Know Your Wood: Yellow Birch

Yellow Birch

Yellow Birch , presented by The Wood Explorer.

Trade Name: Yellow birch, birch. (The majority of hardwood marketed as “birch” in the United States is the species defined herein.)

Genus : Betula alleghaniensis


Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1260

A Yellow birch in action, sharing the smooth bark with its ornamental paper birch cousin found commonly in landscape applications.

Description: Heartwood is very pale, with close to white sapwood. Figuring is common, at least from the commercially available birch that has been available to me. The grain is straight, and the pores are tight. A very hardy tree.

Location: Eastern North America. The range of the Yellow birch is roughly the same as many of the other great North American hardwoods. Ranges from Ontario and Nova Scotia to the north, and reaches to the highest elevations of the Appalachians in northern Georgia to the south.

Yeah, I built that thing. A dozen years ago. I'm no happier with its appearance than you, but it is birch. In my defense, this project was heavily subsidized by Natural Light.

Common Aliases: American birch, Betula wood, Birch. Other variations of the Genus Betula marketable as birch include: Alaska Paper Birch, Alder-leaf birch, Downy birch, Gray birch, Paper birch, River birch, Silver birch, Sweet birch, Masur birch.

Performance: Very easy to work and highly versatile. Don’t use it outside, please. You’ll be disappointed with that stunt. Yellow birch saws easily, sands and accepts finishes quite well. Birch will burn, and the burn will show if using less-than-sharp cutting heads. A great performance species for the relatively low cost. Paints well too, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Common Uses: Furnishings, veneers, plywood, doors, utility grade furnishings, millworks, dowel pins, cabinetmaking, flooring, fuelwood, toothpicks, pianos, crates.

From: The Wood Database:

Common Name(s): Yellow Birch
Scientific Name: Betula alleghaniensis
Distribution: Northeastern North America
Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 46 lbs/ft3 (740 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .55
Hardness: 1,260 lbf (5,610 N)
Rupture Strength: 16,600 lbf/in2 (114,480 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 2,010,000 lbf/in2 (13,860 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,170 lbf/in2 (56.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 7.3%, Tangential: 9.5%, Volumetric: 16.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.3

Know Your Wood: White Ash

White Ash

He may have won the Gold Glove in left field last year, but as is so often the case, the voters were winking at Mr. Gordon's work with that stick of Ash as much as the leather.

Trade Name: White Ash.

Genus: Fraxinus americana

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1320

Description: Light brown with highly pronounced cathedral grain pattern. Similar to the oaks at first appearance, but ash is a denser and more stable species. The White ash is coarse, like oak, and the grain is usually straight and regular. Not for exterior use.

Both water and insect can kick some serious Ash. Interior use only, please.

Location: Typically, Eastern North America. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Minnesota across the north, south to northern Florida and west to eastern Texas. Found all over the great North American temperate forests.

Common Aliases: American ash, Ash, Biltmore white ash. The term “ash” may also refer to several other specialized species of the Genus Fraxinus, namely: Black ash, Blue ash, European ash, Green ash, Oregon ash, Pumpkin ash, and olive ash. Olive ash may also refer, confusingly, to darker varieties of White ash similar in appearance to the Olive.

Performance: Relatively easy to work, given its strength properties. White Ash is a flexible wood that finishes quite well naturally, and can be stained. Saws well, glues easily, sands fairly easily. A very solid all-around performer.

I never would have guessed such a thing, but it certainly appears one can craft a lobster trap from Ash...

Common Uses: Baseball bats, crates, pallets, millwork, tool handles, other turnings, furnishings, flooring, hockey sticks, audio equipment, and other projects requiring a strong, sharp looking American hardwood.

From: The Wood Database:

Common Name(s): White Ash, American White Ash
Scientific Name: Fraxinus americana
Distribution: Eastern North America
Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-5 ft (.6-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 44 lbs/ft3 (710 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .55
Hardness: 1,320 lbf (5,870 N)
Rupture Strength: 15,000 lbf/in2 (103,450 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,740,000 lbf/in2 (12,000 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,410 lbf/in2 (51.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.9%, Tangential: 7.8%, Volumetric: 13.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.6

Know your wood: Red Alder

Red Alder

A fellow by the name of Larry Workman took this picture. His other fascinating works of the northeast can be found here.



Common trade names: Red alder

Genus: Alnus rubra

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 590

Description: Red Alder is tan to brown in color, complemented by reddish hues. Red alder tends to continue to darken over time. Looks quite a bit like birch, and there’s a reason: They are both trees of the family Betulaceae. Red alder has tight pores and a generally straight and even grain stock.

Allergic to Red alder? I'd move away from Oregon, if I were you.

Location: Coastal western North America, namely: Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California.

The range of Red alder in British Columbia, courtesy of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resources Operations located therein.

Common Aliases: Alder, Oregon alder, Pacific alder, Western alder

Performance: Red alder is susceptible to moisture penetration, specifically through the endgrains. For this reason, I recommend Red alder only for indoor use. In proper applications, Alder is a good, sustainable performance wood for cabinetry and woodworking. It is a little softer than some of the other American hardwoods, and for this reason is a good wood to work in some specialty interior applications.

