Metalwork - Materials - Varities of Wood
Below is a list of different types of wood.
They are classfified as :
Balsa |
![Sample of Balsa Wood](../images/balsa.gif) |
Other Names : Guano, Polak, Topa |
Description : Balsa is the lightest and
softest of all woods available today, yet is is a
Hardwood as it comes from a Deciduous tree. Because of
its light weight and exceedingly porous composition,
balsa is highly efficient when buoyancy, insulation
against heat or cold, or sound absorption is important. |
Uses : Life saving equipment, Model aircraft. |
|
Basswood |
![Sample of Basswood](../images/basswood.gif) |
Other Names : American Lime |
Description : Creamy-white color, although it
tends to become browner upon exposure. |
Uses : Carving, Turning, Pattern-making. |
|
Beech |
![Sample of Beech Wood](../images/beech.gif) |
Other Names : None |
Description : Straight-grained wood. Light
brown to red-brown color. Beech has an average number of
knots. American Beech is slightly coarser than the
European variety. |
Uses : Cabinetmaking, Bending, Turning. |
|
Birch |
![Sample of Birch Wood](../images/birch.gif) |
Other Names : Hard Birch, Betula wood,
American Birch |
Description : Straight-grained wood with fine,
even texture. It has a red-brown heartwood and a
light-yellow sapwood. |
Uses : Furniture, Joinery, Turning, Plywood. |
|
Boxwood |
![Sample of Boxwod](../images/boxwood.gif) |
Other Names : European Boxwood |
Description : Fine, evenly-textured wood.
Dense and heavy and can vary in the straightness of its
grain. Light yellow in color. |
Uses : Carving, Tool handles, Musical
instruments. |
|
Brazilwood |
![Sample of Brazilwood](../images/brazil.gif) |
Other Names : Pernambuco wood, Bahia wood |
Description : Hard and heavy, with straight
grain and fine, even texture. Pale sapwood contrasts
with orange-red to red-brown heartwood. |
Uses : Turning, Violin bows, Gunstocks,
Exterior joinery. |
|
Brazilian Rosewood |
![Sample of Brazilian Rosewood.](../images/brose.gif) |
Other Names : Rio Rosewood, Bahia Rosewood |
Description : Hard and heavy. Medium texture
with straight grain. Highly figured with brown,
violet-brown to black color. |
Uses : Furniture, Joinery, Turning, Knife
handles, Carving. |
|
Bubinga |
![Sample of Bubinga Wood](../images/bubinga.gif) |
Other Names : African rosewood |
Description : Moderately coarse, even textured
wood. Can have straight, interlocked or irregular grain.
Red-brown in color, with purple veins. |
Uses : Furniture, Wooden utensils. |
|
Butternut |
![Sample of Butternut Wood Wood](../images/butter.gif) |
Other Names : White walnut |
Description : Straight-grained,
coarse-textured wood. Medium brown heartwood. |
Uses : Furniture, Carving, Interior joinery. |
|
Black Walnut |
![Sample of Black Walnut Wood](../images/bwalnut.gif) |
Other Names : American walnut |
Description : A strong wood with a rather
coarse texture. Usually straight-grained, but not
always. Color is a rich brown to purple-black. |
Uses : Furniture, Gunstocks, Interior joinery,
Carving, Turning. |
|
Black Cherry |
![Sample of Black Cherry Wood](../images/cherry.gif) |
Other Names : American Cherry |
Description : Hard, straight-grained wood with
fine texture, Heartwood is red-brown to deep red. |
Uses : Furniture, musical instruments, tobacco
pipes. |
|
Chestnut |
![Sample of Chestnut Wood](../images/chestnut.gif) |
Other Names : American chestnut, Wormy
chestnut |
Description : Coarse textured. Similar to oak
in appearance. Most lumber comes from standing dead
trees, hence 'wormy' due to insect attack. |
Uses : Furniture, coffins, stakes |
|
Cocobolo |
![Sample of Cocobolo Wood](../images/cocobolo.gif) |
Other Names : Granadillo |
Description : Hard, heavy wood with irregular
grain and medium texture. Very nice coloring, from
purple to yellow, with black markings turning to deep
orange-red on exposure. |
Uses : Turning, knife handles. |
|
Elm, Dutch & English |
![Sample of Dutch or English Elm Wood](../images/delm.gif) |
Other Names : Red Elm |
Description : Coarse-textured wood, heartwood
is beige-brown in color. |
Uses : Furniture, bending, turning,
boat-building. |
|
European Ash |
![Sample of European Ash Wood](../images/eash.gif) |
Other Names : English Ash, Polish Ash |
Description : Very similar to White Ash. White
to pale brown color. |
Uses : Tool handles, boatbuilding, joinery,
curved furniture, Hurleys. |
|
Ebony |
![Sample of Ebony Wood](../images/ebony.gif) |
Other Names : Tendu |
Description : A hard, dense wood with fine,
even texture and straight, irregular or wavy grain.
