The Technique of FURNITURE MAKING
PROPERTIES OF COMMON WOODS
The following list gives descriptions of some of the more widely known woods suitable for furniture-making. In each case, colour, texture, figure, working properties and behaviour can only be an approximation or general average, for individual trees within each species may differ very considerably. There will be marked differences between trees of the same species and accorded the same commercial gradings grown some 2000 miles apart, but there can also be an appreciable difference between trees grown only a few hundred miles apart. Movement or dimensional change is arrived at by adding together the tangential and radial movement values occasioned by a change in environmental humidity of 90 per cent (equivalent to a moisture content in timber of approximately 20 per cent according to the species), down to a humidity of 60 per cent (12 per cent moisture content), with a total movement of 3 per cent denoting a stable wood; 3 to 4.5 per cent a medium, and over 4.5 per cent a relatively unstable wood. Thus idigbo will shrink approximately 3/32 in (2.4 mm) tangentially and 1/16 in (1.5 mm) radially for every 12 in (305 mm) in width within the range 18 per cent moisture content (90 per cent air humidity) down to 12 per cent (60 per cent humidity), and can be classed as a small movement or stable wood, whereas beech will shrink 3/8 in (9.5 mm) tangentially and about 3/16 in (5mm) radially under the same conditions, and must, therefore, be regarded as a large movement or relatively unstable wood. In practice, actual stability under normal working conditions will depend on the sum of the dimensional changes as given above, and also on the difference between the tangential and radial shrinkage value, with large differences giving greater tendency to warp and twist.
Home-grown wood
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Ash |
White to pinky cream or brown. Coarse textured. Plain figure sometimes with large flash or ripple. |
Tough, strong but easy working, ideal bending wood. Stable. |
|
Acacia |
Lime green to golden brown in colour. Straight grained with a coarse texture but smooth to finish. |
Requires careful seasoning. Hard, strong and very durable; ideal for cabinetwork. |
|
Apple |
Light brown in colour with varying zones of light and dark browns. Fine grain and texture. |
Hard and rather brittle. Easy to work but care must be taken in seasoning. Used mainly in turnery, small cabinet work and carving and in the past for many saw handles. |
|
Beech |
Whitish yellow. Fine even texture. Plain speckled grain. Quality - variable. |
Medium hard, strong, clean and easy working. A universal wood. Fairly stable. |
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Boxwood |
Distinctive yellow colour, and one of the finest textured commercial woods available. |
Dense and heavy and must be dried carefully to avoid splitting. Once dry is an excellent wood for fine turnery or carving. Also used for engraving, chessmen and bandings. |
|
Cedar of Lebanon |
Light brown, strongly aromatic, with clearly marked annual rings. Prone to large dead knots. |
The wood is soft and light but durable. Fine grain but brittle, works easily. Ideal for cabinet work and panelling. Used in the past in blanket chest bottoms as a deterrent to moths. |
|
Cherry |
Pale yellow to light reddish brown. Fine even texture with silky sheen resembling pale yew. |
Medium hard, tough, clean working. Fine finish. Excellent cabinet wood. Stable. |
|
Chestnut, sweet (Spanish) |
Resembling oak in appearance but not so dense. |
Softer than oak. Clean working. Very stable. |
|
Elm, (English or common) |
Pale dull brown to medium brown. Coarse texture. Bold attractive figure. |
Hard, tough, clean working. Warps badly if not bone-dry. Bends extremely well. |
|
Elm, Dutch |
Straighter grain than common elm. |
As English elm but not so liable to warp. |
|
Elm, Wych |
Very pale brown. Straight grain. |
Very clean working. Fairly stable. |
|
Holly |
Greenish white to grey. No distinct heartwood. Dense even texture. Some holly can be pure white if correctly seasoned. |
Medium hard, very clean working, very fine finish. Suitable for inlays, and for staining as blackwood. Fairly stable. |
|
Larch |
Reddish brown. Straight grained with a distinctive spring and summer wood. Reasonably free from knots, but when these occur they are hard and tend to loosen in seasoning. |
Moderately hard and heavy. Strong, durable and tough. |
|
Lime |
Even white to pale brown. Fine uniform texture. Little figure. |
Softish. close grained and very clean working. Ideal for carving. Fairly stable. |
|
Macrocarpa |
A softwood resembling yew. |
Very durable and stable. Strong scent. Ideal for bookshelves, etc. |
|
Maple |
Not so white as sycamore. Fine texture with natural lustre. Plain figure. |
Medium hard to very hard. Fine finish. Reasonably stable. |
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Oak |
