Cherry Timber

Kiln-Dried Cherry Wood Boards: Where to Buy Square Edge and Waney Edge Timber

Dry cherry boards are an important material for the furniture industry. At our warehouse in Kyiv, we stock edged and unedged timber of Extra and I grades. We offer a choice of boards with the following dimensions:

• length: 1–4.5 m (most commonly 2.1–3 m);
• thickness: 32 mm, 52 mm;
• width: from 20 cm;
• moisture content: 8–10%.

Prices in the catalogue and price list are quoted per cubic metre. We offer collection from the warehouse or delivery via carrier companies throughout Ukraine.

Cherry Boards: Brief Characteristic of Grades

Cherry is a species valued for its warm colour palette and ability to deepen in tone over time. When selecting timber, one focuses on grades—a visual characteristic defined by texture, colour uniformity, and the presence of natural features.

Joinery Moisture Content of Cherry Boards (8-10%): Why Is It Critical?

For manufacturing furniture and interior elements from cherry, a joinery moisture content of 8-10% is essential. This is achieved through kiln drying. Using under-dried material (transport moisture 18-20%) or over-dried material (less than 6%) leads to irreversible defects in the finished product.

Here are the main reasons why joiners work with kiln-dried timber:

1. Stability. Cherry is a medium-density species, but it is sensitive to microclimate changes. If a wardrobe is made from a board with 14% moisture and placed in a dry flat (where humidity drops to 30-40% in winter), the wood will release moisture intensively. Shrinkage will lead to cracking of panels and warping of facades.
2. Gluing Quality. Cherry is often used for making furniture boards and complex joinery constructions. Modern joinery glues (PVA groups D2/D3/D4, polyurethane) are designed to penetrate dry wood pores. Excess moisture in pores acts as a barrier: glue does not penetrate deeply, making the glue line the weakest point. At correct humidity (8-10%), the seam is stronger than the wood itself.
3. Optimal Sanding and Varnishing. Fruit wood is valued for its silky sheen after finishing. Damp solid wood ‘fuzzes’ during sanding, clogs the abrasive, and prevents a mirror-smooth finish. Dry board sands cleanly. Varnishes and oils on a damp surface may cloud or peel over time. Only dry solid wood allows the depth of the reddish hue to be revealed.
4. Colour and Biosecurity. Raw cherry is prone to discoloration. Kiln drying to 8-10% ‘sterilizes’ the wood and fixes its natural noble colour.

By purchasing kiln-dried cherry boards, you are not just paying for wood. You receive quality raw materials for products of varying complexity levels.

Square Edge and Waney Edge Cherry Boards: Selection Criteria

The choice between square edge and waney edge boards depends not so much on wood quality (it is identical within the same grade), but on the style of the item and the production process.

Square Edge Cherry Boards

This is material ready for processing. All four planes are sawn, and bark is removed. The main advantage of square edge cherry is the minimisation of sapwood. Since white sapwood in cherry contrasts strongly with the red heart, it is often cut off during production in higher grades.

Select for the following tasks:

• Serial production of furniture: facades, panels, chair frames where repeatability of parts is needed.
• Manufacturing of furniture boards.
• Creation of skirting boards, beading, architraves, and other mouldings.
• If speed is important: square edge board saves time on cutting and jointing edges.

Waney Edge Cherry Boards

Boards where the side edges retain the natural contour of the trunk, with or without bark. In cherry, the waney edge looks particularly striking due to the sharp colour transition: from dark bark to creamy sapwood and the rich golden-reddish heart. This natural gradient is the main value of unedged material.

Select for the following tasks:

• Designer tables with a ‘live edge’ and epoxy resin worktops.
• Shelves, breakfast bars, window sills, where the curvature of the line emphasises naturalness.
• Décor elements where preserving the natural geometry of the trunk is important.
• For economy: if you have cutting equipment, unedged board is more affordable and can be trimmed yourself.

Joinery Cherry Boards for Furniture Making

Solid wood cabinet furniture underscores status and can last for generations. Furniture cherry board is used to create worktops, chest of drawer facades, wardrobes, sideboards, chair legs and coffee tables, headboards, and armchair armrests.

Solid cherry lends itself excellently to processing, allowing for the production of furnishings in both classic and contemporary styles. Cherry items are decorated with carving, inlay, painting, and enamel.

Dry Cherry Boards for Flooring

Correctly chosen flooring helps set the right mood for a space. Cherry timber is used to manufacture the top layer of engineered parquet. The covering consists of three parts.

The base is a monolithic wood canvas approximately 1.5 mm thick. The middle layer is made of glued softwood blocks. The second layer houses the connection system: tongue and groove or click-lock type. The face layer is decorative. Cherry wood is covered with oil, wax, or varnish.

Traditional floorboards are also made from solid wood. Boards may have a protrusion (tongue) on the edge, which connects to a groove on another board during laying. Tongue and groove floorboards ensure an even covering without gaps or crevices.

