How Wood Changes Over Time – So There Aren’t Any Surprises!
We absolutely love to use wood in our interior design projects for many reasons. Natural wood provides warmth and organic texture that cannot be replicated or found with any other material choice. Wood can be used in many different ways in interiors. From kitchen cabinets, and bathroom vanity units, to exposed beams, flooring, and other surfaces too!
Choosing wood furniture is another common way of using natural wood in our homes, but have you considered How Wood Changes Over Time?
Wood is a natural material and undergoes an aging process. This can be advanced quicker with exposure to UV light and oxygen. Similar to how exterior wood cladding ages and can appear silvery after a few years, the wood we use inside our homes age too and can change appearance over time too!
So how does wood change over time? And what should you consider when considering wood in your home?
It’s really important to understand how wood changes over time before committing to new wooden kitchen cabinets or wooden beams so you know exactly what to expect in a few years time!
Let’s discover How Wood Changes Over Time!
The Fundamentals
Firstly it’s important to understand the fundamentals of how wood changes over time.
Exposure to UV light and oxygen can speed up the natural aging process of wood and can change the appearance of the wood’s color more quickly. Before choosing a piece of wooden furniture for your home, consider whether sunlight will hit it during the day. This may influence your decision, or you may want to alter the position of the furniture to avoid the wood changing too much in the future.
Next, we’re going to discover how each wood species ages differently over time.
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Different Species Change Differently Over Time
Wood is a very broad term. There are lots of different species of wood, and they all age differently. Therefore, it’s important to know which type of wood cabinets you’re selecting for your kitchen remodel and what type of wood your dining table is for example!
Here is a breakdown of the most common wood species we use in our homes and how they change over time.
Alder
Alder wood is a popular choice for kitchen cabinets as it is readily available, especially in the Northwest. It’s naturally a light tan color that darkens and reddens with age. That being said though, knotty alder wood doesn’t darken significantly over time and is more desirable with homeowners that prefer a lighter red-toned wood.
Cherry
Initially cherry wood is a light pinkish brown color when freshly cut, but this will darken into a golden brown over time. There are undertones of red in cherry (hence the name) so always keep this in mind when considering it for furniture or cabinets.
Hickory
Hickory is a strong hardwood with dramatic color variations and grain patterns. It takes stain well and sealing to remain the original color and doesn’t darken with age. If anything, hickory will blend into a more golden brown with age.
Mahogany
The rich tones of mahogany wood will darken over time if exposed to natural light. Mahogany does start as a reddish brown medium-toned wood and ages particularly well. Its reddish-orange color deepens over time into a rich and dark wood after hundreds of years.
Maple
Maple is an extremely common kitchen cabinet material. Its light tone and fine-textured appearance make it very desirable in many modern homes. Over time though, it will become warmer and develop a golden tone. This may not be for everyone, so it’s important to research the aged color before investing in fresh new cabinets.
Oak
There are many different types of oak wood (you may have heard white oak being used regularly as cabinets recently) but there is also red oak too! Considering these are the most popular two oak species, white oak tends to have more moderate and smoother grain patterns, while red oak tends to be more dramatic. Red oak is a great option for flooring in busy homes as scratches will be more easily disguised with its pattern. White oak, however, is the most popular choice for cabinets in the home as it has a more olive and warm undertone with simpler grain patterns.
With oak, the grain patterns can appear differently with different cut types. Quarter-sawn will create a more natural and delicate grain that is considered more modern.
Walnut
Known as a premium wood species, walnut usually comes with a significant upcharge. While it starts as a rich deep and dark brown color, walnut develops into a lighter honey-golden tone over time. Some wood stains can delay this aging process so it’s important to consider the stain options available for walnut if you want to keep its natural rich brown color.
Conclusion
Wood naturally ages over time and its appearance can change. Depending on which species of wood you use in your home, depends on how it will change or alter its coloring over the years.
Next time, when you’re considering a new piece of wooden furniture, or freshening up your kitchen with new cabinets, evaluate the options available with the future in mind and how the wood may change over time.
Not sure which wood species is right for your home? Contact us today to book in a consultation! We help homeowners locally in Chicagoland, or virtually through the U.S.!
