If you’re looking to purchase new solid wood furniture, you already know to look no further than American made quality wood. Now that you know the standard of craftsmanship you want, it is very important to know what woods are actually best used and most aesthetically pleasing when used for solid wood furniture. We spoke with solid wood furniture expert Rogelio “Roy” Ortega about which wood he finds to be the most durable, while also providing a beautiful, natural look to your home.

If you’re buying American made furniture, you can also stick to American woods such as cherry wood, Roy says. He enjoys the beautiful wood grain of cherry and recommends its use for bedroom and dining furniture. Roy is also a big fan of walnut for it’s unique natural grain and color. The deep richness of dark walnut can bring drama to a bedroom with a large poster bed frame or beautiful dresser.

Oak and maple are two popular types of wood that are also used in solid wood furniture. Oak has its pros and cons as, according to Roy, it “has a very grainy feel, however, is very heavy and strong.” If durability is most important to you, oak may be a good choice. Maple is used more now than ever on furniture and has two different types that are used regularly. There’s hard maple, which is very clean and will generally have a light stain applied to it; then there is brown maple, which tends to have dark and light areas so darker stains are applied to hide the unevenness.

All in all, Roy prefers cherry for the wood grain and characteristics, which are enhanced wonderfully when a stain is applied to show off its beauty and remarkably rich patterns. When we asked Roy why more Americans should buy their solid wood from American made resources, he gave us this amazing quote that we will leave you with here.

“By choosing Made in America we are supporting our country and keeping jobs here in America where they belong! The more we do to support Made in America, the more we continue to ensure a better life for us and our loved ones. Quality furniture has never been the same since shipped over seas and jobs were lost. American Made stands for quality furniture that can be passed down to generation to generation. It’s furniture you will buy once and never have to buy ever again!”