Cherry vs Mahogany Wood – What’s the difference?

Both cherry and Mahogany woods are a kind of hardwood and are widely used for furniture making and various interior constructions. They are well known for their durability, stability, and unique and attractive appearance.

Cherry wood is a kind of wood extracted from the cherry tree, part of the Prunus genus of trees and shrubs. The cherry tree is a fruit tree, and it is originally from North America. Mahogany, on the other hand, is a kind of tropical wood. It is produced by a variety of trees and is originally from Central and South America.

While both kinds of wood are commendable for their extraordinary color ranges and usability, they have distinct features that provide a touch of uniqueness. Let us discuss them to know better.

Cherry vs Mahogany Wood – Difference

Cherry Wood

Cherry wood is a kind of hardwood that is found in North America. Cherry woods are softer when compared to other hardwoods and are finely textured.

Cherry woods have a fine and uniform grain pattern which makes them durable and easy to work with. They have a beautiful complexion that ranges from light pink to reddish-brown hues with a golden luster. They usually look pale when freshly cut. But over time, they produce a dark and rich shade and tend to turn red-brown.

Cherry woods are easy to stain as they are lighter when compared to other hardwoods like Mahogany and are known for their good paint absorption feature. That adds to its durability and protection against foreign agents such as dust, UV rays, moisture, etc.

Cherry woods also have good rot and shock resistance and great bending properties. They can easily be used and carved with hand tools and machines.

They are generally used for interior designs such as in bedrooms, living rooms, cabinets, etc. But they are not highly resistant to water. And its color is also prone to changes.

Mahogany Wood

Mahogany is a kind of tropical wood that is produced by a variety of different trees. They are originally from Central and South America and are widely popular for their dark and unique complexion.

Mahogany woods are darker when compared to cherry. It has more coarse wood grains, and it contains unique patterns like mottles, blisters, etc. Compared to cherry, mahogany is harder to stain because of its dark hues that can get even darker with time. But that does not mean they do not take stains well. In fact, it is quite the opposite. However, most people prefer raw mahogany skin because of its naturally pleasing look.

Mahogany is also very durable and has high stability. But mahogany woods are denser woods and can sometimes become hard to work with while using hand tools.

Mahogany, due to its attractive dark texture and high stability is widely used to make decorative objects and especially musical instruments. And with extra and regular care, mahogany wood objects can provide better longevity than cherry that can last around 40 years.

Final Words

We can see that cherry and mahogany wood have differences as well as similarities regarding their durability and color ranges. However, mahogany wood has a larger audience than cherry. That adds to the reason why mahogany wood is less available and expensive.

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