Red alder is easily worked by machine or hand, and glues and finishes well. Red alder is also a fine turning stock.

Common Uses: Interior furnishings, fine woodworks, turnings, carvings, cabinetry, audio equipment, and any number of applications for a very easily worked (and among the softest) of the hardwoods.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Red Alder, Western Red Alder
Scientific Name: Alnus rubra
Distribution: Coastal western North America
Tree Size: 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 30 lbs/ft3 (475 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .37
Hardness: 590 lbf (2,620 N)
Rupture Strength: 9,800 lbf/in2 (67,590 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,380,000 lbf/in2 (9,520 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 5,820 lbf/in2 (40.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.4%, Tangential: 7.3%, Volumetric: 12.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.7

Know Your Wood: Utile

Know your wood: Utile

The picture at left shows just a swatch of straight-grained Utile, or Sipo lumber, via The Wood Database.

Common trade names: Utile, Sipo, Sipo Mahogany,

Genus: Entandrophragma utile

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1260

Description: Similar in look and performance to mahogany, (and even trade named a mahogany—this is not a mahogany, but is a more than adequate substitute.) Sipo is colored reddish brown typically, and is commercially available worldwide. Many of the other names of this species are listed below, but Utile and Sipo are the ones predominantly used in the trade. Sipo’s grain ranges from straight to interlocking, depending upon the cut and growth of the tree. Sipo is commercially harvested and is not currently monitored as a vulnerable species.

Location: West Central and Central Africa, namely: Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zaire.

Common Aliases: Sapele mahogany, Timbi, Mufumbi mahogany, Libuyu, Feather sapele, Efuchyewee, Budongo heavy mahogany, Akuk, Assi, Abebay

Performance: Utile is quite similar in performance to genuine mahogany, and it is a very close and acceptable substitute. It’s a durable, dense, and hard wood, and it has a high resistance to insect and detrimental effects of moisture. Sipo is a very high quality and relatively easy to work wood, given its overall performance and quality. Gluing might present some issues, and the wood can char if sharp tools are not maintained.

All you government haters out there feel free to stay away from the USDA link here, despite its taxpayer-funded value.

Common Uses: Cabinetry, decks, docks, shipbuilding, crates, interior furnishings, audio equipment, outdoor furniture, veneers, ground contact, paneling, turnings, and virtually any other project in need of a versatile and high-performing all-purpose lumber.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Utile, Sipo, Sipo Mahogany
Scientific Name: Entandrophragma utile
Distribution: West and Central Africa
Tree Size: 150-200 ft (45-60 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .52
Hardness: 1,260 lbf (5,610 N)
Rupture Strength: 14,350 lbf/in2 (98,970 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,585,000 lbf/in2 (10,930 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,330 lbf/in2 (57.4 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.6%, Tangential: 6.4%, Volumetric: 11.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Know Your Wood: Poplar

Poplar

The picture at left shows just some of the wide ranges of color found in Poplar lumber, via The Wood Explorer database.


Common trade names: Poplar, Yellow poplar.

Genus: Liriodendron tulipifera

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 540

Description: Poplar is a deciduous with lumber that is pale, with grey and green coloring streaked in. It’s very soft for a so-called hardwood, and its grain is generally straight and consistent, with a medium texture. Pores are sealed, making this a great selection for paint, and to a degree, stain. Personal preferences here, I suppose, but the greys and greens have always made me lean toward using Poplar as a paint-grade performance species only. But it will certainly take stain.

Location: Eastern United States. Range in picture of Liriodendron tulipifera via Wikipedia via USGS.

Common Aliases: Yellow poplar, American tulipwood, Blue poplar, Canadian whitewood, Saddletree, Tulip poplar, Virginian poplar, White poplar, Yellow-wood.

Performance: Poplar is very easy to work, and it takes paint exceptionally well. It also stains nicely, if that’s the look you’re going for. For whatever reason, I have memories of Poplar being much more widely available in local marketplaces better than a decade ago. Everytime I worked the wood, I was highly satisfied, because it was a piece of cake. The wood held together nicely, and I was able to crank out volume in a big hurry with this species. If I were to use paint grade trim anywhere in my place, it would be out of poplar. If I can get it in Ottawa or Pomona.

Common Uses: Millwork, paint-grade trim, stain-grade trim, shelving, cabinetry, just about anything for interior use that is to be painted, I would highly recommend poplar. I could name thousands of common uses for this species. A great wood, in my opinion, and very underrated.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Poplar, Tulip Poplar, Yellow Poplar
Scientific Name: Liriodendron tulipifera
Distribution: Eastern United States
Tree Size: 130-160 ft (40-50 m) tall, 6-8 ft (1.8-2.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 32 lbs/ft3 (515 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .40
Hardness: 540 lbf (2,400 N)
Rupture Strength: 10,100 lbf/in2 (69,660 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,580,000 lbf/in2 (10,900 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 5,540 lbf/in2 (38.2 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.6%, Tangential: 8.2%, Volumetric: 12.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Know Your Wood: Red Maple

Red Maple

A highly figured and deeply dimensioned burl. Soft maples aren’t what I would call “soft.” The name is simply an identification of a somewhat different acer, image via The Wood Explorer.

