What is the best wood for dining tables?
What is the best wood for dining tables?
By Patricia Stephens
Dining tables evoke thoughts of family, food, and fun activities. If you've been looking for the perfect dining room table for your family, appearance, and durability will be important considerations. The best wood for dining tables is subjective and will depend on personal preference and needs.
Dining tables are one of the most ancient forms of furniture that exists today. According to Furniture In Fashion, cited below, "In ancient times, the Egyptians ate from plates at pedestal dining tables made of stones while ancient Greeks used tiny [wooden or bronze] tables for dining and stored them under their beds."
You may think one famous table, King Arthur's Round Table, was made of wood, but it was actually constructed with silver - not commonly used for furniture these days! As the style evolved through the years, solid wood furniture has become the most popular table material, ending out stone, ceramic, or resin.
Today, popular options include hardwoods such as walnut, oak, maple, cherry, and mahogany.
Walnut
Walnut is versatile and sturdy
Dining tables made from walnut are dark, with a beautiful, rich grain pattern. In addition, walnut is renowned for being hard and dense, making it durable for dining room tables. While more expensive than other solid woods, furniture made from walnut will become a legacy piece in your home.
Oak
Oak will endure for generations
This wood is sturdy, durable and features a distinct grain pattern. One of the most famous furniture pieces made of oak still in service today is the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. In the White House since Queen Victoria gifted it to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880, this oak desk was built from timbers of the British Arctic exploration ship, the HMS Resolute. Eight presidents have worked behind it, including our current President, Joe Biden.
Maple
Maple has a simple elegance
Maple wood is tough, strong, and durable with a smooth, light color. A favorite of today's consumer, maple lasts and is an affordable choice.
Cherry
Cherry lends an air of quiet dignity to your dining area
Cherry is not quite as strong as oak but has a fine grain and pleasing reddish-brown color that darkens over time. Cherry is an excellent choice for dining room tables with any kind of ornamentation.
Mahogany
No photo currently available, but mahogany wood is very strong and durable. It has a beautiful reddish-brown color and a distinctive grain pattern. In addition, mahogany can resist water damage and stains, making it an excellent choice for dining tables.
Ultimately, the best wood for a dining table depends on how it fits a family's needs, design style, and budget. So browse our selections for one that will match your family's personality.
Hickory
Our tables, including hickory, are available in difference finishes as well as those shown in the photos above
Oak For Less is a family-owned and operated furniture store in Mesa, Arizona and is a proud distributor of Amish-made furniture. We also offer custom options for most of the pieces presented on our site. In addition, we provide more material options to ensure that you bring home a beautiful product that will fit your interior or exterior spaces. You can visit us at our store at 1660 S. Alma School Rd., #100, Mesa, Arizona, to learn more about Amish furniture and custom furniture pieces. Or you can call us at (480) 336-2144. We are always happy to answer your questions.