Choosing between oak, walnut, elm and cherry

Start with the room, not the species

The slab has to fit the table, and the table has to fit the room. Before we talk about species we agree length, width and the number of seats. Most six to eight seat dining tables need a slab between 2,000 and 2,500 mm long and at least 900 mm wide once the river is added. That rules some species in and some out before taste comes into it.

Oak

English oak is the workhorse of the ledger. It is strong, stable and has a pronounced grain that reads clearly under a black or clear river. Burr and pippy oak add dense figure across the surface and are the choice for a boardroom or feature piece. Oak takes every resin colour well.

Walnut

Walnut is darker, richer and finer in the grain, and the most contemporary of the four. It pairs with crystal clear resin better than any other timber because the river then reads as a shadow rather than a stripe. Walnut slabs run narrower, so they suit desks and four seat tables more often than large dining tables.

Elm

Elm has the most movement in its grain. Wide slabs are common, which makes it the natural choice for a single-river dining table for six to eight. It warms a room and hides marks well.

Cherry

Cherry starts a warm mid tone and deepens with age and light. The grain is quiet, which lets a coloured river carry the design. Cherry slabs in the ledger tend to be long and narrow, which suits consoles, benches and desks.

What we would choose

For a first river table, oak with gloss black. For a desk, walnut with clear. For a large family table, elm with a colour-matched river. For something that will change over the years, cherry.