Common trade names: Red Maple, Soft maple, Carolina red maple, Scarlet maple, Swamp maple, Water maple, White maple.

Genus: Acer rubrum

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 950

Description: Red maple is one of the many acers referred to as soft maples. Like the Hard maples, the sapwood is preferred stock from these species. Color is typically pale with very light browns, with a heartwood a dark scarlet brown. Grain can be quite irregular and interesting among the soft maples.

Location: A deep forest wood. More a southern species in North America, though the northern bound on a reference shows the eastern end of Newfoundland as a locale. This amazes me, as the species’ range approaches the Everglades in Florida. Found everywhere but very deep swamp across the southern United States into east Texas and Ozark River lower basin in Missouri. Curiously, this wood is also found in pockets of northern! Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin. This must be a deep forest species, because it is barely found in Iowa, northeast Missouri, Kansas, and northern Illinois. Grows around most of Lake Superior and across the forestlands of southern Ontario and Quebec.

Common Aliases: Soft maple, (A great link descriptive of with reference to various species located here.) Carolina red maple, Drummond red maple, Scarlet maple, Swamp maple, Water maple, White maple.

Performance: Can decay. Interior use only! Many better woods are available for outdoor applications, and Red maple is otherwise a rather pleasant experience to work. As with the hard maple, Red maple can burn with high speed cutters that are just a little dull. Relatively affordable, except with figured pieces and such as seen in the photo at the head.

UNC may have lost the game to Duke tonight, but their Herbarium might be winning the Botanical war.

Common Uses: Crates, boxes, casks, fine furnishing, small specialty objects, turnings, plywood, hatracks, cabinetry, paneling, veneers.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Red Maple
Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Distribution: Eastern North America
Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 38lbs/ft3 (610 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .49
Hardness: 950 lbf (4,230 N)
Rupture Strength: 13,400 lbf/in2 (92,410 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,640,000 lbf/in2 (11,310 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 6,540 lbf/in2 (45.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.0%, Tangential: 8.2%, Volumetric: 12.6%, T/R Ratio: 2.1

Know Your Wood: Hard Maple

Hard Maple

Birds-eye maple, one of the several varieties of hard maple featured in The Wood Explorer.

Common trade names: Hard Maple. Other varieties marketed as hard maple include Sugar maple and Black maple, but are slightly different species. The specifications listed here apply to the Acer saccharum, but the species above yield similar, but certainly not identical results.

Genus: Acer saccharum

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1450

Description: Hard maple, as noted above, may be marketed under this name with a wide variety of species in the Acer genus. The Acer saccharum is a large North American deciduous whose sapwood is preferred to the heartwood. This is relatively unique among hardwoods. This prized sapwood is quite pale, and almost white when sanded. Hard maple has very small pores that require no filler.

Arguably the best reason for fall to arrive, maple foliage covers nearly the entire spectrum.

Location: Southeast Canada and northeastern United States, bounded roughly by the Mississippi River on the West and Ohio River basin on the south. (Acer saccharum is also found all throughout Missouri and eastern Kansas) One would be somewhat less likely to run into this species south of Washington D.C. It’s much more suited to seasonal change than some of the other great American hardwoods.

Common Aliases: Bird’s eye maple, black maple, Canadian maple, Curly maple, Fiddleback maple, Rock maple, Sugar maple, White maple.

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is relatively easy to work with hand and machine tools, given its density. This wood will burn if tools are not adequately sharpened, and the wood will blacken. Try again with sharper tools! That being said, Hard maple turns and finishes nicely. Some would recommend the preconditioning products prior to staining Hard Maple. Best to set aside a sample, and test some things out a little bit so that an accurate assessment can be made regarding your particular stand of maple. If using the sapwood, remember that insects will be an issue. Hard Maple is best suited to interior applications.

In biblical times (1974), Earl Anthony made as much money off maple as nearly everyone in the lumber business.

Common Uses: Bowling pins, bowling alley lanes, fine furnishings, flooring, millwork, moldings, musical instruments, audio equipment, turnings, veneers, tool handles, chairs, and many other uses requiring a strong and versatile wood.


From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Hard Maple, Sugar Maple, Rock Maple
Scientific Name: Acer saccharum
Distribution: Northeastern United States
Tree Size: 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 44 lbs/ft3 (705 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .56
Hardness: 1,450 lbf (6,450 N)
Rupture Strength: 15,800 lbf/in2 (108,970 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,830,000 lbf/in2 (12,620 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,830 lbf/in2 (54.0 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.8%, Tangential: 9.9%, Volumetric: 14.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.1

Know Your Wood: Red Oak

Red Oak

Be sure to ask me sometime about my comfortable loveseat. It's a two millennium project.

