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