Square Edge and Waney Edge Cherry: Decorative Finishing

Square edge timber is used for the production of wall and ceiling panels, doors, window sills, cornices, and stair elements. A unique product can be made from decorative cherry board obtained through:

• Brushing. The board surface is ‘combed’ with a stiff brush to remove soft fibres. Brushed cherry board is notable for its textured growth ring pattern.
• Ageing. The effect of aged wood is obtained after applying a special compound. Sometimes craftsmen resort to homemade remedies. However, experienced joiners recommend choosing fluids developed by proven manufacturers. Antique or retro board fits into interiors in Shabby Chic, retro, vintage, and Provence styles.
• Toning. Using wood stains, the timber can be made darker and more contrasting or, conversely, bleached.

Cherry boards can be transformed into an intriguing material for creating exclusive interior elements. Processing techniques make it possible to reveal the natural beauty of the growth rings or adjust the colour palette. Cherry wood is suitable for projects where it is important to combine the reliability of classic timber with artistic design.

Cherry Wood: Key Properties and Qualities

A member of the Rosaceae family, the sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is common in warm climates. This deciduous tree grows in Southern Asia, Europe, and North Africa. On average, cherry trees reach 18–24 m in height, with a trunk diameter of around 75 cm.

Cherry is a heartwood species. The sapwood is light, dominated by white, pale yellow, and cream tones. The heartwood is darker, coloured in amber, auburn, brown, and red shades. The solid wood possesses a warm undertone and straight grain. Rays and small pores are visible on a smooth cut.

Cherry timber has medium density (600 kg/m³) and hardness (3.5 Brinell). Solid wood withstands the wear and tear of residential spaces. Cherry is shock-resistant and bends well. Furthermore, the timber is easy to process.

Wood can be sawn, glued, polished, sanded, milled, stained, painted, and varnished without issues. Thanks to the palette of beige-brown tones and distinct pattern, cherry solid wood is valued by furniture makers and designers. Aesthetic interior items are created from both square edge and waney edge boards.

How to Buy Cherry Boards: Three Methods

We have organised the ordering process so that every client can choose a convenient purchase format: from personal material selection to online ordering.

1. Inspection and Selection at the Warehouse. You can visit our warehouse in Kyiv and personally assess the quality of the cherry board: colour, texture, and appropriate grade. The warehouse location is 7d Zdolbunivska St, access via 17e Dniprovska Embankment.
2. Remote Consultation and Selection. For remote selection, simply contact a manager on +380 (67) 180-38-13 — calls, Viber, and Telegram are available. Specialists will calculate the cost of square edge or waney edge cherry boards per piece and suggest the optimal grade for a specific project.
3. Ordering via Website. Purchases are easily processed in the online shop by adding the required material to the basket. Before dispatch, we send current photos of the specific cherry boards prepared for shipment so you clearly understand what you are receiving.

Delivery throughout Ukraine is performed by transport companies. Please note: Handover of timber to carriers is carried out only after receipt of full (100%) prepayment.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Boards

How do I calculate the volume (cubage) of a single board myself?

Calculation formula: Thickness (m) × Width (m) × Length (m) = Volume (m³). For the square edge, multiply all parameters. For waney edge, width is measured at the middle of the board’s length (excluding bark) or as the arithmetic mean of the two end widths. Example: 0.052 m (52 mm) × 0.20 m (200 mm) × 3.0 m = 0.0312 m³.

How do I find out the price for a single cherry board?

To get the cost of one board, multiply its volume by the price per cubic metre. Board Volume (m³) × Price per m³ = Cost. Example: if a cubic metre costs 40,000 UAH and the board volume is 0.0312 m³, then: 0.0312 × 40,000 = 1,248 UAH.

Can I buy 1 board or is it wholesale only?

We sell boards individually and wholesale. A manager will select the appropriate timber and calculate the cost of a specific board.

Does cherry board change colour over time?

Yes, this is a unique feature of cherry. Freshly sawn wood has a light pink or golden hue. Under the influence of UV light, the solid wood darkens over time, acquiring a rich reddish-brown (cognac) shade.

What is sapwood on a cherry board and is it a defect?

Sapwood is the light strip along the edges of the board. In cherry, it contrasts heavily with the heartwood. In waney edge boards, it is an advantage that highlights naturalness. In Extra grade square edge boards, sapwood is usually not permitted or is cut off, whereas in Grades 1–2, its presence is the norm.

What is the moisture content of the board?

We sell boards exclusively kiln-dried with a moisture content of 8-10%. This is the optimal figure for joinery work. Such wood is stable and ready for gluing and varnishing.

Is waney edge cherry suitable for epoxy resin casting?

Yes. Thanks to high density and interesting colour transitions (from white sapwood to almost red heartwood), cherry wood looks striking under transparent or coloured resin. The main thing is to thoroughly clean the edge of bark and ensure moisture does not exceed 10%.