Woodform Concrete®: Concrete that Looks Like Wood

February 20, 2025

For thousands of years across countless civilizations, wood has been a cornerstone of construction and design. As technology advances and responsible manufacturing becomes a priority, we continue to innovate materials that honor wood’s aesthetic appeal while improving its longevity and environmental impact. 

Enter Woodform Concrete®—an innovative A&D solution that captures the natural beauty of wood texture and color while offering the superior durability and versatility of concrete. This unique material combines bespoke craftsmanship with durability and scalability for a smarter, more deliberate approach to fabrication. Three side by side images of tables and countertops in concrete that looks like wood.

What is Woodform Concrete®?

Woodform® is a novel design solution that delivers the visual authenticity of wood but with the durability of stone. It is a form of functional art – utilizing a combination of materials, processes, and artistic intuition in order to create complex objects that are indistinguishable from real wood.

Unlike traditional wood - which requires ongoing maintenance and replacement - Woodform® is fabricated from high-performance concrete and is thus resistant to moisture, temperature fluctuations, cracking, splitting, warping, burning, and damage from pests. This renders it an exceptional choice for applications such as wood look countertops, wood and concrete countertops, and bespoke surfaces tailored to unique design visions.

Originally developed by JM Lifestyles and now part of the Trueform Concrete family, Woodform® was pioneered to be a functional, versatile, and scalable alternative to traditional wood. Like many innovations, Woodform® began as an experiment—one that through a series of iterative explorations eventually led to a revolutionary moment in construction. It is not so much a collection of objects as it is a way of making objects.

Find out more about how to get the best concrete that looks like wood.

Even upon close inspection, Woodform Concrete is virtually indistinguishing from real wood.

Why Not Use Real Wood?

This is a valid question – one we get asked frequently. Wood is glorious, after all. And mother nature is unparalleled in its design capabilities.

Despite the innumerable advantages of wood, there are settings and scenarios where using natural wood is simply not advisable. Among the reasons why Woodform® might be a better solution, here are a few:

Outdoor Use

In outdoor settings, natural wood is vulnerable to a variety of stressors – including rotting, warping, splitting, damage from pests, and UV bleaching. Woodform® is invulnerable to these issues, making it suitable for areas like patios, parks, rooftops, and other outdoor areas. Furthermore, it is virtually maintenance free – requiring only occasional cleaning.

Design Flexibility

Because of our extensive modular library of precision forms, designing with Woodform® means you are not beholden to many of the constraints imposed by using actual wood.

For example, if you were designing a 4 ft x 20 ft wood-slab conference table with live edge details on either side, trying to source the perfect slab of wood would be challenging – if not quite expensive.

Woodform® enables designers to specify the precise attributes they are seeking for their project – including dimensions, thickness, edge details, finish, and other features such as joinery, nail heads, etc. This means that by simply providing a drawing along with descriptions of the required features and finish, a Woodform® piece can fabricated to meet your exact needs. Lushly landscaped and hardscaped garden with architectural drop down area with a concrete that looks like wood bench.

Scalability

Scalability is especially relevant in commercial or hospitality settings such as resorts, restaurants, corporate atriums, etc. - where multiple objects featuring the same aesthetic might be required. Consider an architect working on a new hotel in Aspen, Colorado, where the intent is to showcase 4” thick wood slabs throughout the entire interior; the lobby, individual rooms, communal spaces, patio, etc.

Because Woodform pieces are cast from reusable forms, innumerable copies of any particular object or surface can be created at will. Again, designers would not need to locate and procure the requisite wood pieces. They would simply specify their needs – and this could save considerable time, energy, uncertainty, and cost.

Conscientious Creation

This is an area in which Woodform really shines. In the realm of concrete fabrication, only the amount of material required to create the object is utilized in its production. There is an essentially 1:1 ratio in terms of raw materials to output. Furthermore, energy-intense industrial equipment such as kilns are not required for production. Rather, concrete curing happens naturally and without intervention merely by the presence of water through a chemical process called “hydration”. This means that Woodform pieces are created with remarkable efficiency.

See how concrete that looks like wood compares to real wood.

Three images from the manufacturing facility at Trueform showing how the products are made.

How is it Made?

Woodform® objects come about through the synergy between our makers and our materials. Creating Woodform® pieces requires an extensive library of modular, re-usable forms. These are detailed impressions of the wood’s characteristics and include grain, knots, shallow fissures, live edge contours, and other textures. All impressions are taken directly from bespoke walnut slabs and logs and are essential in enabling Woodform’s authentic appearance.

When a Woodform® object is ready to be created, our team collects and assembles the requisite forms into a production-ready mold so that casting can begin.

