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Kinds of Wood
There are two basic kinds of wood - softwood and hardwood. However, the names
are somewhat deceiving, since hardwoods are not necessarily harder than
softwoods, and softwoods are not always softer than hardwoods. The terms
refer to the species of the tree rather than to the physical properties of
the wood. Softwoods are conifers, or needle bearing trees. They are composed
of simple cell structures, and grow faster than hardwoods. The wood produced
from them is generally less expensive than hardwood. Softwoods are generally
light in color, being shades of pale yellow or reddish brown, and show more
contrast between earlywood and latewood. They are used primarily for secondary pieces such as joinery,
turning and marquetry.
Hardwoods are deciduous, or leaf bearing trees and have a more complex
cell structure. They are generally stronger and have a more interesting
texture and figure. They exhibit less contrast in grain between earlywood and latewood, and exhibit a wider range of
color being light yellow to dark brown or black, and are
also used as veneers. Hardwoods are generally used
as the primary pieces of furniture such as cabinets, tables and chairs.
Listed below are some of the most common hardwoods and
softwood used in furnituremaking and some of
their attributes.
Alder
 Hardwood that has good strength, straight grain and even texture.
Ranges in color from yellow to light brown. Easily
carved and finished. Used in turnery and primary pieces.
Ash
 Hardwood that is very strong and ranges in color from white to
light brown. Straight grain and medium to coarse
texture. Used on secondary pieces such as bentwood
furniture and frames, and veneers.
Amaranth
 Hardwood
that is very strong, color ranges from red softwood to purple heartwood. Fine to medium texture. Finishes and polishes well. Used
for inlays, carved panels and small tables.
Basswood
 Hardwood that has a straight grain and even texture. White in color. Finishes well and is
used in marquetry, turning, and joinery.
Beech
 Hardwood that is very strong and has a straight grain and coarse
texture. Finishes well. Color is reddish
brown. Used for bentwood furniture, frames, interior joinery in furniture.
Birch
 Hardwood with exceptional strength and fine grain and even
texture. Easy to work and finishes well. Used for frames, joinery and
turning.
Blackwood
 Hardwood with straight to wavy grain and fine to medium texture.
Ranges in color from dark yellow to dark brown. Used in joinery.
Boxwood
 Hardwood
that is heavy and strong with straight to wavy grain. Even textured and
finishes well. Used for carving and inlays.
Brazilwood
 Hardwood
that is hard and strong with straight grain and fine texture. Color ranges
from orange to reddish brown. Used for tables, chairs, turning, joinery and
veneers.
Bubinga
 Hardwood
with straight or irregular grain, ranges in color from
reddish brown to purple. Easy to work and finishes well. Used for primary
pieces and veneer.
Butternut
 Hardwood
that is not very strong. Has straight grain and medium to coarse texture.
Color is yellow to grey sapwood and brown heartwood. Used for marquetry, inlay, joinery and
veneer.
Cedar
 Softwood
that is not very strong. Red cedar and yellow cedar are most frequently used.
Strainght grained with even texture. Used for
interior pieces of furniture and joinery.
Cherry
 Hardwod that is strong and hard with straight grain and
fine texture. Color ranges from red brown to red. Easy to work and is used on
primary pieces and turnery.
Chestnut
 Hardwood
that is fairly strong. Has wide grain and coarse
texture. Color is grey to white. Not widely used due to insect infectation which has depleted the availablity.
Ebony
 Hardwood that is heavy and strong with straight or wavy grain and
has fine even texture. Finishes well and has dark yellow sapwood and
dark brown to black heartwood. Used for some primary pieces and inlay.
Elm
 Hardwood that has straight or interlocked grain and coarse
texture. Color is light reddish brown. Used mainly for furniture
frames and secondary pieces.
Fir
 Softwood that is farily strong and resists
warping. Has straight, wide grain and fine texture. Does not finish
well and is used mainly for secondary pieces such as
drawers and joinery.
Hemlock
 Softwood
that is moderately strong with conspicuous straight grain and even texture.
