| Species |
Color |
Grain |
Hardness on the Janka Scale |
Notes |
| Ash, White |
Ranges from light-tan to brown |
Straight and moderately
open |
Low to Medium |
Not easy to apply stain. |
| Bamboo |
Light tan color |
Straight; nodes of bamboo stalk visible |
Medium |
When staining with darker colors, lap marks may show up. Minimize
by staining quickly. |
| Beech, American |
Reddish |
Closed, straight |
Medium |
Splits easily when nailing. |
| Birch, American |
Pale yellow to light reddish brown |
Straight, closed |
Low to Medium |
May be difficult to work with by hand. |
| Cherry, Brazilian |
Red |
Interlocked |
High |
Fast color change in direct sunlight |
| Cypress, Australian |
Honey-gold to brown |
Closed |
Medium |
Distinctive for its dark knots and swirls. Much resin in wood; will
clog sandpaper when being sanded. |
| Fir, Douglas |
Yellow-tan to light-brown |
Straight |
Very Low |
Color changes dramatically after much sunlight exposure. |
| Oak, Red |
Reddish |
Open |
Low to Medium |
Very popular, multi-purpose wood. |
| Oak, White |
Light-brown |
Open |
Medium |
Another very popular type of oak. |
| Pine, Southern Yellow |
Light yellow |
Closed |
Very Low |
Good finish coats recommended to increase durability for this very
soft wood. |