Trade Name: Red Oak

Genus: Quercus rubra

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1290

Description: The northern red oak can reach as much as 140’ in height with a better than three foot trunk diameter. Generally fast growing, and long lasting, sometimes living over 300 years. The wood is a pale red-brown, with sapwood coloration somewhat darker.

Location: Typically, northeastern United States and southeast Canada. Ranges from Nova Scotia to Georgia, along the Great Lakes region ranging through the Mississippi Valley, the lower Missouri Valley, and throughout the Ozarks. Farmed anywhere people want it, in climactic conditions consistent with the area noted above.

Common Aliases: Northern red oak, American red oak, Gray oak, Black Oak

No, that's not a photoshop trick. Separate piece. I'll spare everyone the agony of looking at the sofa, even closer to completion.

Performance: I’ve heard if you blow smoke through one end of a flat-sawn board, it will exit the other end. I’ve seen something similar happen when burning scrap of the stuff, so I’ll regard that as likely true. In any event, for this reason (moisture absorbing up the end grains), do not use red oak outside. You’ll eventually be disappointed. For interior applications, it is a fantastic, strong, and highly durable wood seen somewhere in most American homes. It will splinter if tools are not kept sharp. Affordable and versatile, Red Oak is an American woodworking favorite. It is by far the most widely available marketable hardwood in the United States. Many of these widely available products are closely related to the species reviewed here, and the specifications for other closely related products are widely available.

The likelihood I'll be sanding this red oak floor in four weeks is almost exactly identical to the likelihood my brother's offer on this house is accepted by the bank.

Common Uses: Indoor furnishings, cabinetry, tables, chairs, craftsman designs, flooring, moldings, millwork, veneer, and a variety of other uses.



From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Red Oak
Scientific Name: Quercus rubra
Distribution: Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada
Tree Size: 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 3-6 ft (1-2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 45 lbs/ft3 (725 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .56
Hardness: 1,290 lbf (5,700 N)
Rupture Strength: 14,300 lbf/in2 (98,600 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,820,000 lbf/in2 (12,500 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 6,760 lbf/in2 (46.6 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.0%, Tangential: 8.6%, Volumetric: 13.7%, T/R Ratio: 2.2

Know Your Wood: White Oak

White Oak

An example of the medullary rays of a quartersawn piece of White Oak, presented by The Wood Explorer.

Trade Name: White Oak.

Genus: Quercus alba

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1360

Description: Light to medium brown, sometimes sprinkled with pinkish hues. Red Oak is usually a darker red, but color is no way to differentiate the species. The primary difference is on the cellular level. White Oak is a superior exterior performer than Red Oak due to the tyloses providing a closed cellular structure, making it more rot- and water-resistant. White Oak was the preferred species for many of Gustav Stickley’s Arts and Crafts designs at the turn of the previous century.

Location: Typically, Eastern United States.

Common Aliases: Cucharillo, Encino, Mamecillo, Roble, Roble Colorado, Stave oak

Performance: White Oak is solid, durable, relatively easy to work, well pored, and coarsely grained. White Oak finishes very well. It is affordable, abundant, and can offer a wide array of appearances, depending on what the designer has in mind, and depending on the particular cut of the lumber. Insects such as ambrosia and Butrespid beetles will get right after this species, sadly.

General Washington would have been proud of Connecticut's efforts once his views of the Monarchy had galvanized. Check your state quarter sometime!

Common Uses: Staves, barrel making, boat building, outdoor furnishings, cabinetry, tables, chairs, craftsman designs, flooring, moldings, millwork, veneer, and a variety of other uses.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): White Oak
Scientific Name: Quercus alba
Distribution: Eastern United States
Tree Size: 65-85 ft (20-25 m) tall, 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 50 lbs/ft3 (805 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .60
Hardness: 1,360 lbf (6,000 N)
Rupture Strength: 15,200 lbf/in2 (104,800 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,780,000 lbf/in2 (12,300 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,440 lbf/in2 (51.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.6%, Tangential: 10.5%, Volumetric: 16.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.9

Know Your Wood: Black Walnut

Black Walnut

The heartwood and sapwood found in Black Walnut is unambiguous. Broadbent Canadian Furniture produced this distinctive work.

Common trade names: Black Walnut, Walnut, Eastern Black Walnut

Genus: Juglans nigra

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1010

Description: Walnut ranges from a pale brown to deep sienna hues. The sapwood is quite pale, and nearly white. A very distinctive and easily identifiable wood. Medium texture and pores, usually straight grained, and has some of the wildest burl figures among all species of wood. Considered by many the standard of all the American hardwoods.

Location: Eastern North America from Southern Ontario through South Dakota across the northern bound, south through Eastern Texas on the western range of distribution, and covering northern Florida on the southern range. This large deciduous thrives mostly in riparian zones of the United States and Canada, but has been farmed in Europe since 1629. Domestically, over 60% of the US wild harvest is sawn annually in Missouri. Those Ozarks are good for something besides Yakov Smirnov!

