Maple lumber collection
Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionApple Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Domestic hardwood species
Apple is best understood by how it looks, how it works, and where it should be used. This guide explains the practical buying details before sending you to the right Kingma products.
Scientific nameMalus spp.
Janka hardness1,730 lbf
Average dried weight52 lb/ft³
Best fitFine furniture
Overview
Why choose Apple?
Apple is a domestic hardwood species associated with Found throughout most temperate climates. It is useful when the project calls for fine furniture, tool handles, carving, mallet heads, turned items, and other small specialty wood objects
For SEO and customer usefulness, this page separates the science from the buying decision: appearance, working behaviour, durability, project fit, and then the right Kingma shopping path.
Scientific nameMalus spp.
DistributionFound throughout most temperate climates
ShrinkageRadial: 5.6%, Tangential: 10.1%, Volumetric: 17.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.8
DurabilityApple is rated as non-durable for heartwood decay.
Apple colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood can vary from a light reddish or grayish brown to a deeper red/brown. The grain of Apple is sometimes seen with streaks of darker and lighter bands of color, similar to Olive .
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is straight (though on some sections of the tree it can also be wild). With a very fine, uniform texture, closely resembling Cherry .
Working notes
In the shop, apple can be somewhat difficult to work due to its high density, and can burn easily when being machined. Apple glues, stains, finishes, and turns well.
Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Apple.
Apple should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Apple
Best projects
Fine furniture, tool handles, carving, mallet heads, turned items, and other small specialty wood objects
Use caution
Avoid specifying it by name alone; confirm board size, moisture, colour, figure, and the project environment before buying.
Finish strategy
Test finishes on offcuts first, especially when colour, blotching, outdoor exposure, or grain filling matters.
Buying note
Choose boards, slabs, plywood, blanks, or posts based on the project rather than species name alone.
Shop path
Buying Apple from Kingma
Start with the direct species match when Kingma sells it. If stock rotates, use the closest live collection or a clearly explained alternative.
Live edge slabs
Use when the customer cares more about slab format and visual impact than this exact species.
View optionSimilar woods and alternatives
If Kingma does not have an exact match online, use the buying links below as practical alternatives only when the colour, grain, hardness, or project environment makes sense.
Apple FAQ
What is Apple best used for?
Apple is best considered for fine furniture, tool handles, carving, mallet heads, turned items, and other small specialty wood objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Apple beginner friendly?
It depends on density, grain direction, and tooling. Test cuts on offcuts first, and choose Maple, Cherry, Walnut, or Poplar when easier machining is the priority.
Does Kingma sell Apple?
Use the buying section on this page. If an exact product is not listed, the linked alternatives are included only when they make practical sense for colour, grain, or project use.