Wood Species

African Mahogany Heartwood color varies, ranging from a pale pink to a deeper reddish-brown, sometimes having streaks of medium to dark reddish-brown. African mahogany tends to darken with age and is easy to work with, glue, and finish. African mahogany is a good substitute for genuine mahogany. (Hardness 800)

Ash sapwood is light-colored to nearly white and the heartwood varies from grayish or light brown, to pale yellow streaked with brown. Ash is generally straight-grained with a coarse uniform texture. The main uses are furniture, flooring, doors, architectural millwork and moulding, and kitchen cabinets. (Hardness 1320)

Beech sapwood is white with a red tinge, while the heartwood is light to dark reddish-brown. Beech is generally straight-grained with a close uniform texture. Beech is classed as heavy, hard, strong, high in resistance of shock, and good resistance to abrasive wear. (Hardness 1300)

Birch sapwood is creamy white to yellowish, while the heartwood is reddish-brown. Birch has a straight, close grain and a fine, even texture. Birch is heavy, hard, strong, and takes stain extremely well. (Hardness 1260)

Brazilian Cherry is prized for its pleasing color, beauty, and durability. The heartwood is a reddish-brown to brown with pronounced darker stripes. The grain is commonly interlocked with a coarse texture. Brazilian Cherry is very hard, heavy, and has outstanding strength properties. (Hardness 2350)

The heartwood of Cherry varies from rich red to reddish-brown and may darken with age and exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood is creamy white. The wood has a fine uniform straight grain, satiny, smooth texture, and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets. When sanded and stained, it produces an excellent smooth finish. (Hardness 950)

The heartwood is a light brown, and sometimes with a slightly reddish hue. The sapwood is a pale yellow to nearly white. The color of Clear Pine tends to darken with age. The grain is straight with an even to medium texture. Clear Pine is easy to work with and glues and finishes well. (Hardness 380)

The rippled grain pattern in Curly Maple has a three-dimensional effect that appears as if the grain has curled along the length of the board. The color is uniformed with its creamy white sapwood while the heartwood varies from light to dark reddish-brown. (Hardness 950)

Douglas Fir can vary in color based upon age and location of tree. Douglas Fir usually has a light brown color with a hint of red and/or yellow, with darker growth rings. Douglas Fir typically machines well, but has a moderate blunting effect on cutters. Douglas Fir accepts stains, glues, and finishes well. (Hardness 620)

Genuine Mahogany is also know as Honduran Mahogany. The heartwood can vary a fair amount from pale pinkish brown, to a darker reddish brown. Genuine Mahogany grain can be straight, interlocked or wavy. Genuine Mahogany is typically very easy to work with, machines well, sands very easily, glues, stains, and finishes well. (Hardness 900)

Hard Maple sapwood is creamy white with a slight reddish-brown tinge and the heartwood varies from light to dark reddish-brown. Hard Maple has a close fine, uniform texture and is generally straight-grained. It is hard and heavy with good strength properties, in particular to its high resistance to abrasion and wear. (Hardness 1450)

Hickory is the hardest, heaviest, and strongest American wood. The sapwood of hickory is white, tinged with inconspicuous fine brown lines while the heartwood is pale to reddish-brown. Both are coarse-textured and the grain is fine, usually straight but can be wavy or irregular. Hickory grain pattern welcomes a full range of medium to dark finishes. (Hardness 1820)

The heartwood of Honduran Mahogany can vary from a pale pinkish brown to a darker reddish-brown. The color tends to darken with age. The grain is usually straight but can be interlocked, irregular or wavy. The texture is medium and uniform, with a moderate natural luster. Honduran Mahogany glues, stains and finishes well. (Hardness 800)

Knotty Alder wood is light tan or light brown with a yellowish or reddish ting. The grain is usually straight, but can also be irregular. The fine even texture and moderate density of Knotty Alder make it easy to work with. It sands, stains, polishes easily, and seldom splits. (Hardness 590)

Knotty Pine sapwood is a pale yellow to nearly white, while the heartwood is light brown and sometimes has a slight reddish hue. The color of Knotty Pine tends to darken with age. Knotty Pine has a mixed broad to tight grain. It is classed as soft and lightweight which makes it easy to work with. (Hardness 380)

Poplar sapwood is creamy white and may be streaked, with the heartwood varying from pale yellowish brown to olive green. The green color in the heartwood will tend to darken on exposure to light and turn brown. The wood has a medium to fine texture and is straight-grained. Poplar takes and holds paint, enamel, and stain exceptionally well. (Hardness 540)

The sapwood of Red Oak is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish reddish brown. The wood is similar in general appearance to white oak, but with a slightly less pronounced figure due to the smaller rays. The grain is mostly straight, with a coarse texture. (Hardness 1290)

The colors vary from a lighter golden brown to a darker purplish-red and burgundy in Santos Mahogany. The color tends to turn more red or purple with age. The grain is usually interlocked, with a medium to a fine texture. (Hardness 2200)

Sapele is a tropical African reddish-brown wood that in many ways is very similar to mahogany. Sapele ranges from medium to fairly dark reddish-brown to purplish-brown. While Sapele is similar in color to African Mahogany, it is more durable than true Mahoganies. The strength of Sapele is similar to Oak. (Hardness 1410)

In many ways, Soft Maple is very similar to Hard Maple. The Soft Maple sapwood is greyish white while the heartwood varies from light to dark reddish-brown. It is usually straight-grained with a fine, even texture and has low shock resistance. Soft Maple is about 25 percent less hard than Hard Maple. (Hardness 950)

The heartwood is a relatively uniform light pinkish to reddish-brown and the colors tend to darken with age. Random pockets of gum and natural oils are commonly present in Spanish Cedar. The grain is typically straight and fine or shallowly interlocked and is easy to work with both by hand and machine tools. (Hardness 600)

The sapwood of walnut is creamy white, while the heartwood is light brown to dark chocolate brown, occasionally with a purplish cast and darker streaks. The wood is generally straight-grained but sometimes will vary with a wavy or curly grain that produces an attractive and decorative figure. (Hardness 1010)

The sapwood is narrow, light-colored, nearly white to light brown and the heartwood is light to medium brown. White Oak is mostly straight-grained with a coarse texture and longer rays than Red Oak. White Oak is strong and produces well with hand and machine tools. White Oak glues, stains, and finishes well. (Hardness 1360)