Hardwood
Ash : - Fraxinus Americana, American Ash, Biltmore Ash, Fresno Ash, White Ash, Green Ash, Red Ash, Black Ash, Brown Ash (Oleaceae)
A medium/large tree, reacheing a height of 75-100 ft., w/a diameter of 2-4 ft. Color is pale yellow streaked with light brown. The grain is bold, straight and moderately open, and is normally coarse-textured and lustrous. Weight varies between 35 & 40lbs pcf / sg .60
Bending properties variable but usually very good. Good strength, toughness, stiffness & hardness for it's light weight. Can be worked fairly well with hand or power tools. Pre-drilling sometimes required for nailing. Stains, glues and polishes well. Ash is non-durable and perishable. The sapwood is susceptible to common furniture & powder post beetles.
Baseball bats, cabinets, furniture, knife & tool handles and gun stocks, pool ques & sporting goods.
Beech : - Fagus Grandifolia, (Fagaceae)
Primarily reddish-brown in color & slightly coarse with obvious rays and pores. The grain is straight with a fine, even texture. Weight is approx. 46lbs pcf / sg .74
High crush, medium stiffness & shock resistance. Excellent bending properties. Works easily with hand & power tools. Good nailing and gluing properties. Stains and polishes to a good finish. Dries rapidly w/tendency to warp, split & surface check.Susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle and longhorn beetle. Perishable, but permeable.
Cabinetmaking, furniture, solid & laminated flooring, brush handles, wooden cooking impliments & food containers, handrails.
Birch : - Betula Lutea, Betula Wood, Grey Birch, Silver Birch, Hard Birch, American Birch (Betulaceae)
Birch has light yellow sapwood and reddish brown heartwood. It has straight, close grain and a fine, even texture. Dries slowly with little degradation. Weight is approx. 43lbs pcf / sg .66
High bend & crush. Very good for steam bending. High resistance to shock. Works easily with hand & power tools. Curly or disturbed grain wood requires reduced cutting angles. Glues well. Takes stain and polish very well. Perishable and susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle. Sapwood is permeable.
Furniture, high-grade joinery and flooring, paneling.
Cherry : - Prunus Serotina, Black Cherry, Capulin, Choke Cherry, New England mahogany, Plum, Rum Cherry, Cabinet Cherry
Narrow sapwood is whitish to reddish brown or creamy pink. The heartwood varies in color from reddish brown to deep red. Very sensitive to UV light, and changes to its characteristic reddish-brown, mahogany shade upon exposure. The grain and texture are fine and fairly uniform. Luster is rich and satiny. Weight is around 35lbs pcf / sg .58
Medium strength. Good bend. Low stiffness. Medium resistance. Works easily with hand and power tools. Nails, glues, and stains well. Polishes to an excellent finish. Moderately durable. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by common furniture beetle.
Cabinetmaking, caskets, fine furniture, musical instruments, scientific instruments, sculpture, interior construction, handles and wainscoting.
Jarrah : - Eucalyptus Marginata, (Myrtaceae)
Heartwood is a rich dark brownish-red, sometimes marked by short, dark brown radial flecks on the end grain and boat shaped flecks on flat sawn surfaces which enhance its decorative value. These marks are caused by the fungus Fistulina Hepatica. Gum veins or pockets may also be present. The grain is usually straight but often interlocked or wavy. The texture is even but moderately coarse. Weight averages 50lbs pcf / sg .80
Difficult to work by hand and hard on machine tools. Pre-boring necessary for nailing & screwing. Good gluing properties and finishes well. Durable & highly resistant to insects. Partial air drying is recommended before kilning / especially in thick stock to avoid distortion. Medium movement.
Marine work of all kinds, vats, flooring, furniture, handles.
Jatoba* (Courbaril) : - Hymenaea Courbaril, Brazilian Cherry, Jutaby, West Indian Locust, Copal, Guapinal (Leguminosae)
Heartwood is salmon red to orange-brown marked with dark brown streaks. It has a golden luster. Grain is usually interlocked with a medium to coarse texture. Slow drying is recommended. Tendency for moderate surface checking, warping and case hardening. Small movement. Weight is about 55lbs pcf / sg .91
Strong, hard and tough with very good bending characteristics. High shock resistance. Moderately difficult to work due to to high density. Moderate blunting of cutters. Nails poorly, but holds screws well. Glues and stains well, but won't take a high polish. Moderately durable, but not with a high proportion of sapwood. Very resistant to termites.
