Loading Recent Clippings
Selecting Hardwoods
I Like This! (0)
Hardwood Selector A-P
| Species |
Characteristics |
Common Uses |
| Birch | Hard, strong; fine-grained; resists shrinking and warping. Similar in color to maple—sometimes used as a cheaper replacement. Finishes fairly well; hard to cut. | Paintable cabinets, paneling, furniture. |
| Mahogany | Durable; fine-grained; resistant to shrinking,
warping, and swelling. Finishes well; easy to cut. (Not
to be confused with luan mahogany, a much cheaper
material that is used for veneers and plywoods.) |
Fine furniture, cabinets, millwork, veneers. |
| Maple | Extremely hard, strong; pieces with bird’s-eye
or wavy grains are highly prized. Color ranges from
reddish to nearly white in color. Finishes well;
difficult to cut. |
Flooring (basketball and bowling alley floors are made of maple), butcher blocks, veneers, millwork, and molding. |
| Poplar | Lightweight, soft for a hardwood; fine-grained. White
to yellow-brown in color. Paints well; easy to cut. |
Paintable furniture, cabinets, trim, places where a less-expensive hardwood will do. |
|
Hardwood Selector R-Z
| Species | Charcteristics | Common Uses |
| Red oak | Hard, strong, rigid; pronounced open grain; resists
warping, but may shrink if not well dried. Reddish color.
Finishes well; moderately hard to cut. |
Flooring, furniture, cabinets, molding, stair rails. |
| Walnut | Hard, heavy, extra strong; fairly pronounced, straight grain; resists warping and shrinking. Light to dark brown in color. Finishes well; cuts fairly easily. | Fine furniture and cabinets, millwork, paneling, inlays, veneers. |
| White oak | Hard, strong; open-grained, but not as pronounced as red oak; resists shrinking and warping. Golden color. Finishes well; moderately hard to cut. | Better than red oak for flooring--less variation
in color. Millwork, molding, furniture, cabinets, stair
rails, balusters. |
Related Links
Comments
Comments ( 0 )1871312868
Add your comment
