Solid lumber wood has always been, and will always be the preference of serious woodworkers when it comes time to construct furniture. It is durable, resists shock and is a very sound investment, increasing the value of what you build, as well as increasing in value over the course of years.
Various parts of the world offer different kinds of lumber wood, with each having its own properties and characteristics. Because each tree offer different patterns, grains and markings, every wood, every tree, has a unique look and feel to the furniture that you create with it.
Solid lumber wood may have one of two classifications. They are termed hardwood or softwood. Hardwood is a tree that has broad leaves when it is alive, while softwood is a tree that is a needle-bearing tree such as spruce or pine, cedar or redwood. Hardwoods are, as the name implies, much harder and more resistant to damage.
Some of the most common building woods are listed below for your convenience.
Mahogany – hardwood, more aptly classed as medium hard. It is a red-brown or tan color and possesses a unique grain structure as well as poorly defined growth rings, but is durable and will hold its shape very well. It is perfect for furniture and very high quality cabinets because it is stable and will resist decay very well.
Superior and knotty alder wood is a good choice for cabinets, doors and custom mill work around the home. The fine, even texture of alder wood makes it similar to cherry although when applying stain you will get a few blotches that will provide additional character to the finished product. Its appearance and high quality make it a popular choice doors, cabinets, mill work and furniture. Once considered to be a poor boys maple, superior and knotty alder has come into its own as a hardwood for cabinetry and furniture. It even supports a market for using the knotty alder wood, for once stained the finished product can create something old world or brand new. It finishes beautifully with a light color and tight grain structure. Red alder is often used as a substitute to achieve the look of expensive cherry hardwood at a more affordable price.
Pine is a softer wood, a needled tree that grows in a wide range of areas of the world. There are pines in almost every country and where they grow may dictate some of the properties of the wood. There are White Pine, Eastern White Pine, Ponderosa pine, and Sugar Pine. The knotted characteristics of pine make it a popular choice for furniture even though it is less hard and easier to mar. It is paler yellow in color and is perfect to add warmth to your house. Pine will hold a stain very well.
Maple- a very hardwood is light in color, near blond and is a popular choice as a furniture wood. It is highly shock resistant and has even pores that make the wood look very even. It is durable and will take a stain very well, and as it is lighter in color, may be stained to resemble almost any other wood that you might like to emulate.
Beechwood-another hardwood with a very fine grain, beech is able to be used for nearly anything that you might like. Strong and stable, it is difficult to warp or bend beech. It takes a stain very well with smaller pores and a very visible grain and growth rings that create a warm and wonderful look.
With so many lumber choices available take the time to select what choice may be best for you. From alder wood to mahogany, the choices are endless.