At its core, Woodform® is constructed of GFRC, or glass-fiber-reinforced concrete. GFRC is an evolution of traditional concrete that is stronger, more versatile, more efficient, and aesthetically superior to its predecessor. GFRC’s efficiency is due to the fact that its incredible strength allows our craftsmen to actually use less material than traditional concrete while expecting equal or greater performance. Whether a sink, table, bench or countertop, the average thickness of a Woodform object is about 1”.

Trueform Concrete is able to achieve the aesthetic of wood but with the durability of stone through Woodform Concrete - an artisanal medium for creating objects and surfaces. Once cured, Woodform® objects are removed from the forms. At this point, they are little more than blank objects with wood-like impressions. The finishing stage is where the real magic ensues. Details are enhanced and refined by hand-held tools. This ensures that the surfaces feel as authentic as possible.

In the spirit of remaining as true to woodcrafting as we can, the concrete surface is treated with several coats of stain. During this process, our artisans take great care to highlight the object’s natural features – paying particular attention to the direction of the grain as well as knots, fissures, and other surface attributes.

The final step – and one of the most important – is sealing. All Woodform® surfaces are treated with several layers of a topical sealant. This forms a protective barrier, preventing it from stains and UV discoloration while enhancing the finish.

Woodform® In the Built Space Arena

Due to its flexibility and remarkable authenticity, Woodform® can enhance a variety of spaces - from commercial settings to luxury homes. Here are just a few of the many applications:  Collage of woodform sinks from Trueform Concrete.

Woodform® Sinks

Woodform® sinks offer a seamless combination of style and function, bringing a novel and unexpected twist into residential and commercial bathrooms. Resistant to moisture and staining, a Woodform® sink couples long-lasting durability with minimal maintenance.

Side by side images of wood look concrete countertops and bars.

Woodform® Countertops

With the ability to dictate thicknesses, finishes, dimensions, shapes, edge details and construction type (plank-style vs center slab), countertops that look like wood give designers a tremendous amount of creative latitude.

Outdoor space with concrete bench next to a pool.

Woodform® Benches

One of the most striking applications of Woodform® is for outdoor seating. Our Alpine Bench offers the natural appeal of wood with the strength and longevity of concrete, making it an excellent choice for gardens, patios, rooftops, and commercial landscapes.

Wood look concrete dining table with gold metal chairs around o a tiled floor.

Woodform® Tables

Dining tables crafted from Woodform® provide the best of both worlds: the rustic charm of wood and the resilience of concrete. Perfect for homes as well as hospitality settings looking to create a welcoming ambiance while minimizing upkeep, Woodform® tables are indoor and outdoor compatible.

Outdoor spaces with Woodform Concrete countertops.

Woodform® Outdoor Kitchens

Woodform® outdoor kitchens blend the warmth of wood with the resilience of concrete, creating durable, low-maintenance outdoor cooking spaces. Resistant to moisture, pests, and UV damage, they offer the beauty of wood without the upkeep. Perfect for any climate, they bring lasting style and functionality to open-air entertaining.

Other Uses

Beyond countertops, sinks, and tables, Woodform® Concrete is ideal for mantels, wall panels, coffee tables, and decorative installations. Its ability to mimic wood while providing concrete’s strength makes it a versatile choice for unique design elements in both residential and commercial spaces.

Our Commitment

Trueform believes in being responsible stewards of our materials, energy, and resources, and we go to great lengths to ensure that our Woodform® products and processes impose a minimal burden on the environment. In that spirit, we employ an ethos of responsible manufacturing to every object in our studio:

Trueform is a build-on-demand company. We only create what our clients order and neither overproduce nor hold inventory.
Woodform® does not require old-growth trees to be cut down. Instead, it utilizes a modular system of reusable forms – meaning that several hundred pieces can be cast from each form before it needs to be replaced.
Only the amount of concrete required to create each piece is mixed and used for casting. This drastically reduces waste.
Unlike wood, Woodform® pieces are hollowed-out on the inside in order to prevent excess material and reduce weight.
Fabrication does not rely on kilns, ovens, or high-powered equipment. Rather, curing happens naturally by means of an exothermic reaction referred to as hydration.
The water utilized during wet processing is recycled and cleaned by means of a closed loop filtration system.
Woodform® is not subject to warping, rotting, cracking, burning, or insect damage – meaning it will last longer than wood.
All Woodform® pieces are hand-crafted in New Jersey, USA.

Elevate Your Space with Woodform Concrete® 

Woodform® is more than just a material - it’s an entirely new approach to design. Whether you’re looking for a wood look countertop concrete bench, a statement-making bar top, or a durable alternative to traditional wood surfaces, this innovative solution delivers the best of all worlds. 

Explore our gallery and discover how Woodform® can transform your next project. 

Woodform Concrete®: Concrete that Looks Like Wood

What is Woodform Concrete®?