Furniture, cabinetmaking, joinery & turning, tool handles, stair treads, flooring, sporting goods, wheel rims, cogs .
Mahogany, Santos : - Myroxylon Balsamum, Cabreuva, Balsamo
It exhibits a medium range of color variation between a light orangey/brown with yellowish overtones to a dark reddish/purplish brown. Most of the specie falls into the medium to dark orange/brown mahogany tone. It undergoes a slight degree of color change with a slight muting of the color range over time.
Santos Mahogany is rich dark mahogany colored wood, which is a superior choice to genuine mahogany, (which it resembles in color), given Santos Mahogany’s hardness and color fastness. Janka Hardness Rating: 2,200 lbs. (997.90 kgs.) By comparison, Northern Red Oak is rated @ 1,290 lbs. (585 kgs.)
Flooring, furniture, cabinetry & general woodworking.
Maple : - Acer Saccharum, Black Maple, Black Sugar Maple, Hard Maple, Hard Rock Maple, Rock Maple, Sugar Maple (Aceraceae)
Sapwood is white with a reddish tinge. The heartwood color is uniformly light reddish brown. Texture is fine and even and usually has a straight grain, sometimes curly or wavy. Dries slowly with little degradation. Medium movement. Weight averages about 45lbs pcf / sg .72.
High bend & crush strength. Medium stiff. Excellent for steam bending. Difficult to work. Moderate dulling effect on blades. Wavy or curly grains require a reduced cutting angle. Pre-drilling required for nailing and screwing. Takes stain, glue and polish well. High resistance to abrasion. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by furniture beetle. Defects caused by insects are sometimes found.
Bowling pins, decorative veneer, flooring, handles, windows, casks, drum sticks, fine furniture, cabinets, cutting boards & blocks, turning.
Red Oak : - Quercus Rubra, Northern Red Oak, Gray Oak, American Red Oak, Canadian Red Oak, Spanish Oak, Swamp Red Oak, Cherrybark Oak, Shumard Red Oak (Fagaceae)
Pinkish to light reddish brown or light brown. The grain is usually straight and open. Red oaks grown in the north are less coarse textured than the faster-grown red oak from the southern states. Large pores tend to produce strong contrast in staining. Weight is around 48lbs pcf / sg .77
High crush, medium bend and stiffness. Very good steam bending wood. Moderate blunting on cutters. Density varies. Gluing results vary and nailing may require pre-drilling. Takes stain well and polishes to a good finish. Dries slowly with checking, splitting and honeycombing. Needs care in air or kiln drying. Medium movement. Susceptible to insect attack. Sapwood is permeable.
Flooring, heavy construction, shipbuilding, cabinets, musical instruments, drum sticks and fine furniture. Not suitable for exterior work.
White Oak : - Quercus Alba, Appalachian Oak, Arizona Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, Overcup Oak, Chestnut Oak, Cucharillo, Encino, Mamecillo, Roble, Stave Oak (Fagaceae)
Light tan to pale yellow brown, and may have a pinkish tinge. It is similar to European oak. White Oak is somewhat more figured than Red Oak. The grain is open and the texture is medium to coarse. Weight averages 46lbs pcf / sg .76
Medium bend & crush strength. Makes it an excellent steam bending wood. Pre-boring is a good idea, but it takes nails & screws well. Gluing results vary. Stains well and polishes to a good finish. Dries slowly with tendency for checking, splitting and honeycombing. Requires careful air or kiln drying. Medium movement. Logs are subject to severe insect attack.
Flooring, exterior trim & siding, furniture components, interior construction and trim, paneling, and cabinets.
Poplar (Tulipwood) : - Populus Serotina, Robusta, Finnish Aspen, Swedish Aspen, French Aspen, European Black Poplar, Black Italian Poplar, Cucumber (Salicaceae)
Heartwood is usually creamy-white to gray in color, sometimes pale brown or pinkish-brown. Grain is typically straight. Texture is fine and even. Weight varies from 23 to 33lbs pcf / sg .45
Low stiffness & shock resistance. Low bend & medium crush. Poor steam bending properties. Sharp, thin cutters are required to overcome the texture and produce a good finish. Nailing and screwing are okay. Takes stain poorly. Takes paint, varnish and polish well. Dries rapidly, but knots will split. Perishable and susceptible to insect attack. Sapwood is permeable.