Easy to work and finishes well. Color is light brown. Used for joinery.
Hickory
 Hardwood
that is very hard and strong with straight to wavy grain and coarse texture.
Sapwood is yellow white and heartwood is red brown. Difficult to work with,
and has average finishing qualities. Used for bentwood furniture and rustic
furniture.
Kingwood
 Hardwood with striped figure and fine texture. Color
ranges from brownish purple to black. Easy to work and finishes well. Used
for inlay, turning and marquetry.
Lauan
 Hardwood with interlocked grain and coarse texture with reddish
brown color. Easy to work and finishes well. Used for joinery, small
pieces and veneers.
Mahogany
 Hardwood
with excellent strength, and figured, wavy grain,
and medium texture. Color is reddish brown to dark red. Easy to work and has
excellent finishing qualities. Used for tables, chairs, carved pieces,
joinery and veneers.
Maple
 Hardwood
that is very strong and hard, with straight grain and fine texture and bird's
eye figure. Color ranges from white to reddish yellow. Sometimes
difficult to work, but finishes well. Use for primary pieces such as
tables and chairs, frames, turning and veneer.
Oak
 Hardwood
that is heavy and strong with straight grain and
medium to coarse texture. Color is white to light brown. Difficult
to work but finishes well. Used for primary pieces which are not
carved, joinery, turning and veneer.
Olive
 Hardwood that has irregular or wavy grain and fine grain.
Color is yellow brown. Easy to work and finish. Used for inlays.
Padauk
 Hardwood
that is strong and hard with straight to interlocked grain and coarse
texture. Color ranges from pink to cherry red. Easy to work and finishes
well. Used for primary pieces, joinery and turnery.
Pine
 Softwood
that is is soft and has a straight grain and
occasional knots, and fine even texture. Easy to work and finishes well. Used
for doors on primary pieces, joinery, and turning.
Redwood
 Softwood that is very strong and has a straight grain and even,
coarse texture. Easy to work and finishes well. Used
for secondary furnitrue pieces such as frames,
joinery, drawers.
Rosewood
 Hardwood
that is very strong and hard with straight grain, medium texture and streaked
figure. Color ranges from brown to purplet to black.
Average to work and finishes well and is easy to
polish. Used for tables, chairs, turnery, joinery and carved members.
Satinwood
 Hardwood
that is very hard and strong with striped or interlocked grain and fine
texture. Color ranges from orange to golden brown. Average to work but
finishes well. Used for cabinets, inlay, joinery, turning and inlay.
Spruce
 Softwood
that is strong and has a straight grain and even texture. Color ranges from white
to yellow brown. Easy to work and finish. Used for joinery and frames.
Sycamore
 Hardwood that is very hard and has straight to irregular grain
with even texture. Color is light to reddish brown with rays. Easy to
work and finish. Used for turning and veneers.
Teak
 Hardwood that is strong and has straight to wavy grain with
coarse, uneven texture and rich figureing. Yellow brown to dark brown in color. Easy to work and
finish. Used for primary pieces, joinery, turning, and veneer.
Tulipwood
 Hardwood
that is strong and hard with irregular grain and
medium to fine texture. Ranges in color from pinkish yellow
to reddish purple. Difficult to work but finishes
well. Used for pirmary pieces, turning and
veneer.
Walnut
 Hardwood
that is strong and durable with straight grain and
medium to coarse texture. Color ranges from dark brown to purple and black.
Easy to work and finish. Used for primary pieces, tables, chairs, cabinets,
drawers, joinery, turning, carved members, and veneer.
Yellow Poplar
 Hardwood
that is soft and light, has a straight grain and
fine texture. Sapwood is white, heartwood
is greenish brown. Easy to work and finish. Used for carved memebers, joinery and smaller pieces.
Yew
 Softwood
that is very hard and durable, with close grain and fine texture. Color is
reddish orange. Difficult to work, but finishes well.
Used for cabinetwork, joinery, turning and veneer.
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