Common Aliases: American black walnut, American walnut, Eastern walnut, gun wood, nogal, Nuez meca.

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is very easy to work with hand and machine tools. The American woodworker familiar only with domestics would consider this stock to be quite hard, and it is indeed hard enough for most every application. Black Walnut, though relatively expensive for a domestic, is still prized by craftsmen for the distinct coloring and figure of the species. Walnut is very resistant to rot and weathering decay, although insects occasionally like the taste of it.

Love ‘em, hate ‘em, or leave ‘em, Aggie claims to know something about putting down roots. I guess. I didn’t read the article to determine how to dig the thing up and start over.

Common Uses: Fine furnishings, cabinetry, millwork, tables, chairs, veneers, handles, paneling, plywood, scientific and musical instruments, sculpture, toys, turnings, gun stock, audio cabinets, coffins, fuelwood.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Black Walnut
Scientific Name: Juglans nigra
Distribution: Eastern United States
Tree Size: 120 ft (37 m) tall, 3 ft (1 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .51
Hardness: 1,010 lbf (4,490 N)
Rupture Strength: 14,600 lbf/in2 (100,700 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,680,000 lbf/in2 (11,590 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,580 lbf/in2 (52.3 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.5%, Tangential: 7.8%, Volumetric: 12.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Know Your Wood: Black Cherry

Black Cherry

Augustine delivers a valuable lesson, perhaps more in myth than reality.

Common trade names: Black Cherry, Cherry, North American Cherry, Appalachian Cherry

Genus: Prunus serotina

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 950

Description: Cherry is a very popular American hardwood, and one of my personal favorites. It sands to a very pale pink-brown hue, and finishes with a deeper blood-red and can darken more with the passage of time. Cherry is finely textured with typically tight grain patterns. Wood is generally very easy to work. Where there are irregularities in the grain pattern, as with many other woods, the specimen becomes relatively more difficult to work. Never in my life have I had issues with Cherry that merited any complaint.

Location: Eastern North America from Nova Scotia through Minnesota across the northern bound, south through Eastern Texas on the western range of distribution. It is also found in pockets throughout the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Central America.

Common Aliases: American black cherry, cabinet cherry, Capollin, Capulin cherry, Chisos wild cherry, choke cherry, Detze, Mountain black cherry, Rum cherry, wild black cherry, wild cherry, Xeugua

A nice picture featuring the figure of Black Cherry, from The Wood Explorer.

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is very easy to work with hand and machine tools. Cherry has a reputation of being one of the best woods widely available at affordable pricing. I’ve personally always seen great results from Black Cherry. Sands, and finishes quite well. I don’t know why anyone would ever want to stain Cherry, but this is one of the very few areas of difficulty the woodworker will experience with this species, as the stain can distribute unevenly due to pore tightness of the species. Weathers very well. Cherry has well above average resistance to insects. It’s cheap, it’s abundant, and it looks great. Black Cherry has occasional chatoyancy of surface, and is a truly remarkable wood in several facets of service.

Cherry blossoms are typically associated with trees of the genus Prunus, and in particular, Prunus serrulata. The trees seen in this shot of the tidal basin are descendant of a goodwill gift from Tokyo to the City of Washington in 1912. It is unclear if the Japanese government was unhappy with the presentation of these trees, or if a combination of various other circumstances led to an unfortunate series of events initiated in 1941 by Japan.

Common Uses: Fine furnishings, cabinetry, millwork, tables, chairs, veneers, handles, paneling, plywood, scientific and musical instruments, sculpture, toys, turnings, and many others requiring a beautiful solid domestic.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Black Cherry, Cherry, American Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus serotina
Distribution: Eastern North America
Tree Size: 50-100 ft (15-30 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 37 lbs/ft3 (595 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .47
Hardness: 950 lbf (4,230 N)
Rupture Strength: 12,300 lbf/in2 (84,800 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,490,000 lbf/in2 (10,300 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,110 lbf/in2 (49.0 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 3.7%, Tangential: 7.1%, Volumetric: 11.5%, T/R Ratio: 1.9

Know Your Wood: Spanish Cedar

Spanish Cedar

Luthier Peter Tsiorba is all about classical and Flamenco guitars, like this sharp item.

Common trade names: Spanish Cedar, Cedro, Central American cedar

Genus: Cedrela odorata

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 600

Description: Spanish Cedar grows quite slowly. This fact, combined with relatively high worldwide demand, makes this species on the verge of being threatened. It is currently being managed and farmed by the world timber industries, but this will take some time. Mature and unfarmed trees tend to have better working qualities than plantation-grown counterparts, but this is currently under widespread study. Spanish Cedar features a warm and rich red-bronze glow when finished, and the grain is generally straight, though may have some interlocking natures. Cedro has medium texture and poring. This wood stinks unlike another. Once you’ve worked it, you’ll know when you’re around it again. Technically, it's closer to a mahogany than to a cedar. But we'll call it a cedar by convention.

