Maple lumber collection
Clean, pale domestic alternative for furniture and utility builds.
View optionHackberry Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Domestic hardwood species
Hackberry 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 nameCeltis occidentalis, Celtis laevigata
Janka hardness880 lbf
Average dried weight37 lb/ft³
Best fitFurniture
Overview
Why choose Hackberry?
Hackberry is a domestic hardwood species associated with Eastern North America. It is useful when the project calls for furniture, boxes/crates, veneer, turned objects, and bent parts
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 nameCeltis occidentalis, Celtis laevigata
DistributionEastern North America
ShrinkageRadial: 4.8%, Tangential: 8.9%, Volumetric: 13.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.9
DurabilityRated as non-durable to perishable.
Hackberry colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood is light brown to gray. Wide sapwood is a contrasting light yellow.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is usually straight or occasionally slightly interlocked, with a very coarse uneven texture.
Working notes
In the shop, generally good working characteristics with both hand and machine tools, though smaller pieces with knots, or sections with interlocked grain can pose challenges in machining. Responds superbly to steam bending.
Hackberry has been reported to cause skin irritation.
Hackberry should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Hackberry
Best projects
Furniture, boxes/crates, veneer, turned objects, and bent parts
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 Hackberry 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.
Hackberry FAQ
What is Hackberry best used for?
Hackberry is best considered for furniture, boxes/crates, veneer, turned objects, and bent parts. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Hackberry 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 Hackberry?
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.