Heartwood is dark brown to black. |
Uses : Turning, musical instruments, knife
handles. |
|
European Oak |
![Sample of European Oak Wood](../images/eoak.gif) |
Other Names : English Oak, French Oak |
Description : Coarse, straight-grained wood.
Pale brown in color. |
Uses : Furniture, joinery, external woodwork,
carving, boatbuilding. |
|
European Plane |
![Sample of European Plane Wood](../images/eplane.gif) |
Other Names : English Plane, French Plane |
Description : Straight-grained wood with fine
to medium texture. Light red-brown heartwood. Similar,
but darker than, American Sycamore. |
Uses : Furniture, joinery, turning. |
|
European Sycamore |
![Sample of European Sycamore Wood](../images/esycamor.gif) |
Other Names : Sycamore Plane, Great Maple |
Description : This is really a Maple, not a
Sycamore. Fine, even texture. Straight-grained. White to
yellowish-white in color. |
Uses : Turning, furniture, kitchen utensils. |
|
European Walnut |
![Sample of European Walnut Wood](../images/ewalnut.gif) |
Other Names : English Walnut, French Walnut |
Description : Coarse texture with straight to
wavy grain. Color is gray-brown with darker streaks. |
Uses : Furniture, gunstocks, turning, carving. |
|
Hickory |
![Sample of Hickory Wood](../images/hickory.gif) |
Other Names : Shagbark Hickory |
Description : Coarse-textured wood. Generally
straight grained, but can be irregular or wavy.
Heartwood is red-brown, sapwood is white. |
Uses : Sports equipment, chairs. |
|
Hard Maple |
![Sample of Hard Maple Wood](../images/hmaple.gif) |
Other Names : Rock Maple, Sugar Maple |
Description : Hard, very heavy,
straight-grained wood with fine texture. White sapwood
with light red-brown heartwood. This wood is hard to
work with because of its density. |
Uses : Furniture, turning, butcher's blocks,
flooring. |
|
Indian Rosewood |
![Sample of Indian Rosewood Wood](../images/irose.gif) |
Other Names : Bombay Rosewood |
Description : Heavy, moderately coarse and
uniform texture. Interlocked grain. Golden brown to
purple-brown with streaks of dark purple or black. |
Uses : Furniture, shop fittings, musical
instruments, turning |
|
Jelutong |
![Sample of Jelutong Wood](../images/jelutong.gif) |
Other Names : Jelutong Bukit |
Description : A soft, fine, even-textured wood
with straight grain. Creamy pale brown in color. |
Uses : Pattern-making, carving, drawing
boards. |
|
Kingwood |
![Sample of Kingwood Wood](../images/kingwood.gif) |
Other Names : Voilet wood |
Description : Fine, even textured wood.
Heartwood is a striped figure of violet-brown, black and
golden yellow. |
Uses : Inlays, marquetry. |
|
Lime |
![Sample of Lime Wood](../images/lime.gif) |
Other Names : Linden |
Description : A soft, straight-grained wood
with fine uniform texture. Color is white to pale
yellow. Very easy to carve with. |
Uses : Carving, hat blocks, broom handles. |
|
Mahogany |
![Sample of Mahogany Wood](../images/mahogany.gif) |
Other Names : None |
Description : A medium-textured wood with
straight and even, or interlocked grain. Heartwood is
red-brown to deep red. |
Uses : Boat planking, carving, furniture,
pianos. |
|
Purpleheart |
![Sample of Purpleheart Wood](../images/purpleh.gif) |
Other Names : Amaranth |
Description : Uniform, fine to medium texture.
Usually straight-grained. Purple color, darkening to a
rich brown due to oxidation. |
Uses : Construction work, boatbuilding,
turning, furniture. |
|
Red Alder |
![Sample of Red Alder Wood](../images/ralder.gif) |
Other Names : Western Alder |
Description : Pale yellow to red-brown color.
