The Big Five: Solid Hardwoods for the Southern Plains
Selecting the Foundation: Species Performance and Structural Integrity
At Graeber Design, we build for the next century, not just the next season. In Oklahoma, the shifting humidity of the plains is a relentless stress test for solid wood; a table must be engineered to breathe without compromising its geometry. We have narrowed our primary palette to five specific hardwoods, Black Walnut, White Oak, Red Oak, Cherry, and Mahogany. These species are selected not only for their distinct aesthetics but for their superior stability, density, and response to our rigorous finishing standards. We work with quality kiln-dried lumber to ensure every joint is a masterpiece of precision, favoring the long-term structural reliability of straight-grain timber over the inherent instability of unrefined slabs.
Locally Sourced Black Walnut
Locally sourced Black Walnut, pre-finished
Locally sourced Black Walnut lumber
Locally Sourced White Oak
Locally sourced White Oak, plain sawn
Locally sourced White Oak, rift sawn
Locally Sourced Red Oak
Locally sourced Red Oak
Locally sourced Red Oak, ebonized
Sustainably Source Mahogany
Sapele Mahogany, grain view
Sapele Mahogany, board view
Cherry Hardwood
Cherry Hardwood, grain view
Cherry Hardwood, board view