Location: Central and South America, the Caribbean. Plantationed quite slowly in parts such as: Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Hispaniola, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, South Africa, Tanzania, Venezuela

Common Aliases: Akuyari, Atoreb, British Honduras cedar, cedro, cedro chino, Cedro macho, Cedro olorose, Cedro rojo, Central American Cedar, Guyana cedar, Mexican Cedar, West Indian cedar, Tabasco cedar, Tiocuahuitl.

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is very easy to work with hand and machine tools. The grain can tear easily once blades are slightly compromised, leaving a clouded surface. Sands, stains, and finishes quite well. Natural resins found in Spanish cedar make finishing the wood somewhat more challenging than many. Weathers well. Above average resistance to insects, specifically termites.

The author apologizes for the quality of this picture. Ten years ago, I worked a project building several arched doorways and doors for a man-made grotto retreat. The arches were laminated and pressed, and the doors (poorly seen here, I know.) are glued solid Spanish Cedar. I recall using a marine glue for the project, but it turned out a whole lot better than this awful picture might indicate.

Common Uses: Arched door construction, casings, veneers, plywoods, humidors, musical instruments, furnishings, turnings, cigar boxes, decking, boat building, cabinetry, millworks, coffins, chairs, windows, sills.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Spanish Cedar, Cedro
Scientific Name: Cedrela odorata
Distribution: Native to Central and South America and the Caribbean; also grown on plantations
Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 30 lbs/ft3 (475 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .38
Hardness: 600 lbf (2,670 N)
Rupture Strength: 11,640 lbf/in2 (80,280 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,338,000 lbf/in2 (9,230 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 6,210 lbf/in2 (42.8 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.2%, Tangential: 6.3%, Volumetric: 10.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.5

Know Your Wood: African Mahogany

African Mahogany

African "mahogany" became the world's top selling mahogany product in the past century, though the true mahoganies are native to the Americas.

Common trade names: African Mahogany.

Genus: Khaya ivorensis, Khaya spp.

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 910

Description: Medium to coarse texture with open pores. The grain can be all over the place. Straight, interlocked, wavy, depending on the cut of the lumber and the quality of the plant. African mahogany’s heartwood is light brown to deep reddish-brown. African mahogany, like Honduras mahogany, features chatoyancy of the wood surfaces.

Location: Africa, namely: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Senegambia, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, among others.

Common Aliases: Acajou bassam, Acajou d’Afrique, Akuk, Benin mahogany, Biribi, Bitehi, Dubini, Dukuma fufu, Dupuin, Eri Kiree, Humpe, Khaya, Khaya mahogany, Lokobua, Munyama, Ngollo, Oduben, Ogurano, Orkogho, Red mahogany, Senegal mahogany, Tiamatiama

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is very easy to work, although the grain can tear easily once blades are slightly compromised. Sands, stains, and finishes quite well.

A wood so fine, Billy Dee Williams, Barry Gordy, and sweet Diana went and made a movie.

Common Uses: Window construction, boat building, decking, planking, ships, furniture, exterior construction, turnings, flooring, light construction, millwork, musical instruments, cabinetmaking, moldings, paneling, vehicle parts, veneers, and countless other uses.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): African Mahogany
Scientific Name: Khaya spp. (Khaya anthotheca, K. grandifoliola, K. ivorensis, K. senegalensis)
Distribution: West tropical Africa
Tree Size: 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 43 lbs/ft3 (685 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .55
Hardness: 910 lbf (4,040 N)
Rupture Strength: 12,240 lbf/in2 (84,410 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,383,000 lbf/in2 (9,540 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 8,100 lbf/in2 (55.9 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 3.7%, Tangential: 6.6%, Volumetric: 10.3%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Know Your Wood: Honduran Mahogany

Honduran Mahogany

Honduran, or "Genuine" mahogany, features chatoyancy, the optical change in luster partially seen here.

Common trade names: Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Honduran Mahogany, Brazilian Mahogany

Genus: Swietenia macrophylla

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 900

Description: Medium texture and pores, generally speaking. Heartwood of Honduran Mahogany can vary quite a little bit from pale pinks to deep red browns. The color will deepen in time, usually. Honduran Mahogany is marketed by many as “Genuine” Mahogany to provide a distinction between this product and African variations on the mahogany product. Cuban Mahogany is a different species yet, but the Honduran mahogany was predominantly traded in the eighteenth century. African replaced the American mahoganies as the worldwide primary supply over the previous century. Today, Honduran Mahogany is widely plantationed, and is available worldwide, but usually at a cost. The history of the mahogany trade is that of the industry being mostly reactive and sluggish to respond to supply variations among species, but the industry has, by and large, learned many lessons in diversification and sourcing of various species. Honduran mahogany remains in high demand worldwide, though most of its production today is in the Asian tropics and Isles.

Location: The tropics. Native to: Mexico through Central America. Farmed in: Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Hispaniola, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Venezuala.

Common Aliases: Acajou, Acajou d’Amerique, American mahogany, Bay mahogany,Madeira, Caobilla, Cedro espinoso, Large leaf mahogany, Tabasco mahogany.

