Ash Wood
COLOUR/APPEARANCE : The Ash Wood is a light brown colour, though darker shades can also be seen, which is sometimes sold as Olive Ash. Sapwood can be very wide, and tends to be beige or light brown; not always clearly or sharply demarcated from heartwood.
GRAIN/TEXTURE : Ash wood has a medium to coarse texture similar to oak. The grain is almost always straight and regular, though sometimes moderately curly or figured boards can be found.
WORKABILITY : Produces good results with hand or machine tools. Responds well to steam bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well.
ODOR : Ash Wood Can have a distinct, moderately unpleasant smell when being worked.
SUSTAINABILITY : This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
COMMON ASH WOOD USES : Flooring, millwork, boxes/crates, baseball bats, and other turned objects such as tool handles.
Beech Wood
Colour | Appearance : Beech wood is typically a pale cream colour, sometimes with a pink or brown hue. Veneer tends to be slightly dark coloured, as slicing the veneer usually requires the wood to be prepared with steam, which gives the wood a more golden tone. Flat sawn surfaces tend to be very plain, while quarter sawn surfaces exhibit a silvery fleck pattern.
Grain | Texture : Grain is straight, with a fine to medium uniform texture.
Workability : Overall good workability; it machines well, and glues, finishes, and turns well. Beech also responds superbly to steam-bending. It does, however, have a large amount of movement in service, so movement and wood stability must be taken into account.
Odor : No characteristic odor.
Sustainability : This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Common Uses: Lumber, veneer, flooring, boatbuilding, furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments (piano pin blocks), plywood, and turned objects.
Common Uses : Used to make flooring, furniture, veneer plywood, and railroad ties. It is especially favored as fuel wood because of its high density and good burning qualities. Coal tar made from beech wood is used to protect wood from rotting.
Hard Mapple Wood
COLOUR/APPEARANCE : Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of hard maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood. Sapwood colour ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream colour, sometimes with reddish or golden hue. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown.
GRAIN/TEXTURE : Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Has a fine, even texture.
ROT RESISTANCE : Rated as non-durable to perishable, and susceptible to insect attack.
WORKABILITY : Fairly easy to work with both hand and machine tools. Hard maple has a tendency to burn when being machined with high-speed cutters such as in a router. Turns, glues, and finishes well, though blotches can occur when staining, and a pre-conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be necessary to get an even colour.
ODOR : No characteristic odor.
SUSTAINABILITY : This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
COMMON USES : Flooring (basketball, squash, badminton courts and dance-floors to bowling alleys. Veneer, musical instruments, cutting boards, butcher blocks, workbenches, baseball bats, and other turned objects and specialty wood item
Walnut Wood
COLOUR/APPEARANCE : Heartwood is a golden yellow to reddish brown, sometimes with darker streaks and veins. Colour tends to darken upon exposure and with age. Sapwood is a medium yellow to light gray, and is generally narrow
GRAIN/TEXTURE : Grain is usually slightly interlocked, but is sometimes straight. Medium, uniform texture, with a high level of natural luster.
ROT RESISTANCE : Decay resistant & is rated as moderately durable, with the heartwood being resistant to powder post beetles, but susceptible to termites
WORKABILITY : Generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though care must be taken to avoid tear out when surfacing interlocked grain. Turns, glues, and finishes well.
ODOR : Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.
SUSTAINABILITY : This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices, but is on the IUCN Red List.
COMMON USES : Veneer, plywood, flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and turned objects.
White Oak Wood
COLOUR/APPEARANCE : Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Nearly white to light brown sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood. Conversely, Red Oak tends to be slightly redder, but is by no means a reliable method of determining the type of oak.
GRAIN/TEXTURE : Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture.
ROT RESISTANCE : Rated as very durable; frequently used in boatbuilding
WORKABILITY : Produces good results with hand and machine tools. Has moderately high shrinkage values, resulting in mediocre dimensional stability, especially in flatsawn boards. Glues, stains, and finishes well.
ODOR : Has a tell-tale smell that is common to most oaks. Most find it appealing.
SUSTAINABILITY : This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species.
COMMON USES : Cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring, boatbuilding, barrels, and veneer.