It is a closed grained hardwood with occasional pin knots and fine grain variations appearing as curls and waves.  Cherry naturally ranges from a pale yellow to deep reddish brown.  Staining reveals subtle variations and colors which typically darken over time.

Cherry

It is a finely grained, exceptionally hard wood species.  Maple's natural colors range from creamy white to light blonde tones to dark reddish browns.  As with other wood species, darker stains will reduce the natural wood color variation.

Maple

It is a prominently grained hardwood, with pattern variations from straight grain to arcs.  When finished with a light colored stain, noticeable differences in color will be evident between the open- and closed-grain areas of the wood.  Darker stain colors will provide a more uniform appearance.

Oak