Wood Species
Learn the special characteristics of popular wood types.
| Wood Species | Type | Uses | Weight | Strength | Grain/Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder, red | Hard | Inexpensive furniture, interior trim | Light | Moderate | Indistinct, fine |
| Ash, black | Hard | Furniture, veneer | Medium | Strong | Figured, coarse |
| Beech | Hard | Furniture, flooring | Heavy | Strong | Uniform, very little figure, fine |
| Birch | Hard | Furniture, cabinets, plywood, doors, veneer | Heavy | Strong | Uniform, fine |
| Cherry | Hard | Furniture, veneer, paneling | Heavy | Strong | Delicate figuring, fine |
| African Mahogany | Hard | Furniture, cabinets, veneer | Medium | Moderate | Figured, coarse |
| American Mahogany | Hard | Furniture, cabinets, veneer | Medium | Strong | Figured, coarse |
| Philippine Mahogany | Hard | Plywood, furniture, cabinets, flooring | Heavy | Strong | Figured, coarse |
| Maple | Hard | Flooring, furniture | Heavy | Strong | Delicate figuring, fine |
| Oak, red & white |
Hard | Flooring, furniture, millwork | Heavy | Strong | Figured, especially when quarter-sawn, coarse |
| Pine, knotty | Soft | Construction | Light | Weak | Straight, fine |
| Pine, ponderosa | Soft | Trim, doors | Light | Weak to moderate | Uniform, fine |
| Pine, white | Soft | Pallet, trim | Light | Weak | Uneven, fine |
| Poplar | Hard | Furniture, cabinets, siding | Medium | Moderate | Delicate figuring, fine |
| Rosewood, Brazilian & Indian | Hard | Veneer, furniture | Heavy | Strong | Figured, coarse |
| Teak | Hard | Veneer, furniture, flooring | Heavy | Strong | Figured, coarse |
| Walnut | Hard | Furniture, cabinets, woodwork | Heavy | Strong | Delicate, uniform figuring; fine |