|
Wood Types and Characteristics:
Alder: Is a straight grain wood. It finishes to a smooth surface. It accepts stain well and is often used to imitate more expensive woods.
Birch: Birch, a common hardwood, is used in all aspects of furniture construction. The wood is light yellowish brown, very similar in color and in grain to maple. Birch is close-grained. It is moderately expensive. When you want a very light finish white birch works well.
Cherry: Cherry, one of the most valued of hardwoods, is used in fine furniture and cabinets. Its color varies from light brown to dark reddish brown, and it has a very attractive and distinctive grain, often with a definite mottle. Cherry is close-grained. Cherry darkens with age. It is becoming more expensive to use.
Mahogany: This hardwood is a traditional favorite for fine furniture, one of the most treasured furniture woods in the world. It's also used extensively in veneers. Mahogany varies in color from medium brown to deep red-brown and dark red; the grain is very distinctive and attractive. Within the mahogany family you have multiple species: African and Philippine (moderately expensive), and Honduran (very expensive). African and Honduran mahogany are similar in appearance and have the same finishing characteristics.
Maple: Maple is a strong, dense, attractive hardwood, used in furniture and for butcher blocks. Its color is light brown, with a reddish cast; the grain is usually straight, but also occurs in bird's-eye, curly, or wavy patterns.Maple is moderately expensive. Because it is very hard and closed-grained, maple can be polished to a deep sheen with a penetrating oil finish.
White Oak: This abundant hardwood has always been valued for its strength and its attractive grain. It is used extensively for solid furniture and, in modern furniture, for veneers. White oak is a rich grayish brown and is distinctively grained, with prominent rays or streaks. The wood is open-grained. It is moderately expensive. White oak stains well and can be stained any shade from light to dark.
Walnut (black walnut, European walnut): Walnut is chocolate brown, sometimes with dark or purplish streaks. It’s grain is very striking and attractive. It is very expensive. Walnut is one of the easiest woods to finish. It has a hard surface, and beautiful color and grain. The natural color of the wood is so desirable that many times other woods are stained in an attempt to duplicate the color that is achieved by simply applying a clear finish to walnut.
These are the most commonly used woods. Other wood types can be obtained. Please contact us for your requests.
|