Cream to light yellow-brown. Coarse even texture. Attractive figure with quartered wood showing bold flash. |
Medium hard to hard, tough, clean working, good finish. Bends well. Fairly stable. |
|
Oak, brown |
Very rich brown colour. |
Much sought after for fine furniture. |
|
Oak, tiger |
Streaked brown on a white ground. |
Properties as normal oak. |
|
Pear |
Pinkish brown with fine even texture and no apparent figure. |
Medium hard, clean working, fine lustrous finish. Stable. |
|
Plane |
Resembling beech in appearance but with broader rays. When quartered is known as 'lace wood'. |
Medium hard, fine finish. Stable. |
|
Sycamore |
White to yellow-white. Fine texture, natural silky lustre, sometimes with outstanding "fiddle' figure when quartered. Known as 'Harewood' when stained silver- grey with iron salt. |
Medium hard to hard, fine finish. Stable. |
|
Walnut |
Greyish yellow to brown with brown-black markings. often finely figured. Fine grain, but some open texture in coarser varieties. One of the most beautiful of all woods. |
Medium hard, very clean and easy working. B ends well if straight grained. Stable. |
|
Yew |
A very dense softwood. Orange to rich brown in colour with purplish tints, stripes and darker spots. Very smooth and lustrous. Handsome close even grain with fine texture and figure which finishes well. Distinctive white sapwood. |
Tough, strong, durable, heavy, hard and elastic. Knots, heart shake, ingrown bark and other growth characteristics are an attractive feature, accounting for its use in woodware and fine cabinet work. Bends extremely well. |
Imported hardwoods
|
Abura West Africa |
Light brown with pinkish tinge. Fine even texture. No figure. |
Medium hard, clean working with some interlocked grain. Fairly stable. |
|
Afrormosia West Africa |
Resembling teak but paler and finer textured. |
Moderately hard, easy working. Non - greasy substitute for Burmah teak. Very stable. |
|
Agba West Africa |
Light cream. Close even texture. No figure. |
Medium hard, clean, easy working. Excellent for construction work. Stable. |
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Beech Europe |
White to brownish red when steamed. Fine even texture. Plain figure. |
Medium hard, clean working. Good bendingwood. Not very stable. |
|
Bubinga West Africa |
Purplish brown ground colour, bordering in some specimens on deep crimson. Deeper tints run across either as irregular bands or as mottled or marbled variegations. |
Dries slowly but well, and once dry is stable in use. Strong, hard and machines to a fine finish. Similar to rosewood in weight and grain, and often used as a cheaper alternative. Used for cabinet work and fine wood - ware items. |
|
Guarea (Nigerian pearwood) West Africa |
Pinkish brown. Fine texture. Straight grain occasionally curled. |
Medium hard, easy working with some interlocked grain. Reasonably stable. |
|
Hydeua/ Amazakoue/ Ovangkol. West Africa |
Dark golden brown in colour with attractive dark brown to black markings. Close grain and fine texture. |
Hard, heavy, clean working. Stable |
|
Idigbo West Africa |
Pale yellow. Even texture. No figure. Good oak substitute. |
Medium hard, easy working. Very stable. |
|
Mahogany, African (Dryland) |
Deep red brown. Coarse texture. Stripy figure. |
Fairly hard, dense, easy working but grain interlocked. Not stable. |
|
Mahogany, African (Lagos, Nigerian, Grand Bassam, etc.) |
Light pink brown to red brown. Fairly coarse texture. Stripy figure. |
Medium hard, easy working but with interlocked grain. Fairly stable to stable. |
|
Mahogany, Brazilian |
Darker and richer than Honduras. Some resembles Cuban. |
Superior to all African species. Second only to Honduras. |
|
Mahogany, Cuban |
It is regrettable that Cuban (Spanish) mahogany, the most universally known of all timbers, is no longer available owing to over-exploitation. |
|
|
Mahogany, Honduran |
Yellowish brown. Close even texture. Plain lustrous figure. |
Medium hard, excellent working properties. Very stable. |
|
Makore (Cherry mahogany) West Africa |
Reddish brown. Fine even texture. Lustrous, stripy figure. Peppery scent. |
Medium hard, clean working. Stable. |
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Mansonia West Africa |
Dark greyish brown, resembling walnut. Fine even texture. No figure. |
Medium hard, clean working. Very stable. |
|
Muninga Africa |
Handsome gold to red-brown with darker markings. |
Moderately hard, clean working. Stable. |
|
Oak Europe |
Pale cream to light brown. Coarse texture. Good figure. Large flash. |
Hard, clean working. Fairly stable. |
|
Oak Japan |
Pale cream to light brown. Coarse even texture. Little figure. Small flash. |
Medium hard, milder working than other oaks. Very stable. |
|
Oak USA |
White or red according to species. Coarse even texture closer than European oak. Very little figure. |
Hard, heavy, clean working. Moderately stable. |
|
Obeche West Africa |
White to pale straw. Soft, open but firm texture. No figure. |
Sottish, easy working and suitable for core work only. Stable. |
