Maple lumber collection
Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionDogwood Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Domestic hardwood species
Dogwood 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 nameCornus florida
Janka hardness2,150 lbf
Average dried weight51 lb/ft³
Best fitGolf club heads
Overview
Why choose Dogwood?
Dogwood is a domestic hardwood species associated with Eastern North America. It is useful when the project calls for golf club heads, textile shuttles, bows (archery), mallets, pulleys, and turned 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 nameCornus florida
DistributionEastern North America
ShrinkageRadial: 7.1%, Tangential: 11.3%, Volumetric: 19.9%, T/R Ratio: 1.6
DurabilitySince there tends to be very little heartwood, Dogwood is usually composed entirely of sapwood, which is considered non-durable to perishable.
Dogwood colour, grain, and figure
Expect most boards and blanks and composed primarily of sapwood rather than heartwood. Narrow heartwood is a reddish brown.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is interlocked, with a fine, uniform texture. Moderate natural luster.
Working notes
In the shop, despite it’s high density and interlocked grain, Dogwood tends to produce decent results with both hand and machine tools, though it can have a blunting effect on cutters. Glues, turns, and finishes well.
Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Dogwood.
Dogwood should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Dogwood
Best projects
Golf club heads, textile shuttles, bows (archery), mallets, pulleys, and turned 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 Dogwood 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.
Dogwood FAQ
What is Dogwood best used for?
Dogwood is best considered for golf club heads, textile shuttles, bows (archery), mallets, pulleys, and turned objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Dogwood 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 Dogwood?
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.