Wood for Specific Woodworking Projects

Table of Contents

Key Factors for Selecting Wood
Choosing Wood for Specific Projects
Overcoming Wood Limitations
Buying and Storing Wood
Key Takeaways
FAQs
Further Reading

Choosing the right wood is one of the most important decisions when planning any woodworking project. Using wood with properties unsuited for the intended final product can lead to poor performance or outright failure. This comprehensive guide explores key factors to consider when selecting wood for different woodworking applications. Follow these tips to choose wood that not only looks stunning but will withstand the test of time.

Key Takeaways
Consider hardness, appearance, stability, workability, availability, and cost when selecting wood
Teak, cedar, redwood are good for outdoor furniture and structures
Oak, maple, walnut, and cherry make durable, stable flooring
Maple, cherry, alder, hickory, and oak work well for kitchen cabinets
Fruitwoods, soft maple, birch, and basswood turn nicely on the lathe
Carefully buy from specialty suppliers and store wood properly to prevent defects
Allow sufficient acclimation time before woodworking
Compensate for less ideal wood through reinforcements, finishes, fillers or design choices

Key Factors for Selecting Wood

Several characteristics determine how suitable a given wood is for specific uses. Consider the following when deciding on material for your next carpentry project:

Hardness

Hardness indicates woodworking-mistakes resistance to dents, scratches, and wear. Harder woods come from slow-growing trees and are best for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, cutting boards, and outdoor projects. Some examples include oak, maple, walnut, cherry, ash, and hickory. Avoid very hard woods for intricate carvings or turnings.

Appearance

The aesthetics of wood also guides selection. Consider grain patterns, color variations, potential for an attractive woodworking-inspiration figure in burl wood, curly or quilted patterns, and more. Appearance matters most in furniture, decorative objects, and accent pieces.

Stability

Stability refers to how prone wood is to expansion, contraction, twisting, and movement over time. These changes occur in reaction to humidity and temperature fluctuations. Movement can damage furniture with intricate joinery. Opt for stable wood in any item involving panels, inlay, delicate joinery, or precision fits. Some stable choices are poplar, soft maple, cherry, and walnut.

Workability

The ease of cutting, sanding, turning, nailing, and overall working with wood impacts project success. Consider equipment requirements before selecting wood known as difficult to machine or work. Examples of challenging woods include wenge, lignum vitae, and desert ironwood.

Availability and Cost

Common woods like oak, poplar, pine, maple, cherry, walnut, and cedar are abundant at local woodworking-community retailers. More exotic woods come from Africa, Asia, and South America, limiting supply and increasing price. Remember budget constraints when selecting wood.

Choosing Wood for Specific Projects

The best uses for specific wood types relate to their unique characteristics:

Outdoor Furniture and Structures

Wood used in outdoor projects needs to withstand weather elements like rain, snow, and sun without developing defects like checking or cupping. Top choices are teak, cedar, redwood, cypress, white oak, and black locust. These woods have good dimensional stability, natural water resistance, and longevity in exterior applications. Consider applying a woodworking-finishes exterior finish for added protection.

Flooring

Wood flooring endures heavy foot traffic over decades. Hardness and dimensional stability are vital traits for performance and durability in maple, oak, walnut, cherry, hickory, ash, and exotic hardwoods. Using wide planks enhances stability. Nail down installation allows wood movement without damage.

Kitchen Cabinetry

Kitchens demand moisture resistance, durability, and dimensional stability from wood. Top picks include maple, cherry, alder, hickory, and oak. Choose wood with an attractive grain pattern or light stain color to create a light, airy look. Consider easy to clean finish options like polyurethane for kitchen woodwork.

Turned Pieces

Turned wood crafts involve rotating wood to shape and hollow forms using a lathe. Softer woods that cut cleanly are best suited for turning, like fruitwoods, soft maple, birch, red alder, and basswood. Unique burl wood and crotch wood also turn well. Turnings make excellent woodworking-tips and tricks gifts and home decor.

Musical Instruments

The resonant properties of tonewoods are vital to acoustic instrument construction. Common types include sitka spruce for soundboards; mahogany for neck and bodies; rosewood for fretboards; and ebony for piano keys. Exotic woods add unique visual details. Careful selection brings out optimal tonal qualities.

Overcoming Wood Limitations

Less than ideal wood requires compensating measures:

Stabilize wood prone to twisting with structural reinforcements
Apply finishes to minimize defects like knot holes or sapwood
Use wood filler on open knots, checks, cracks or defects
Conceal imperfections with dark stains or paint
Embrace natural characteristics for a rustic look

With patience and skill, you can transform any wood into something beautiful. Limitations often lead to creative solutions and allow the wood’s natural beauty to shine through.

Buying and Storing Wood

Careful buying and storage ensures quality work materials:

Purchase wood from specialty woodworking-suppliers or hardwood dealers. Inspect wood qualities beforehand.
Buy surfaced dried wood for immediate use. Air dried wood requires additional drying time.
Store wood off concrete floors on stable supports in dry, climate controlled spaces.
Allow air flow around lumber to equalize moisture. Place spacers between each board.
Acclimate wood by leaving in workspace several days before use.

Proper handling minimizes woodworking-safety issues like warp, twist, bow, or cupping. Pay close attention to grain direction when joining boards. Carefully selecting, buying, and storing wood leads to superior performance in finished wood projects.

Key Takeaways

Choosing appropriate wood prevents pitfalls and helps ensure project success. Seek out wood with suitable properties for the demands of each application. Measure twice and cut once using these selection tips for flawless results every time.

What lessons did you learn about picking the best wood for your next project? Share your experiences selecting and working with various wood types in the comments below!

FAQs

What are the best woods for outdoor use?

Teak, cedar, redwood, and pressure treated pine offer weather resistance, stability, and durability for outdoor furniture, structures, decks, and walkways.

What wood is best for kitchen cabinets?

Maple and oak are excellent choices for cabinetry. Other good options include alder, hickory, cherry, and walnut depending on desired appearance, budget, and availability.

Is there an easiest type of wood to work with?

Pine, poplar, alder and basswood have a fine, consistent grain that makes them very easy to cut, sand, nail, and finish by hand or machine.

What wood is best for carving?

Basswood and butternut carve easily with hand tools and accept precise detail well due to their fine grain structure and softness.

Should I Acclimate Wood before Using?

Yes, always allow several days for stored wood to equalize to current temperature and humidity levels in your workspace before cutting and joining into projects.

What should I look for when buying wood?

Seek out boards with precise milling, square edges, no cupping, consistent grain patterns, and the appropriate level of dryness for your timeline whether green, air dried, or kiln dried.

What causes wood to crack or split?

Rapid drying causes internal stresses. Exposure to excessive heat, dryness, or moisture extremes makes wood shrink unevenly and crack. Careful moisture control prevents damage.

Selecting the Best Wood for Your Woodworking Project