Prunus serotina
Black Cherry
The cabinet-maker's favourite. Easy to machine, ages beautifully into a deep reddish-brown.
Premium import, sourced outside EuropeFamily: Rosaceae
Tree
Native to eastern North America, not Europe. Imported in volume into EU furniture-grade channels for decades, where it sits alongside European cherry as a familiar, well-stocked hardwood.
Wood appearance
Fine, mostly straight grain with a smooth, even texture. Plain-sawn boards show a soft, flowing figure; quarter-sawn faces are calmer. Small gum pockets and pin knots are common and accepted as part of the look. Fresh-cut wood is pinkish-tan and lighter than buyers expect.
- Fresh-cut: pinkish-tan to pale salmon, lighter than most buyers expect
- After a few weeks of light: shifts to warm amber
- After 6–12 months: deep reddish-brown, the classic cherry tone
- Sapwood stays pale cream and does not darken at the same rate
- Light exposure is uneven — anything covered (rugs, books, lamps) leaves a lighter ghost on the surface for months
- Fine straight grain, smooth texture; warms with age.
Mechanical properties
| Density (kg/m³) | 500–620 kg/m³ |
|---|---|
| Janka hardness (N) | 3,800–4,500 N |
| MOR: modulus of rupture (MPa) | 80–95 MPa |
| MOE: modulus of elasticity (GPa) | 9.5–11.0 GPa |
| Radial shrinkage | 3.5–4.5 % |
| Tangential shrinkage | 6.5–8.0 % |
| Volumetric shrinkage | 11.0–12.5 % |
| Natural durability (EN 350) | Class 3 — Moderately durable |
Working with it
1 = difficult · 5 = excellent
One of the most forgiving hardwoods to machine. Saws, planes and sands beautifully with sharp tooling. Turns and carves well. Glues and screws without drama, though it's softer than European cherry so pre-drill near edges. Steam-bending is workable but not a strength.
- Sawing
- Planing
- Sanding
- Turning
Drying
Dries at a moderate rate with a mild tendency to warp and surface-check if pushed. Tangential shrinkage (6.5–8.0%) is roughly twice radial, so flat-sawn wide stock moves more than quarter-sawn. Sticker carefully and let kiln-dried slabs acclimatise in the workshop before flattening.
Finishing
Sands to a glassy surface with little effort. Takes oils, hard-wax oils, shellac and waterborne finishes cleanly. Stains can blotch on flat-sawn faces — use a washcoat or gel stain if you're matching a tone. Most makers skip stain entirely and let the wood do the work, because it darkens on its own.
Durability and safety
- Class 3 — Moderately durable
- Food contact safe
- Dust irritant: wear PPE
Food-contact safe once finished, which is why it's a long-standing choice for kitchen and dining work. Cherry dust is a known irritant and some woodworkers develop sensitisation over time — run extraction and wear a mask when sanding.
Best uses
- Kitchen and dining tables
- Cabinet doors and fronts
- Chairs and benches
- Wall panelling and built-ins
- Turned bowls and small objects
- Interior joinery
Pairs and substitutes
Often substituted for
Sourcing and sustainability
- Premium import, sourced outside Europe
- IUCN: LC — Least Concern
IUCN Least Concern, no CITES listing. Supply from US hardwood forests is well-established and FSC-certified stock is widely available. As a North American import it carries shipping miles a European species doesn't — worth weighing if low-carbon sourcing matters to your client.
Buyer questions
Is Black Cherry a good choice for furniture?
Black Cherry is best matched to projects such as Kitchen and dining tables, Cabinet doors and fronts, Chairs and benches, Wall panelling and built-ins, Turned bowls and small objects, Interior joinery. The final choice should consider grain, finish, movement allowance, and the room where the piece will live.
How hard is Black Cherry?
The listed Janka value is 4,226 N and the density is 560 kg/m³. Use these as comparison signals, not as a guarantee of how a finished surface will wear.
What should I check before buying Black Cherry slabs online?
Check measured length, width stations, thickness, drying method, moisture notes, colour variation, defects, and origin. Compare the measured outline against the finished drawing before reserving the slab.
Current stock
Black Cherry pieces available now
Get notified about Black Cherry
We email you when fresh Black Cherry slabs land at KORENA. Each piece is one of one, so early notice matters.
Sources
- The Wood Database(accessed 2026-05-09)
- USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-190 (2010)(accessed 2026-05-09)
- Meier, E. — WOOD! Identifying and Using Hundreds of Woods Worldwide (2015)(accessed 2026-05-09)
