YOUR GUIDE TO COMMON WOODWORKING WOODS
Puzzled by which wood to use for what? Much of the choice comes down to personal taste, then cost and availability. But until you know the qualities that help you choose
ITY (2 )
one wood over another, the selection process can be confusing. Use the chart below to acquaint you with the woods in common usage. RATINGS (3)
ROT RESIS TANC E SPLIT RESIS TANC E MACH INING QUAL ITY
HARD NESS
STRE NGTH
AVAIL ABIL
STAB ILITY
PRICE (1)
PLAN JOINTING/ ING
TURN ING
WEIG HT
CARV ING
WOOD SPECIES ALDER, RED ASH, WHITE BASSWOOD BIRCH, YELLOW BUTTERNUT CEDAR, RED CHERRY CYPRESS DOUGLAS FIR HICKORY LAUAN (PHILIPPINE MAHOGANY) MAHOGANY MAPLE, SUGAR OAK, RED OAK, WHITE PINE, WHITE PINE, YELLOW POPLAR, YELLOW REDWOOD TEAK WALNUT
NOTES: 1. ($$$$) Very expensive
GLUIN G
SAND ING
STAIN ING
PAINT ING
USE/COMMENTS
Cabinets, furniture, millwork
$$
Medium
Weak
Light
G G G G E G G G F G E E G F F G F G E E E
F F P F F E F E G P G G P P E F F P E E G
F G G G F P F F F F P P F F G P P G G G F
G E E E F F E P G G F E E G G G G F G E G
G F P G G P E P P G F E G G G G G F P G E
F P G P G P G P P P P G F P P G G F P F G
G G G G G F E G G G G G G E E G G G G E G
E G E G G G E F G G E E F G G E F E E G E
F E E F F P E F F E P G G E E G F P P G E
3.
E G G G G F G F F G G E G E E F F G F G G
Excellent
G F E G F G G G G F E E G G G G G E G F F
$$ $$
N N
Hard Soft
Strong Weak
Heavy Light
Cabinets, furniture, doors Best for carving
$$
Hard
Strong
Heavy
Cabinets, furniture, flooring
$$$
Soft
Weak
Light
Carving, furniture
$$
Soft
Weak
Light
Outdoor furniture, decks
$$$$
Hard
Strong
Medium
Fine furniture, cabinets
$$ $$
R N
Medium Medium
Medium Medium Strong Medium
Outdoor furniture, decks Strong utility wood
$$
Hard
Strong
Heavy
Chairs, tables, sporting goods
$$
Medium
Medium
Medium
Furniture, boats
$$$$
Medium
Medium
Medium
Fine furniture, boats
$$$ $$$
N N
Hard Hard
Strong Strong
Heavy Heavy
Durable for hard use Indoor furniture, floors, trim
$$$ $$$
N N
Hard Soft
Strong Weak
Heavy Light
Indoor and outdoor furniture All-around indoor use
$$
Hard
Strong
Heavy
Carpentry
$$ $$$
N N
Soft Medium
Weak Weak
Medium Light
Toys, drawer sides, utility All outdoor projects
$$$$ $$$$
N N
Hard Hard
Strong Strong
Medium Heavy
Boats, outdoor furniture Fine furniture
($$$) Expensive
($$) Least expensive
2. (N) National
(R) Regional
G Good
Fair
Poor
GRADING TERMS
GRADE
FAS (First and seconds)
CHARACTERISTICS
The best grade. Boards 6" and wider, 8' and longer. Almost clear. Yields 8323 percent clear face cuttings 4" or wider by 5' or longer and 3" or wider by 7' or longer. Boards 4" and wider, 6' and longer. One side is FAS, the other is No.1 Common. Yields 8323 percent clear face cuttings.
Selects
Boards are 3" and wider, 4' and longer. Yields 6623 percent clear No. 1 Common face cuttings 4" or wider by 2' or longer and 3" or wider by 3' or longer.
BOARD FOOT CALCULATOR
1"-THICK LUMBER
LENGTH
6' 3"
WIDTH
8' 2 4 5.33 6.66 8
10' 2.5 5 6.66 8.33 10
12' 3 4 6 8 10 12
14' 3.5 4.66 7
16' 4 5.33 8
1.5 2 3 4 5 6
4" 6" 8" 10" 12"
2.66 3.33
9.33 10.66 11.66 13.33 14 16
11/4"-THICK LUMBER
LENGTH
6' 4"
WIDTH
8'
10'
12' 5 7.5 10
14' 5.83 8.75
16' 6.66 10
2.5 3.33 4.16 3.75 5 5 6.66 6.25 8.33
6" 8"
11.66 13.33
10" 6.25 8.33 10.41 12.5 14.58 16.66 12" 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20
2"-THICK LUMBER
LENGTH
6' 6"
WIDTH
8' 8
10' 10
12' 12 16 20 24
14' 14
16' 16
6 8 12
8" 10" 12"
10.66 13.33 16 20
18.66 21.33 23.33 26.66 28 32
10 13.33 16.66
