Different Types of Wood

There are countless types of wood available to woodworkers, in both the softwood and hardwood categories. I've listed a few in today's update that I love to use for my own projects. Hardwoods are featured first, as they are (naturally) my favorite wood to use. Expensive as all heck, but worth the investment as far as I'm concerned.

Hardwoods:

Birch: I love using birch in my furniture projects. I find it works very well for larger things like benches, seats and couch bases. As far as hardwoods go, Birch is relatively inexpensive, and can be found at most home renovation type stores. It is a "hard" hardwood, and offers interesting grain patterns that look great when bare with no paint or stain, especially when used on indoor projects.

Mahogany: As a woodworker who loves to make furniture (it's one of my guilty pleasures), I love Mahogany almost as much as birch. About the only downside to mahogany is the price tag. To put it simply, this stuff is expensive! It also loves stain, and looks amazing when stained. If yo want to leave it raw and natural, that's okay, too! Mahogany does not enjoy a never-ending supply, however, and is slowly disappearing from the planet. If you're into sustainability, you might want to look into some other hardwoods.

Softwoods

Pine: Pine is another favorite of mine, mostly because it's very inexpensive and can be found at nearly every home improvement store you can imagine. Pine is something I enjoy using not only because of its price tag, but because it's great for furniture as well. It takes well to wood stain, and is very durable. I have used it on various outdoor projects, and it shows no signs of rotting.

Cedar: Cedar is often red in color, and enjoys large supplies that show no signs of slowing down. Cedar is often used in woodworking projects that are going to be outdoors, as it is very durable and holds up to the elements well and has a high resistance to rotting. It can be found in most home renovation stores for relatively low prices.


That concludes today's update. Check back later for more info about the other various woods available, as well as their properties and (gulp) prices. If you are just starting out, I recommend using softwoods simply because they are cheaper. Your first few projects are never going to be pretty, and they certainly won't win any awards, so its a good idea to learn inexpensively.