What is Burl Wood?

Wood burls are external knots or growths on trees that form intricate wood grain patterns. The random wood grains create denser, stronger wood that’s ideal for furniture and highly prized for its beauty. Trees form burls when they experience some type of stress or injury. Although created out of trauma, burl wood evokes intrigue and drama. Like a precious geode, the appeal of burl wood becomes apparent from its interior. On the inside, burl wood features swirling, knotted, kaleidoscopic or other organic wood grain shapes that catch the eye and add a unique look to modern wooden furniture. Artisans use burl wood for other wood products, like flooring, sculptural woodwork, home accessories and decor.

Types of Burl Wood

Burl wood can form on many types of trees, but certain hardwood species tend to produce some of the strongest and most beautiful burls for use in furniture, decor and other wood products.

Oak Burl

Oak burls are one of the highest-quality burls available. The color generally ranges from pale to reddish-brown, but can vary greatly. Because oak burls are dense and durable, they’re widely used for furniture and other wood accessories.

Walnut Burl

Burled walnut tends to be more expensive than normal walnut wood due to the beauty, strength and durability of the burls. Often used for furniture, artwork, musical instruments and other wood applications, walnut burls vary in size and grain patterns.

Redwood Burl

Like their namesake trees, redwood burls can grow to impressively large proportions. Because redwood trees can only grow in certain geographic areas—and many exist in protected areas—redwood burls tend to be much harder to find and more expensive than other types of burl wood. However, redwood burls are extremely strong and visually stunning.

Maple Burl

Maple burls form on maple trees, a common species in North America and other parts of the world. Although they can vary widely in color, maple burls tend to range from white to light pink or light brown.

Cherry Burl

As you might expect, most cherry wood burls tend to be reddish-brown. These types of burls are highly sought-after for their beauty and durability. Cherry wood and cherry wood burls tend to be stiff and strong, which makes both options excellent choices for living room furniture and other home furnishings.

How Is Burl Wood Formed?

When a tree experiences some type of stress or injury, dormant buds activate and grow randomly to help protect and preserve the tree structure. This process forms an external burl or knot along the tree base, trunk or branches.

Normal wood grain patterns tend to grow in a more predictable, uniform fashion. Generally, normal wood grain forms in concentric circles starting from the inside of the trunk, leaving a directional grain pattern.

Scientists do not completely understand the process in which trees produce burls. Although faux burl wood is available, real burl wood only grows in nature.

What Makes Burl Wood Unique?

Burl wood isn’t just rare—it’s proof that imperfections can be gorgeous. The intricate wood grain patterns add rich character and an element of surprise to any room.

One of the main reasons why interior designers love burl wood is because no two pieces are exactly alike. Strikingly bold, yet natural and fresh, burl wood furniture makes a statement unlike any other.

Due to the scarcity and higher cost of burl wood, incorporating burl wood veneer into your design is a great way to utilize the striking beauty of burl wood while keeping costs lower when compared to solid burl wood products. Woodworkers create wood burl veneer slabs by cutting solid burl wood into thin strips that showcase the natural beauty of the wood grain.

How to Style Burl Wood

Although burl wood is as unique as your personal design, it’s easy to incorporate the style into your home. Whether you’re partial to midcentury-inspired spaces that highlight warm wood tones and clean lines or prefer a more contemporary, minimalist look that blends textures and tones, burl wood furniture adds a refined and elegant look to any motif. Burl wood is also perfect for a maximalist aesthetic; the random grain patterns and warm wood tones imbue character to more eclectic spaces.

Just as at home in a dramatic color scheme as it is in an earth-toned palette, burl wood furniture doesn’t need to be the centerpiece of your design to make a stunning impact. The striking grain patterns blend beautifully with other materials, like marble, granite, bamboo, glass and metal.

A simple way to integrate multiple burl wood pieces into one room is to look for pieces within the same collection, like our Kara Mann designs. You can also utilize other burl wood pieces made from the same type of wood burls for a cohesive look.

Or, if you want your burl wood furniture to have maximum impact, you can forego other matching burl wood pieces in your room. Burl wood furniture looks stunning as a visual centerpiece for your living room, bedroom or dining room.