Shopping for wooden furniture, you will meet the same four names again and again: oak, pine, mango and acacia. They are not interchangeable, and the difference is not only about looks — it affects how the piece wears, how heavy it is, and how much it costs.
Here is what each one is actually like to live with.
Oak
The standard for furniture that has to last. Oak is hard, dense and heavy, with a strong open grain that looks good with a simple oil finish. It takes knocks without denting, resists moisture far better than most woods, and can be sanded back and refinished many times over its life.
| Hardness | Very hard — around 1,360 on the Janka scale |
| Colour | Warm honey to pale brown, darkening slightly with age |
| Best for | Anything that gets used daily: dining tables, stools, hallways, kitchens |
| Watch out for | Cost, and weight — an oak stool is noticeably heavier to move |
If you are buying one piece of wooden furniture and want it to be the last one you buy, choose oak.
Pine
The affordable all-rounder. Pine is a softwood — genuinely softer than oak — which means it dents more easily but is also lighter and much cheaper. It has a paler, more even grain and takes paint beautifully.
| Hardness | Soft — around 400–600 on the Janka scale |
| Colour | Pale cream, with occasional darker knots |
| Best for | Painted furniture, children’s furniture, bedrooms, pieces that stay put |
| Watch out for | Dents and scratches show more; knots can bleed through pale paint if not sealed |
Pine is a good choice where the piece will not be dragged around, and an excellent choice if you plan to paint it — which many people do.
Mango
The characterful one. Mango wood comes from orchards that have stopped fruiting. It is a hardwood, but softer than oak, with a dramatic, wavy grain and a lot of natural colour variation. No two pieces look alike.
| Hardness | Medium — around 1,070 on the Janka scale |
| Colour | Golden to mid-brown, often with strong figure and streaks |
| Best for | Pieces where you want the wood to be the decoration |
| Watch out for | High variation between pieces — check photos of the actual item if you need them to match |
Mango is also a genuinely sustainable choice, because the wood is a by-product of fruit farming rather than the reason a tree was cut down.
Acacia
Hard, water-resistant and distinctive. Acacia is dense and notably resistant to moisture, with a dark, high-contrast grain. It is a common choice for anything that sees water.
| Hardness | Hard — around 1,700 on the Janka scale |
| Colour | Rich brown with strong dark/light contrast |
| Best for | Bathrooms, kitchens, anything near water |
Which should you choose?
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Maximum durability | Oak |
| To paint it | Pine |
| Something characterful | Mango |
| Water resistance | Acacia or oak |
| Lowest cost | Pine |
Why not MDF or chipboard?
MDF and chipboard are made from wood fibres or chips glued together with resin. They are flat, uniform and cheap — and that is the whole of their advantage. The problems are practical:
- Water. If MDF gets wet it swells and never goes back. A spilled glass can ruin a shelf.
- Screws. Once a screw pulls out of chipboard, there is nothing to tighten it into.
- Repair. Solid wood can be sanded, filled and refinished. MDF cannot.
- Weight and feel. Solid wood has a density you notice the moment you pick it up. It feels like furniture rather than packaging.
A solid wood stool that costs £69 and lasts twenty years is better value than a chipboard one at £25 that lasts three.
What about FSC certification?
FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification means the timber has been traced back to responsibly managed forests. If buying wood matters to you, look for the FSC logo on the product or ask the seller. It is a simple question and a good seller will answer it without hesitation.
A note on natural variation
Every piece of solid wood is different. Grain pattern, colour and small knots vary from one item to the next — which is exactly what you are paying for. If you need two pieces to match closely, ask before ordering.
All of our pieces are solid wood, and every product page lists the species used. Take a look at the full range.