Hardwood - Cherry
Overview
Cherry hardwood for CNC routing. Reddish-brown hue, tight grain. Excellent finish quality from CNC routing. Soft for a hardwood — machines nicely.
Properties
Pros
- Rich color deepens over time
- Fine grain excellent for engraving
- Premium appearance
- Good hardness for durability
- Food safe when finished properly
- Takes oil and varnish beautifully
Cons
- Premium price
- Can blotch with oil finishes
- Color darkens unevenly with UV exposure
- Requires moderate laser power
- Can burn if overpowered
Best For
- Furniture
- cutting boards
- turned items
- keepsakes
- premium gifts
Avoid For
- Painted finishes (grain shows through)
- budget applications
Laser Compatibility
Cherry engraves to warm reddish-brown — excellent contrast. CO2: engrave 350mm/s 40W; cut 3mm at 120mm/s 70W. Diode 20W: engrave 400mm/s 90-100%; 3-4 passes to cut 3mm. Consistent fine grain gives even, repeatable results. Mask surface to prevent smoke residue around engraved areas.