|
Olivewood Europe |
Yellowish brown with variegated darker streaks. |
Hard, heavy and gives a fine lustrous finish. Used for decorative work, inlays and turnery. |
|
Padauk West Africa, Burma, Andaman Islands |
Rich deep red/brown in colour. Coarse texture with an interlocked grain. |
A heavy timber. Dries slowly but exceptionally stable in use. Used in furniture, fine joinery and for tool handles. |
|
PaoRosa West Africa |
Dense, attractive, straight grained, rose coloured wood, which gives a pleasing lustre when finished. |
Hard and heavy, used mainly in turnery and fine cabinet work. |
|
Ramin Malaya |
White to pale straw. Medium texture. Little figure. |
Medium hard, clean working. Fairly stable. |
|
Redwood, Scandinavian. Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Britain and Western Siberia |
A white sapwood with light brown heartwood. Some small sound knots may be found. |
Soft, stable and fairly durable. Good furniture quality boards available. |
|
Rosewood, Amazon South America |
Dark rust brown with some lighter markings. |
Very dense, hard and heavy. An ideal rosewood for turnery as it is one of the few available in thick 1 sections. |
|
Rosewood, Brazilian, Rio - see Exotic hardwoods
|
|
Rosewood, Indian, Bombay - see Exotic hardwoods
|
|
Colour, texture, figure |
|
Origin |
|
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Exotic hardwoods
|
The dust of both makore and mansonia is non-poisonous but highly irritant to mucous membranes and occasionally to the skin in susceptible cases, and for this reason they are little used in production runs where large quantities of dust are raised. Hand-creams, light face-masks or respirators will give protection to those not unduly allergic to the dust.
|
Origin |
Colour, texture, figure |
Working properties, behaviour, etc. |
|
Laurel India |
Light brown to brown-black. Superficially resembling walnut but with coarse though even texture. |
Hard, heavy, tough working and very strong. Capable of fine finish. Fairly stable. |
|
Rosewood, Indian, Bombay |
Dark brown to purple-black. Straight grain without violent colour fluctuations of Rio rosewood. Medium, coarse, oily texture. |
Rather harder than Rio rosewood, but fairly easy to work and capable of fine finish. Stable. |
|
Rosewood, Brazilian, Rio. South America |
Tan to violet-brown or purple - black with ink-black streaks and patches. Medium coarse texture. Oily with characteristic scent when freshly worked. |
Hard, fairly easy to work, but hard on tools. Capable of fine finish. Stable. |
|
Satinwood, East Indian. India |
Light straw to golden yellow, sometimes exceptionally figured. Fine even texture with remarkable lustre. An outstanding wood. |
Hard, very dense and difficult to work, but capable of fine finish. Stable. |
|
Silky oak Australia East Africa |
Pinky red-brown with characteristic dark eye or ray. Straight even grain, coarse texture. Not a true oak. |
Fairly soft but remarkably strong and tough. Easy working but difficult to finish. Fairly stable. |
Other exotic woods occasionally available
Blackwood (African)
Exceptionally hard, heavy, brown-black, giving the appearance of almost total blackness as it has no visible grain. An oily, extremely stable and valuable wood reserved for musical instruments, chessmen, knife handles, brush backs, etc.
Cocobolo (Nicaraguan rosewood)
Similar to Rio rosewood but with a pronounced reddish tinge and coarse, visible grain. Not so common as other rosewoods and principally used for brush backs, knife handles, door knobs, etc.
Ebony (Macassar ebony, Andaman marble wood, coromandel, calamander wood, etc.)
All are extremely hard and heavy, very finely textured and somewhat cold to the touch with a marble-like quality. The colours are showy, ranging from dark grey streaked with saffron - green, brown, red and purple to pure black. The trees do not grow much beyond 8 in (203 mm) to 10 in (254 mm) in girth and uses are, therefore, confined to small articles.
Kingwood (Violetta—Brazil)
The veritable king of all woods, violet-brown with black or violet-black streaks. Very hard, heavy and most finely textured. Diameters are never more than about 8 in (203 mm) and uses are confined to inlays and small articles owing to scarcity and high cost. A near cousin is Pernambuco wood, the most expensive of woods and used exclusively in the best violin bows.
Purplewood (Aramanth, violetwood)
Colour intense purple or violet. Very hard, heavy, medium coarse to fine texture. Chief uses for ornamental wood are turning, inlays and billiard-cue butts.
Snakewood (Leopardwood, letterwood)
Brown or reddish brown striped with black. Very hard and heavy, fine uniform texture. Small heartwood and only suitable for inlays. door handles, walking-sticks, etc.
Tulipwood (Brazil)
Pink to crimson stripes with a straw-coloured ground. Fine texture with a straight to interlocked grain. Heavy, dense and machines to a fine finish. An ideal timber for small woodware but its main use is for furniture bandings.
