Species & Finishes

Like all natural materials, variations in color, texture and grain occur in wood ceilings. The selection of species is the single biggest factor in determining your design aesthetic. Understanding the differences between softwood and hardwood, solid and veneer, mixed grain and vertical grain, or certified wood and non-certified wood can greatly impact not only your design, but also your budget. You can read more about color variation in this article.

The complexities of these factors can be intimidating, but they don’t have to be. 9Wood will help guide you to the right species for your design intent, application, and budget. All the species options below are selected for their availability within the supply chain. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with a few different categories of species.

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Solid Wood Species
Inventory may not be readily available for many species. If you would like to specify a species not listed, please get in touch with us to make sure it’s reliably available. We are typically able to source nearly any species not CITES-listed.

*Exterior option not available in Fast>Track

Standard Stains
Stains are a great way to get the look of premium species on a tighter budget. Stains also help mitigate color and grain variation. 9Wood offers both standard and custom stains on solid wood and veneer. All of the images below are standard stains applied to either solid Western Hemlock or Cherry veneer. (Stains are in stacked pairs to show each color applied to the natural grain of both wood species.) Please bear in mind that stains can be applied to any species, but they take to each one differently. If your project requires a custom stain, please send us a color control and we will match it.

*Exterior option not available in Fast>Track

Reclaimed Wood Species
Reclaimed wood is an excellent way to bring a unique richness and character to your ceiling, while maintaining a low environmental impact. All reclaimed woods have relatively high variation, and are generally more costly than standard species because all foreign matter (nails, screws, and bolts) must be removed before the wood can be repurposed. Inventory may not be readily available for many species.

Engineered Veneers
Engineered veneers are real wood veneers dyed to look like other species. They allow a designer to exercise more control over color range and variation. Another benefit is they can replicate the look of endangered species such as Rosewood, Wenge, and Zebrawood. All engineered veneers are available as FSC®-certified.