Suitable for rough usage such as the bottoms of wagons and carts. Also used in furniture framing, drawers, toys, flooring, boxes and crates.
Purpleheart : - Peltogyn Pubescens, Amarante, Violetwood, Koroboreli, Saka, Sakavalli, Pau roxo, Nazareno, Morado, Tananeo, Palo morado, Guarabu (Leguminosae)
A deep purple-violet when freshly cut, maturing to a dark brown. The original color returns when re-cut. The grain is typically straight and the texture is rather coarse . Weight between 50 to 60lbs per cu. ft. / sg .86
High bending strength. Medium resistance to shock loads. Moderate steam bending properties. Difficult to work. Moderate to severe blunting of cutters. Run material slowly through machines equipped with HSS knives. Pre-drilling needed for nailing. Takes glue well. Stains and wax polishes easily. Very durable. Takes a high polish. (Spirit based finishes remove the purple color. Lacquer based finishes preserve the color.)
Billiard-cues, cabinetmaking, carvings, fine furniture, handles, marine construction, marquetry, flooring, countertops and stair rails.
Teak : - Tectona Grandis, Pahi, Mai Sak, Sagwan, Tek, tekku, kyun, Sagon, Tegina, Tadi, Jati Sak, Djati, Gia Thi (Verbenaceae)
Heartwood is a uniform golden brown w/o markings. Grain is usually straight to slightly wavy. Texture is coarse, uneven & oily to the touch. Weight between 38 & 43lbs pcf / sg .65
Medium bend & high crush strength. Low stiffness & shock resistance. Brittle w/great dimensional stability. Medium steam bending properties. Medium cutting resistance w/severe blunting effect. Must pre-drill for nailing. Gluing is good on freshly planed or sanded surfaces. Stains well and takes a satisfactory finish, especially an oil finish. Very durable. Acid and fire resistant but susceptible to insects. Some find fine machine dust can be an irritant.
Decking, rails, hatches, etc. for ship & boat building; furniture & cabinetmaking, flooring, garden furniture & decking, plywood, and decorative veneers.
American Walnut : - Juglans Nigra, American Black Walnut, Eastern Black Walnut, Nogal, Nuez meca, Tocte, Virginia Walnut, Canaletto, Black Hickory Nut (Juglandaceae)
Varies from light grayish brown to deep chocolate brown to an almost black purplish brown. The grain is slightly open and usually straight, but may be wavy or irregular. Texture is usually coarse, but uniform. Surface is generally dull, but develops a lustrous patina after many years in use. Weight averages 40lbs pcf / sg .64
A medium density wood, tough & hard; w/moderate bend & crush. Stiffness is low. Good steam bending properties. Can be worked easily with hand or power tools. Takes nails and screws well. Glues satisfactorily. Good finishing characteristics. Very durable. Sapwood is susceptible to attack by powder post beetle. Heartwood is to biodegradation.
A standard for gunstocks. Used widely in high-quality furniture, cabinetmaking, musical instruments, clocks, boatbuilding, turning and carving.
Wenge, (Panga Panga) : - Millettia Stuhlmannii (or Laurentii) Jambire, Messara, Mpande, Awoung, Awong, Palisandre Du Congo, Dikela, Mibotu, Bokonge, Awong, Dikela, Tshikalakala, Nson-so (Leguminosae)
Heartwood is dark brown to almost black with alternate layers of light and dark tissue; sapwood yellowish white & clearly marked. Texture is rather coarse; grain is straight. It weighs 52-62lbs pcf / sg .91
Heavy, dense & has a high bending strength & resistance to shock, w/medium crush strength & low stiffness. Low steam bending classification. Material works fairly well with machine tools and with moderate blunting effect. Nailing requires pre-boring. When filled, it can be brought to a satisfactory finish. It seasons well & rapidly with little degradation. Durable and resistant to termites.
Flooring, joinery,furniture, cabinetry & general woodworking. An excellent turning wood, Decorative & paneling veneers.