# Is Cherry Laurel Good Furniture Wood?



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Our local Craigs list has a listing for Cherry Laurel. My understanding was that cherry laurel does not grow sufficiently to be cut into useful lumber.

Haw anybody ever used this wood and if so what do you think of it?
How does the color compare to standard cherry?

George


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## toolman Steve (Jun 11, 2009)

In my area in fl cheery laurel is more of a bush, It can grew into a small tree . if they get to big they rot and die. look more like junk oak. not worth to much in my opinion burns OK.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

The wood has a LOT of water in it. If you can manage to get it cut and dried without splitting it has a very interesting color that comes out, some deep oranges and brown. Tung oil seems to cause an instant color change. The wood has a creamy color to it fresh cut but air drying causes the color to set in.
I've turned bowls green from it to have fun with the extreme distortions that set in as it dries. It usually dried into an oval, say a 7 inch bowl would lose an inch across the grain. The hemispherical bowls I turned came out looking like the tops of skulls, great for Halloween.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Gary Beasley said:


> The wood has a LOT of water in it. If you can manage to get it cut and dried without splitting it has a very interesting color that comes out, some deep oranges and brown. Tung oil seems to cause an instant color change. The wood has a creamy color to it fresh cut but air drying causes the color to set in.
> I've turned bowls green from it to have fun with the extreme distortions that set in as it dries. It usually dried into an oval, say a 7 inch bowl would lose an inch across the grain. The hemispherical bowls I turned came out looking like the tops of skulls, great for Halloween.


Thanks Gary.

By the way, you live near my favorite Rockler (actually the only one I go to) store. The one on Roswell road in Sandy Springs. I can kill two birds with one store there as it is also almost next to a Trader Joes where I can get a case(s) of two buck chuck. (at least it used to be two bucks.)

George


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Heh, yep I just dropped by on the way home from work to get some blade cleaner. You still in the Panhandle or did you move to Atlanta recently?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Gary Beasley said:


> Heh, yep I just dropped by on the way home from work to get some blade cleaner. You still in the Panhandle or did you move to Atlanta recently?


I am still in the Panhandle. We have NO woodworking store anywhere near here. Even the closest Harbor Freight is 60 miles away.

I go to Roswell/Alpherata often as my daughter and her family live there. The Rockler store is one of my stopping places just like other places like the PGA SuperStore.

George


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Let me know next time your in the area and maybe we can get together so you can see the cherry laurel bowls for yourself.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Gary Beasley said:


> Let me know next time your in the area and maybe we can get together so you can see the cherry laurel bowls for yourself.


I will do that if I am not on a flying trip.

The last time through I was on the way to NC for a high school reunion and just let Mama off for a stay with daughter and most importantly granddaughters.

George


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I just talked to the Cherry Laurel lumber man and he insists that this wood is from Cherry Laurel trees. Says they grow to 80 feet. Guess I will have to go see what he has.

George


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## NavyWoodworker (Sep 9, 2010)

*Cherry Laurel*

George, 

I am over here in the panhandle also, I have seen the ad your referring to. Did you ever take a look or make something of the cherry? I am designing a dinning room set, and plan to make it from cherry, and his ad has peaked my interest. I bought some juniper from him to make a wedding arbor not long ago, hes a good guy, but I really have never heard of any cherry laurel used for furniture, not at least that was native to our area. 

Jimmy


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

NavyWoodworker said:


> George,
> 
> I am over here in the panhandle also, I have seen the ad your referring to. Did you ever take a look or make something of the cherry? I am designing a dinning room set, and plan to make it from cherry, and his ad has peaked my interest. I bought some juniper from him to make a wedding arbor not long ago, hes a good guy, but I really have never heard of any cherry laurel used for furniture, not at least that was native to our area.
> 
> Jimmy


Good morning to the Navy.

I have not been to see his wood. Just had too many things to do lately. The only time I have been over P'Cola way I did not have the ime to go up to his place.

Have you checked walllumber.com. They seem to have a good sale on cherry right now. Or at least they did a few days ago.

George


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## charliemur (Jun 24, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> Our local Craigs list has a listing for Cherry Laurel. My understanding was that cherry laurel does not grow sufficiently to be cut into useful lumber.
> 
> Haw anybody ever used this wood and if so what do you think of it?
> How does the color compare to standard cherry?
> ...


I had a cherry laurel tree timed last week and I turned a pen cup this morning (with a microwave i got the moisture down to 18% it looks great. The tree in my back yard is about 60 ft tall if you send me your email i'd be happy to send a photo of the tree and a picture of the pen cup


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## lawrence (Nov 14, 2009)

I to thought it was a bush, would love to see some.
Gary if you go to it could you snap a pic or two.
Charlie, could you post those pics on here.
this has piqued my interest


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

Hmmm... Our Oregon Rockler is also right next to Trader Joes. 
Is this a nationwide pattern?


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## verdesardog (Apr 2, 2011)

Gary Beasley said:


> Heh, yep I just dropped by on the way home from work to get some blade cleaner. You still in the Panhandle or did you move to Atlanta recently?


 
Blade cleaner? I use oven cleaner on my woodworking tools, works great~


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## CuencaLenny (Jul 31, 2012)

*Cherry Laurel*

Hi, I stumbled across this website while investigating Laurel for woodworking. I am a retired aerospace engineer living in Cuenca, Ecuador. I sold all of my tools and equipment before leaving the states and down here I needed a dart board cabinet. Fortunately while walking the dogs I found a carpenter with the equipment and skills (projects in work I could see) that could do the job for me. I created a design (which I think was more confusing than helpful for him), my first in Spanish with metric dimensioning and turned him loose. I stopped by today to see the progress and it is looking very good. I asked what wood he was using (I had researched on the internet for Ecuador Hard Woods and provided a list) and he replied Laurel. Hence my investigation today and finding this site. Curiously there are MANY versions of Laurel. On the list is Ecuador Laurel and is presumably what he is using. I also checked out California Laurel and found it is commonly referred to as Myrtle, which anyone who has driven the California/Oregon coast highway (US101) have seen the signs for myrtle wood carvings and the like. Listed as a hard wood, but the Ecuador Laurel is listed as an evergreen which I always associate with soft wood, though this wood does not feel soft at all. It has a nice color to it, similar to walnut with the sharp contrast between dark and blonder sections. The Ecuador Laurel is listed as growing to 30M, so around 90ft. Much more than a scrub bush, however, as I said, there are many different Laurels. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel


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## chasofthewood (Jan 14, 2016)

*18 inch cherry laural*

In central Louisiana we have cherry laural up to 18 inches in the stump. I agree with the moisture issues and beauty of the wood. Not mentioned was the toxicity of the tree and it's parts. This attractive tree/shrub is very poisonous. I was cutting a big cherry laural for a man when he asked for some to use in his smoker. I explained the toxicity. This probably saved his life! Pretty but not to use for food or similar uses!


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