The Strongest Wood for Beds

Oak

• Oak is a tree that grows plentifully in the United States and is a popular choice for durable furniture like beds. Red and white oak are the two primary choices, though red tends to be more popular. In addition to its excellent strength and durability, oak wood takes a variety of different stains quite well, allowing the consumer to create the exact shade of tinted wood he desires. Though more expensive than softer woods like pine, oak costs less than the exotics.

Hickory

• Hickory is another stout domestic wood used for beds and found in abundance throughout North America. Reputed to be one of the hardest, heaviest, strongest woods in the United States by Frontgate.com, hickory exhibits colors that run the gamut from light to dark, and it can also be easily stained. This particular variety of wood was turned into a nickname, "Old Hickory," for Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, which speaks to its legendary toughness.

Mahogany

• The heat and humidity of the earth's more tropical locations have given rise to a couple of excellent furniture woods, one of which is mahogany. Indigenous to South America, Central America, and Africa, mahogany is a common choice in high quality cabinetry and other types of furniture, including beds. Expect a substantial increase in price over woods like oak and hickory if you want a mahogany bedroom set, because this somewhat rarer wood comes at a permium.

Teak

• The fact that teak was originally used in ship building attests to strength and durability of the wood. With a sturdiness and resistance to rot and decay, today's teak is a frequent choice for outdoor furniture and decking, though it is also used for indoor furniture. Older teak trees make for better wood, though the one to two year process of draining water from it and cutting it ensure that this particular wood will always be in demand.