Open grain wood has gotten complicated with all the conflicting advice flying around online. As someone who’s worked with oak, ash, and mahogany for over a decade in my shop, I learned everything there is to know about open grain wood through trial and error — including a few expensive mistakes with finish that I’d rather forget. Today, I will share it all with you.
What Open Grain Wood Actually Is
When you hear “open grain,” it just means the wood has large, visible pores in its surface. Run your fingertip across a piece of red oak and you’ll feel tiny grooves — those are the open pores. Compare that to maple or cherry, where the surface feels smooth and almost plasticky. That’s closed grain.
The pore size affects everything: how the wood takes finish, how it feels, and what it looks like when you’re done. It’s one of those things that seems like a small detail until you’re three coats into a finish and wondering why it looks blotchy.
The Grain Under the Surface
Wood is basically a bundle of tiny tubes that used to carry water through a living tree. In open grain species like oak, ash, and mahogany, those tubes are big enough to see without squinting. In closed grain species — maple, cherry, birch — the tubes are microscopic.
This isn’t just nerd trivia. It directly affects how you work the wood. Those big pores soak up finish unevenly, they can telegraph through thin veneers, and they give the surface a texture that some people love and others find frustrating.
Why Woodworkers Love Open Grain
I’ll be honest — open grain wood is my favorite to work with, warts and all. Here’s why:
- The look: That visible grain pattern adds character you just can’t get from closed grain species. A piece of white oak with cathedral grain? Absolutely stunning.
- Takes stain beautifully: When you do it right (more on that in a minute), stain settles into those pores and creates depth that flat-grained wood can’t match.
- Built tough: Most open grain hardwoods are genuinely durable. Oak and ash can take a beating.
Where You’ll See It Used
- Furniture — tables, chairs, dressers
- Flooring — oak flooring is probably in half the houses in America
- Cabinetry — kitchen and bathroom cabinets
- Architectural trim — baseboards, crown molding, door frames
The Tricky Part: Finishing Open Grain
Here’s where things get real. Open grain wood is gorgeous but finishing it properly takes patience and a few extra steps that you can skip with closed grain species.
Sanding — Don’t Rush This
Start with something like 80-grit to knock off the rough stuff, then work your way up through 120, 150, and 220. Each grit removes the scratches from the previous one. Skip a grit and you’ll see the scratches in your final finish. Ask me how I know.
After sanding, you’ve got a decision: fill the pores or leave them open. For a glass-smooth finish, grab some grain filler (it’s a paste, not to be confused with wood filler). Spread it on with a putty knife, working it into the pores. Scrape off the excess, let it dry, and sand lightly. For a more natural, textured look, skip the filler and let the grain show through.
Staining Without the Blotchy Mess
Probably should have led with this section, honestly, because this is where most people mess up. Open grain wood absorbs stain unevenly — the pores soak up more than the surrounding wood, which can look great or terrible depending on what you’re going for.
Use a pre-stain conditioner. It partially seals the surface so the stain absorbs more evenly. Apply your stain with the grain, not against it, and wipe off the excess before it gets tacky. Then top it off with polyurethane or varnish for protection.
Living With Open Grain Wood
Dust with a soft cloth regularly. Clean with a barely damp cloth and mild soap when needed — nothing harsh. And reapply your finish every few years, depending on how much use the piece gets.
Keeping It in Good Shape
Open grain’s porous nature means it can absorb moisture and stains faster than closed grain wood. Use coasters. Use placemats. Keep it out of direct sunlight if you can — UV fades most finishes over time. And don’t put open grain wood furniture in a bathroom or near a steam source unless it’s sealed with something seriously waterproof.
Fixing Wear and Tear
Light scratches? Sand lightly and reapply finish. Deeper damage? Wood filler, sand, refinish. In my experience, most open grain pieces can be brought back to life with a weekend of work, which is one of the best things about solid wood furniture — it’s repairable. Try doing that with particle board.
Sourcing Responsibly
A lot of the popular open grain species — oak especially — come from well-managed forests. Look for FSC certification if that matters to you (and it should). Reclaimed oak and ash are fantastic options too. You get the character of aged wood and keep good lumber out of a dumpster.
- FSC-certified wood: Supports sustainable forestry practices
- Reclaimed lumber: Reduces demand for new timber and gives old wood a second life
- Low-VOC finishes: Better for your lungs and the environment
Think About Your Air Quality
Whatever finish you use, pay attention to VOC content. Working in a closed shop with high-VOC finishes is a recipe for headaches — literally. Natural oils and waxes are gentler options, and they work beautifully on open grain species. I switched to a tung oil finish for a lot of my projects and haven’t looked back.
Picking the Right Open Grain Species
Not all open grain woods are created equal. Here’s a quick rundown from someone who’s worked with all of them:
Oak is the workhorse. Strong, versatile, available everywhere. White oak and red oak have different vibes — white is tighter-grained and more water-resistant; red has more visible grain and warmth. I reach for oak more than any other species.
Ash is lighter in color with a clean, modern grain pattern. Great for contemporary furniture. It’s also what baseball bats are made from, so you know it’s tough.
Mahogany is the luxury pick. Rich reddish-brown color, beautiful grain, and it machines like butter. But it’s expensive and sourcing matters — make sure it’s sustainably harvested.
What to Look For
- Grain pattern: Pick boards that have the look you want — straight grain, cathedral, rift-sawn, whatever suits the project
- Hardness: Match the wood’s durability to what you’re building. A dining table needs harder wood than a decorative shelf.
- Availability and price: Domestic species like oak and ash are easier on the wallet. Exotics cost more and can be harder to find.
That’s what makes open grain wood endearing to us woodworkers — every piece has personality. The visible grain, the texture, the way it takes finish differently than anything else. It asks more of you during the build, but it gives back more in the finished product. Get to know it, respect its quirks, and you’ll build pieces that people can’t stop running their hands across.
