Whether you want to feel cozy in your condo or infuse your eating area with warm, rustic vibes, a wood dining table can help you in your quest. Aside from looking exquisite with just about every décor style, wood tabletops are also incredibly durable. They stand up to everyday dinners, parties, homework sessions, and the occasional wine-and-scrapbooking evening. Maybe most importantly, they’re communal gathering spaces where everyone congregates to laugh and bond.
When you’re looking for that perfect dining table, we know how vital it is to choose the best wood for a tabletop. We’ll help guide you through the most durable, beautiful options that can meet your needs — and look stellar while doing so.
Cherry
Smooth, rich, and maybe even a little bit brooding, a cherry dining table is ideal for adding a formal touch to your dining room. Like a fine wine, this dark, red-tinged wood really gets better with age.
- Exposure to light and heat can deepen and darken its overall tone through the years.
- It has natural mineral deposits that give it a gentle textural effect.
- One of the many reasons we love cherry wood is because of its softly undulating, wavelike grain pattern. There’s not a lot of contrast in the grain — just enough to add some rich movement to the cherry’s silky-smooth finish.
- It’s worth noting that cherry isn’t as hard as some of the other options on this list, but it’s still more durable than softer woods like pine.
- If you’re craving that rough-hewn, farmhouse look, choose rustic cherry over regular. This type of wood has even more mineral deposits and pitting, creating the impression that your brand new rustic cherry tabletop has been well-loved for years.
- As an added bonus, rustic cherry is typically less expensive.
If you’re looking for a tabletop that ages gracefully (and might take on some character-boosting dents and dings in the process), cherry is a great choice.
Walnut
Are you ready to go bold with your tabletop? A walnut dining table may just be the best wood if you’re in the market for something daring and durable.
- This hardwood has rich grains with contrasting color variations that almost look like they’re in motion.
- Walnut works beautifully in any setting, but it makes an especially big statement in contemporary rooms thanks to its almost-purple, black, grey, and golden tones harmonizing together.
- This wood pairs especially well with sleeker and mid-century furniture styles.
- While its textures are dazzling, walnut tends to be one of the more expensive options for tabletops. It’s harder than maple but not as hard as oak, so it might also take on some light dents through the years. Fortunately, walnut’s robust grain conceals scrapes and scratches.
Oak
Ah, the mighty oak dining table. This wood is a Nordic symbol of immortality, and for good reason…
- It’s one of the most durable dining tabletop options you’ll find aside from hickory and hard maple.
- Many traditional and farmhouse-style tables are crafted from red oak, which you’ll recognize easily thanks to its golden-orange tone and prominent open grain.
- Oak is very dense. You can see and feel its strong grain, no matter how well it’s been sanded.
- If you’re looking to add ample warmth to a room or you need something functional and damage resistant, oak is an ideal choice. And, it’s one that’s highly affordable
Hickory
With its endlessly rustic appearance and exceptional durability, hickory immediately warms up a room and invites you to relax. And relaxing is totally possible, because you won’t need to worry about this wood getting damaged by toys or that snap decision to use it as an impromptu chopping block (but try not to do that!). It’s one of the hardest wood types available, and it easily stands up to decades of rigorous use.
- In some lights, hickory can look almost pink, so it’s perfect for spaces that have a country-kitchen or lodge vibe.
- This wood’s grain can have lots of contrast, but the individual bands in it are small. That helps it pair well with other wood types in your space.
- Hickory tends to be more expensive due to its density, and it can also warp when exposed to humidity.
- This isn’t the wood to keep out on your three-season patio, but it can be the wood to use everywhere else!
Maple
A rich maple dining table has the uncanny ability to lighten and brighten a space. It has an even, almost creamy tone with a smooth, soothing grain that doesn’t stand out like oak or walnut.
- Maple comes in hard and soft varieties, and you’ll want to choose the hard type if durability is your main focus.
- Soft maple is the more economical choice.
- Hard maple costs a bit more due to its density and strength.
- Either way, maple may be your perfect companion if you’re looking for a tabletop that’s a lighter color with less texture.
One of the best things about wood is that there’s a type out there to delight every style. From rich cherry to sunny maple, wood tabletops are as durable as they are beautiful. And, it’s easy to find the wood that creates a look you love. Use this guide to better understand your options as you search for your ideal dining table.