Performance: Glues and finishes very well. Machines well, but the grain can be easily torn by reckless machining. Sands exceptionally easily. Turns, stains, and finishes quite well. Can be vulnerable to insect attack, but Honduran Mahogany is primarily an interior finish wood.

Common Uses: Furniture, millwork, turntables, speakers, audio equipment, cabinetmaking, chairs, dinettes, veneers, flooring, moldings, paneling, hatracks, shipbuilding, canoes, coffins.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Honduran Mahogany, Honduras Mahogany, American Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany, Big-Leaf Mahogany, Brazilian Mahogany
Scientific Name: Swietenia macrophylla
Distribution: From Southern Mexico to central South America; also commonly grown on plantations
Tree Size: 150 ft (45 m) tall, 6 ft (2 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .54
Hardness: 900 lbf (4,000 N)
Rupture Strength: 11,660 lbf/in2 (80,390 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,386,000 lbf/in2 (9,560 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 6,550 lbf/in2 (45.2 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 3.0%, Tangential: 4.1%, Volumetric: 7.8%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Know Your Wood: Teak

Teak

1.2 km of Teak to walk on right there.

Common trade names: Teak, Burmese Teak.

Genus: Tectona grandis

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 1070

Description: Coarse texture with medium pores. Teak has a generally straight grain pattern, though as is the case with many tropical species, the grain will occasionally interlock or become wavy. Teak is a generally oily wood, with heart wood is medium brown to golden-brown. Teak is generally easy to work, excepting the high silica content of the wood, which blunts tools quite easily. Despite being heavily plantationed worldwide, Teak is a very expensive and coveted wood.

Location: The tropics. Native to: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma. Farmed in: Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Fiji, Ghana, Honduras, Myanmar, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam, Zaire

Common Aliases: Burma Teak, Deleg, Dodolan, Genuine teak, Gia thi, Jate, Jati, Jatos, Kulidawa, Kyun, Rangoon teak, Sagwan, Teca, Teck, Tekku, Tik, Tsik.

Performance: Glues and finishes well, and is very easy to work excepting the silica level noted above.

Versatile and durable, Teak is a fine solution for interior and exterior works.

Common Uses: Window construction, boats ships, furniture, exterior construction, turnings, flooring, light construction, agricultural implements, cabinetmaking, moldings, paneling, vehicle parts, and countless other uses.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Teak, Burmese Teak
Scientific Name: Tectona grandis
Distribution: Native to southern Asia, Teak is also widely grown on plantations throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Tree Size: 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 41 lbs/ft3 (650 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .54
Hardness: 1,070 lbf (4,740 N)
Rupture Strength: 13,940 lbf/in2 (96,140 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 1,570,000 lbf/in2 (10,830 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 7,770 lbf/in2 (53.6 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 2.5%, Tangential: 5.8%, Volumetric: 7.0%, T/R Ratio: 2.3

Know Your Wood: Ebony

Ebony

I've aspired more than once to build a board that looked like this, but it never worked out this well!

Common trade names: Gaboon Ebony, African Ebony, Cameroon Ebony, Nigerian Ebony.

Genus: Diospyros crassiflora

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 3220

Description: Very hard to work. Quite heavy and dense. None more black. The Ironbarks, by their colorfully marketable names, are used quite a bit in outdoor applications in their native Austrialia. *There is some ambiguity to the specific scientific properties of this species. In any event, there is consensus that this species is extremely dense and hard.

Location: Africa. (Distributed/farmed in Oceania and SE Asia additionally.)

Common Aliases: Kanran, Kayu malam, Kribi ebony, Kurkuo, Mgriti, Msuini, Nyareti, Omenowa, Trayung

Performance: A very durable, high oil content wood. Ebony can be difficult to glue, due to this oily nature. Ebony is resistant to many insects. Will dull cutting blades quickly.

Common Uses: Works of art, fine carvings, chess pieces, piano flats/sharps, pool cues, other ornamental pieces.

About as densely darkened as wood comes without artificial dying.

From: The Wood Explorer

Common Name(s): Gaboon Ebony, African Ebony, Nigerian Ebony, Cameroon Ebony
Scientific Name: Diospyros crassiflora
Distribution: Equatorial West Africa
Tree Size: 50-60 ft (15-18 m) tall, 2 ft (.6 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 65 lbs/ft3 (1,035 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .78
Hardness: 3,220 lbf (14,320 N)
Rupture Strength: 24,300 lbf/in2 (167,600 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 2,494,000 lbf/in2 (17,200 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 12,980 lbf/in2 (89.5 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 6.5%, Tangential: 9.0%, Volumetric: 15.5%, T/R Ratio: 1.4

Know Your Wood: Ironbark

Ironbark

I'm no artist, but I'm plenty happy many people are.

Common trade names: Grey Ironbark, Black Ironbark, Red Ironbark.

Genus: Eucalyptus paniculata

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 2862-3664*

Description: Very hard to work. Quite heavy and dense. Heart wood is brown to red-brown. The Ironbarks, by their colorfully marketable names, are used quite a bit in outdoor applications in their native Austrialia. *There is some ambiguity to the specific scientific properties of this species. In any event, there is consensus that this species is extremely dense and hard.

