Submitted by M0710NM4N t3_zy3q7b in BuyItForLife

So I'm looking to buy an UpLift standing desk and they offer quite a few desktop wood options and wondered which would be the hardest and be better at resisting scratches, dings etc? Keep in mind though I'm more a fan of lighter woods like Bamboo. To get a better idea of the colors... you'll have to visit UpLifts site.

Maple

Dark Ash

Ash

Pecan

White Oak

Sipo Mahogany

Cherry

Bamboo

Walnut

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Blueporch t1_j23lebx wrote

You could look up the Janka ratings, but ash is a very hard wood.

From a sustainability standpoint, bamboo comes out ahead. If they’ve put it together as they do strand bamboo flooring, it would have a high Janka rating but not sure they can do that for furniture.

6

mdjmd73 t1_j23r5xw wrote

Oak would be the hardest, but I’d go with whatever style/color you like. All are nice looking woods that’ll last forever.

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mikeTastic23 t1_j2413mg wrote

Lighter colored woods show the least amount of scratches in my opinion. Hardness isn't really a factor if that's your main consideration, as all these woods will more or less take the same level of scratches/dings, etc. But they will be more noticeable in darker woods or woods with stains and certain high gloss finishes.

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Hobbadehoy t1_j241fa1 wrote

I would also say both oak and ash are the best options and also very light in color. Ash will probably have a tighter grain than oak. Oak will probably look nicer if some wear/tear does occur. But both are often used for utilitarian needs. ash: tool handles, baseball bats, etc. oak: ships, etc.

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blergems t1_j244cpa wrote

I have an Uplift bamboo desk that is now (digs up receipt) 15 years old. Constant daily use, and I use the rising mechanism 2-4 days/week. If you're just using it as a computer/light hobby desk, any of those will be fine. Just needs the occasional wipe down to deal with coffee mug rings. The mechanics work as well as the day it was delivered. 3 cross country moves. One chip when I dropped a chisel blade down on it. I tighten the bolts maybe once every year or two.

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regaphysics t1_j24986h wrote

A ton depends on the exact species and the way it’s processed, but bamboo / maple / ash are generally going to be the best three.

1

SP919212973 t1_j24m8bz wrote

I hesitate to chime in because I know nothing about wood strengths, but I remember when maple baseball bats were all the rage (Barry Bonds used one).  The argument was that maple bats provided an edge because they were harder than ash (common wood for bats).  

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Quail-a-lot t1_j25l4pw wrote

Not bamboo. It is only strong on paper. In practice it splinters badly. It is often not as sustainable as people like to claim either.

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Worradc t1_j276iqx wrote

Scratches are more an issue for the finish on top of the wood, which will be identical for all of them. At least for natural colored wood….if it will be stained then scratches could be more of an issue, but it will be an issue for all.

While “strength” can be judged in a variety of ways, in this instance it’s largely about which will show compression/denting the easiest.

All of these woods are good, or else i suspect the company would not offer them. For “hardest” I’d lean to the white oak and pecan…but the differences is marginal for a desk. My recommendation is to buy the one that appeals to you most and will make you smile when you use it.

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flawlessfear1 t1_j290532 wrote

Dont listen to those fools. Natural maple is the hardest of the bunch and is very light toned

2