Soft, fairly straight-grained, even-texture. |
Uses : Carving, turning, furniture. |
|
Red Oak |
![Sample of Red Oak Wood](../images/roak.gif) |
Other Names : American Red Oak |
Description : Straight-grained, with coarse
texture. Pink-red in color. |
Uses : Furniture, interior joinery, flooring. |
|
Soft Maple |
![Sample of Soft Maple Wood](../images/smaple.gif) |
Other Names : Red Maple, Silver Maple |
Description : Straight-grained fine-textured
wood. Not as strong as Hard Maple. Light creamy-brown in
color. |
Uses : Furniture, interior joinery, turning,
plywood, flooring. |
|
Sycamore |
![Sample of Sycamore Wood](../images/sycamore.gif) |
Other Names : American Plane, Buttonwood |
Description : Fine, even texture, usually with
straight grain. Pale brown in color. Not to be confused
with European Sycamore. |
Uses : Furniture, butcher's blocks, joinery. |
|
Teak |
![Sample of Teak Wood](../images/teak.gif) |
Other Names : Kyun Sagwan, Teku |
Description : Coarse, uneven texture with oily
feel to it. Straight or wavy grain, depending on the
origin. |
Uses : Interior and exterior joinery,
boatbuilding, garden furniture, turning. |
|
Tulipwood |
![Sample of Tulipwood](../images/tulip.gif) |
Other Names : Pinkwood |
Description : Dense, hard wood with fine to
medium texture. Usually has irregular grain. Pink-yellow
color with pink to violet-red stripes. |
Uses : Turning, kitchen utensils, inlay |
|
White Ash |
![Sample of White Ash Wood](../images/wash.gif) |
Other Names : Canadian Ash, American White Ash |
Description : Below average number of knots,
heavy wood. Coarse, straight-grained wood with almost
white sapwood. Heartwood is pale-brown, similar to
European Ash. High bending strength. |
Uses : Tool handles, boatbuilding, joinery,
curved furniture. |
|
White Elm |
![Sample of White Elm Wood](../images/welm.gif) |
Other Names : Water Elm, Swamp Elm, Soft Elm |
Description : A coarse-textured, strong,
medium-density wood. Usually straight-grained but can be
interlocked. Heartwood is pale red-brown. Has good
bending qualities. |
Uses : Boat-building, furniture. |
|
White Oak |
![Sample of White Oak Wood](../images/woak.gif) |
Other Names : American White Oak |
Description : Straight-grained with
medium-coarse texture. Similar to European oak in
appearance, but more variable in color. |
Uses : Construction, flooring, plywood,
interior joinery. |
|
Yellow Poplar |
![Sample of Yellow Poplar Wood](../images/ypoplar.gif) |
Other Names : Whitewood, Tulip Poplar |
Description : A fairly soft and lightweight
wood, with straight grain and fine texture. Pale
olive-green to brown heartwood, but with colored
streaks. |
Uses : Joinery, furniture, carving, light
construction. |
|
Douglas Fir |
![Sample of Douglas Fir Wood](../images/dfir.gif) |
Other Names : British Columbian pine |
Description : : A straight-grained, red-brown
wood with pronounced grain. |
Uses : Construction, plywood |
|
European Redwood |
![Sample of European Redwood](../images/eredwood.gif) |
Other Names : Scots Pine |
Description : A light-colored wood with
yellow-brown to red-brown heartwood and white-yellow
sapwood. |
Uses : Furniture, joinery, construction. |
|
Larch |
![Sample of Larch Wood](../images/larch.gif) |
Other Names : Tamarack |
Description : A straight-grained wood of even
texture. Pale to rich-red heartwood with light colored
sapwood. |
Uses : Joinery, construction, boat planking. |
|
Pine |
![Sample of Pine Wood](../images/pine.gif) |
Other Names : Parana pine, hoop pine,
ponderosa pine, sugar pine, western white pine, white
pine |
Description : There are too many strains of
pine to document here and you are unlikely to get much
of a choice at a local lumber yard. Basically, pine is a
soft, pale yellow to reddish brown color, usually with a
straight grain and medium texture. |
Uses : Doors, furniture, turning. |
|
Western Red Cedar |
![Sample of Western Red Cedar Wood](../images/rcedar.gif) |
Other Names : British Columbian red cedar |
Description : Fairly soft, aromatic wood.
Red-brown in color, fading to silver-gray after long
exposure to weathering. |
Uses : Shingles, decking, exterior siding. |
|
Silver Fir |
![Sample of Silver Fir Wood](../images/sfir.gif) |
Other Names : Whitewood, white fir |
Description : A pale cream, almost colorless
wood with fine texture and straight-grain. |
Uses : Joinery, construction, boxes, plywood |
|
Yellow Cedar |
![Sample of Yellow Cedar Wood](../images/ycedar.gif) |
Other Names : None |
Description : A pale-yellow, even-textured
wood with fine, straight grain. It is relatively light,
and stiff. |
Uses : Furniture, joinery, boatbuilding |
|
Yew |
![Sample of Yew Wood](../images/yew.gif) |
Other Names : European yew |
Description : Strong and hard. It has an
orange-red heartwood and light-colored sapwood. |
Uses : Furniture, turning, joinery. |
|
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