Location: Australia and Oceania.

Common Aliases: Paniculata gum, ironbark Iron Bark.

Performance: Tungsten/Carbide tipped saws should be used in working Ironwood. Blunting is severe in the machining process, boring and cutting are difficult, so exercise care with very sharp tools. There are multiple mentions of planing being quite difficult for this species, and for finer works, that it was somewhat difficult to navigate. I would tend to believe the upper realm of the hardness scale range for this species.

Acclimation: Allow adequate time for the species to equalize its moisture content to your environment.

G'day, mate! We'll be stealing your summer away soon enough...

Common Uses: Agricultural implements, boats, bridges, cabinets, floors, decks, tool handles, rail ties, vehicle parts, wharf construction.

From: The Wood Explorer and Australian Hardwood Network

Common Name(s): Grey Ironbark, Black Ironbark
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus paniculata
Distribution: SE Australia, especially coastal
Tree Size: 20-30 ft (6-9 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 82 lbs/ft3 (1,310 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: 1.138*
Hardness: 2,862 lbf (16,300 N)
Elastic Strength: 25,113 lbf/in2
Crushing Strength: 12,223 lbf/in2
Shrinkage: Radial: 4.5%, Tangential: 7.5%, T/R Ratio: 1.67

*From Scientific American, 1881, Supplement, Vol. 12

Know Your Wood: African Blackwood

African Blackwood

Nothing says "I'm me! Look, dammit!" quite like a gilded African Blackwood ipad.

Common trade names: African Blackwood, African ebony, Ebene, Zebra wood, Mpingo.

Genus: Dalbergia melanoxylon

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 2940-4730*

Description: Not considered the true ebony, but considered the original African ebony, if that makes any sense. This commercially available wood is grown in Africa natively, and has been farmed successfully in Florida and Asia, if numerous sources are to be trusted. *There is some ambiguity to the specific scientific properties of this species. In any event, there is consensus that this species is extremely dense and hard. In at least one test, it measured the hardest among roughly 285 species.

Location: Central Africa, namely: Angola, Central African Republic, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Common Aliases: African ebony, African grenadillo, Blackwood, Ebene, Lurr, Mozambique ebony, Muhati, Murwiti, Pingo, Rugbe, Shami, Umbambangwe.

Performance: Tungsten/Carbide tipped saws should be used in working African Blackwood. Blunting is severe in the machining process, boring and cutting are difficult, so always exercise care with sharp tools. I would tend to believe the upper realm of the hardness scale range for this species.

Acclimation: This species is available mainly in smaller quantities, and is a quite expensive product. Still, allow time for the species to equalize its moisture content to your environment.

In case the ipad didn't quite float your boat, team Jobs, RIP, provides other options.

Common Uses: Modern common applications are turnings and fine woodworks. African Blackwood is coveted by craftsmen globally.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): African Blackwood, Mpingo (Swahili)
Scientific Name: Dalbergia melanoxylon
Distribution: Dry savanna regions of central and southern Africa
Tree Size: 20-30 ft (6-9 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 82 lbs/ft3 (1,310 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: 1.08
Hardness: 4,730 lbf (21,060 N)*
*Estimated hardness based on specific gravity (see comments below).
Rupture Strength: 31,000 lbf/in2 (213,790 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 2,980,000 lbf/in2 (20,550 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 10,470 lbf/in2 (72.2 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 2.5%, Tangential: 4.5%, Volumetric: 7.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.8

Know Your Wood: Brown Ebony

Brown Ebony

This sanded sample from The Wood Database displays the distinctive properties of Brown Ebony.

Common trade names: Brazilian Ebony, Coffeewood, Cuji yaque

Genus: Caesalphinia (C. granadillo, C. paraguariensis, etc.)

Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 3590

Description: Tightly grained. Slightly pored randomly. A very deeply toned red/brown wood that may or may not feature growth rings distinctly. A very hard wood with interesting features.

Location: Central to South America, namely: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Venezuela.

Common Aliases: Ebano, Granadillo, Guayacan, Maracaibo, Mesquite, Pao ferro, Partridge wood, Yaqye.

Performance: N/A. If you have performance data in working this species, please contact me. I find this stuff interesting.

Acclimation: N/A.

Common Uses: Implements for agriculture, tool handles, cabinets, artwork, piling, rail ties, turnings, veneers.

From: The Wood Database

Common Name(s): Brown Ebony
Scientific Name: Caesalpinia spp. (C. granadillo, C. paraguariensis, etc.)
Distribution: Semi-arid regions of South America
Tree Size: 30-50 ft (10-15 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 74 lbs/ft3 (1,185 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .91
Hardness: 3,590 lbf (15,970 N)
Rupture Strength: 21,750 lbf/in2 (150,000 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 2,320,000 lbf/in2 (16,000 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 11,760 lbf/in2 (81.1 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 5.5%, Tangential: 6.4%, Volumetric: 14.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.2