Want To Use Apple Wood For Woodworking? 3 Things To Know

Apple wood is probably one of the most stunning hardwoods on the market.

Between its uniformly mesmerizing straight grained texture, to its heavy strong density, this wood type would be a great choice for crafts such as chip carving and woodturning.

So why isn’t Apple Wood a more popular crowd favorite among woodworkers?

And more to the point; is apple wood good for woodworking?

Apple wood is a dense durable hardwood that is heavier than other types of hardwood lumber, such as Cherry.

As a result, it is used to make fine wood pieces such as furniture, musical instruments, and tool handles.

Yet, despite being a good wood type for a wide range of items, Apple wood still tends to be more of a novelty choice for woodworking.

Why is that?

Want To Use Apple Wood For Woodworking

This post may contain affiliate links to products that we receive a commission for (at no additional cost to you). Learn more here.

1 Apple Wood Uses (What Is It Most Popularly Used For?)

Apple wood is used for a number of different wooden items, but it is most popularly used as the lumber of choice for wood turned furniture.

Its dense grain means nails and screws can really grip and take hold. And its heavy durability makes it great both for wood turning, and for making long-lasting furniture.

However, Apple wood isn’t really something you’d get in bulk from your local sawmill. Its more expensive on average (especially when compared to the price of say White Pine).

And due to Apple wood being sold in limited sizes, it tends to be more of a specialty lumber choice – best suited for small distinctive crafts – than for large furniture items.

Related Post: Is Apple Wood Good Enough For Firewood?

2 Carving Apple Wood (Can It Be Done?)

You can use Apple wood for carving. And thanks to its hardiness, it is incredibly good at holding up against tougher carving techniques such as Chip Carving and Inlay Work.

It’s grain is also really appealing to look, thanks to those alternating streaks of light and dark stripes all throughout its grain.

3 Whittling Apple Wood (Can I Use Apple Wood for Spoon Carving?)

Generally, the answer to this question would be yes.

However, the problem with whittling Apple wood is its hard density. That toughness may make it great for Inlay work, but it also makes this wood a chore to whittle using nothing besides a simple carving tool.

You see, when Apple wood becomes very dry, like most fruit wood types, the lumber turns extremely hard.

Now, on one hand this means that Apple wood can hold onto all of the finely carved lines of your project. Better yet, any unfortunate scratches and scrapes are unlikely to strip away that detail over time.

On the other hand, trying to carve into very dry tough wood is a real chore.

You could try to work around this issue by opting instead to whittle spoons using green freshly cut Apple wood. However, you will still come across issues afterward as the wood dries out, causing your whittled craft to split and crack as it dries.

Do you have currently have dry Apple wood that you’d like to try whittling? Then click here to learn how to make that wood block a bit more malleable: How To Soften Wood For Carving (Explained)

Final Thoughts

So do you still want to use apple wood for a woodworking project? Well, you’re definitely in luck because…

  • Apple wood lumber is a tough and durable, which makes it perfect for furniture and small woodworking crafts.
  • It is used for intricate carving projects, such as Inlay work and Musical instruments.
  • It can be used for small carving crafts as well, but it may be too hard to work on using a whittling tool.