving can be used to create a wide range of different reliefs and patterns. It can be used across a whole surface, or in a more localised way to create a distinctive pattern.

Machine-made marking

Machine-made marks, which appear reminiscent of bandsaw marks, are quite popular. You can buy this on constructional veneers. It’s worth noting that both repairing and refinishing are challenges with these types of textures as they cannot be sanded in a standard way.

Undulations

Carving and sanding can be used to create undulations for an organic sense of movement. Before specifying undulations, make sure to consider what the piece will be used for because it doesn’t offer a flush surface.

Distressed or antique

For a distressed and antique finish, we employ various tools to dent and mark the timber.

Substrates

I recommend completely bypassing standard MDF for a moisture resistant substrate. Standard MDF expands the moment any water touches it. Moisture resistant MDF is available in green or brown. Depending what colour you specify, consider using a double veneer to avoid the colour coming through thin 0.6mm veneers. With a lighter timber, like maple, the colour could look slightly green instead of white or cream!

Hydrofugo MDF is also moisture resistant, offering more durability with a denser bond. It’s a good option for machining and milling out shapes as well as for applying solid colour lacquer to furniture.

Plywood is another option. It can move, so we often skin both sides of our plywood in thin sheets of MDF for increased stability. Plywood has better deflection resistance, so it’s a better option for floating shelving, for example. After being loaded up with books and ornaments, an MDF substrate will be more prone to sagging, while plywood offers more strength. In terms of species, look to birch plywood for the best quality.

You can buy both MDF and plywood panels which are pre-veneered. These are good quality and available in a wide range of options, smoked, fumed, textured, or even pre-finished timbers. It’s much cheaper to buy pre-veneered panels than to veneer in-house, so they’re often specified to help reduce project costs. Importantly, it’s rare to get consecutive pre-veneered panels. So for bigger jobs, such as doors in a dressing room or kitchen, while you might use pre-veneered stock for the carcass work, you would want to veneer the doors in-house to achieve a uniform look across the fascia.

Finally, for especially big pieces that are heavy to lift into site, you’ll want to consider composite aluminium core board, which we generally make in house. It comprises an aluminium honeycomb core bonded onto a panel, normally plywood, and then occasionally skinned in MDF as well. It’s less common and not everyone knows how to use it, but depending on project requirements, it’s a fantastic way of reducing weight while retaining strength. This is a premium product and is typically only used on very high-end projects or where other restrictions necessitate.

Finishes

First, neither oil nor lacquer finishes are impervious to wear; they both have flaws. Understanding the client’s character and how they will use and care for the piece of furniture is crucial to deciding what finish is most suitable. There are five main factors to decide which is the best option for a piece: durability and protection, aftercare and repair, product variation, sustainability and tactility.

Durability and protection

Both oil and lacquer finishes mark differently. Scratches in lacquer are more noticeable and can be more challenging to repair successfully on-site. These scratches can be particularly pronounced on darker woods with fine grains, such as walnut. For veneered pieces or when clients are unlikely to use coasters, I recommend lacquer because it offers better protection against water marks and spills, as it forms a surface layer. It’s important to understand how the client will use the piece and which types of marks will bother them most. Ultimately, both finishes require ongoing care.

Product variation

Not all oils and lacquer brands are the same, and we certainly have our favorites. Our assessment in this section is based on our preferred brands, which remain a top secret.

Sustainability

Oils tend to be more natural and sustainable. Polyurethane (PU) lacquers have volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in them and are the bulk of what’s used in the industry. However, you can get water-based lacquers. These are alright for lighter timbers: oak, maple, ash and sycamore, but I would personally avoid using a water-based lacquer on darker timbers such as walnut as it does not bring out the colour at all. Walnut has a real depth, vibrancy and richness that comes through best with oil or a PU lacquer. Whatever the case, it’s always worth sampling before committing to a finish.

Tactility

Feature	Oil	Lacquer
Protection	Shows liquid and food spills	Added protection against liquid and food spills
Scratches	Scratches less visible	Scratches more visible
Aftercare	Easier, shorter, on-site with DIY option	More expensive, off-site, longer process
Tactility	Natural, tactile feel	Plastic-like surface
Sustainability	More sustainable, no VOCs	PU lacquers produce VOCs Water based options
Veneer	Added protection on veneer	Added protection on veneer
Dark timbers	Brings out colour	PU lacquer brings out colour Water based dulls darker colours

Lacquer is a plastic-like surface layer that goes on top of the timber, covering it up. Oil is more like a subsurface finish, so it’s more natural in appearance and certainly more tactile. Tactility is generally a lower priority, below how a finish will wear and how the different aftercare processes are carried out.

Finishes: Sheen level

Lacquers offer the full spectrum of sheen levels: matt, semi-matt, satin, and gloss. Oils are slightly more limited, offering the range from matt through to satin.

Finish	Sheen Level	Pros	Cons
Matt	<10%	Looks more natural Shows scratches less	Lacks vibrancy
Semi-Matt	25%	Shows scratches less	OK vibrancy
Satin	50%	Shows scratches more Looks more plastic	Good vibrancy
Gloss	>70%	Shows scratches easily Typically requires polishing and grain filling	Great vibrancy

Semi-matt is the most popular sheen level for us. It brings out the timber’s colour while not showing scratches too badly. A glossy finish reflects the light more, which makes any damage or blemishes more obvious. While matt finishes are more forgiving for scratch visibility, they lack vibrancy and tend to mute the colour of the timber.

An important consideration with gloss in particular is grain filling. With grain-filled gloss finishes, we apply a lot more lacquer. We cut it back in stages to result in a perfectly flat, smooth surface with no little pores. Finally, we have to polish it to remove any unwanted dust or debris that may have landed on the surface during the spraying process. Due to the greater amount of product required and time spent sanding and cutting it back, there’s more cost associated with grain filling.

“The complex curves certainly presented a challenge but both Andy and I loved working on it, and we were really pleased with the final install.”

– Ed Johnson

Sustainability

By focusing on the four key areas below, we can create furniture that is not only beautiful and functional but also sustainable.

Sustainable materials

It’s essential to obtain materials from managed and sustainable woodlands. Woods and woodlands are carbon neutral and sustainable when they are harvested responsibly and replanted. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) timbers are a good choice, as they are sourced from sustainable, regenerative material sources, typically from the UK, Europe, and North America. It’s crucial, however, to avoid and be cautious with slow-growing timbers from countries with poor sustainability practices, such as tropical timbers. These timbers take too long to grow for sustainable replanting and often come from regions that don’t prioritise responsible logging practices.

Reducing transport

Preferably, select native materials or those sourced from nearby countries to minimise transport emissions. The more native the tree species, the lower the carbon footprint associated with its journey to market.

Designing for longevity

Consider the product’s durability and repairability. While not always necessary, solid timber has many advantages in withstanding the daily wear and tear of use. Regardless of whether we are rich or poor, we all use furniture similarly, and its primary purpose is to function effectively and endure over time. Ultimately, solid timber will withstand the test of time far better than veneer.

Quality over quantity

Manufacturing furniture has a carbon footprint, and bespoke pieces require significant time and resources. However, this carbon footprint can be offset over the product’s lifespan, which should ideally exceed a hundred years if the furniture is well designed and constructed.

Working with you

Whether you are exploring our made-to-order pieces or considering bespoke furniture or interiors, we are here to help find the best solution for you. If you would like to discuss your options for a potential purchase or bespoke project, please call, email or use our contact form to start the conversation.