Wood is an immensely flexible material, perfect for DIY projects both large and small. No matter whether it is something for yourself, or as a present to another, there’s sure to be something here that meets your needs!
Wood comes in several varieties, with softwoods coming from gymnosperm trees like pine and spruce and hardwoods from conifers such as oak.
Common board
Common board is an affordable lumber product designed for use in most DIY projects. Available in an assortment of widths, it is both cost-effective and user-friendly.
Wood chip products are an ideal option for beginners who don’t yet know which species of wood will best suit their project, while being less costly than premium wood products.
However, it’s important to be aware of its limitations; boards may sometimes show warps or defects such as bows, crooks, cups on both faces from end-to-end as well as knots or twists.
Before selecting any boards for purchase, it’s wise to inspect their grain. If the grain appears loose or has numerous dead knots, this could be an indicator that they won’t make an ideal selection.
Plywood
Plywood is an extremely flexible material, ideal for many projects of various sorts. Available in a range of thicknesses and cuts to exact measurements, plywood offers endless opportunities for use.
While plywood can be used in any DIY project, it’s essential that you select the type most suited to your requirements in order to ensure its strength and longevity in the form of long-lasting results.
Plywood comes in various thicknesses and grades; each grade entails specific requirements such as number of plies and strength index.
Redwood
Redwood lumber is an ideal material to use when undertaking home improvement projects, due to its lightweight yet resilient qualities and water repellency.
Wood that is highly resistant to insects and decay makes this material ideal for use in outdoor structures like decks and fences.
There are over 30 grades of redwood available to suit any project, and your local lumber supply store’s staff can help you select the grade best suited to it.
Redwood lumber is an ideal material for walls and other structures as it won’t twist, bow, or shrink across its grain. Furthermore, its easy working qualities make it suitable for furniture making. Plus, redwood doesn’t tend to produce splinters!
Maple
Maple wood is one of the most versatile and widely used species, making it suitable for projects of all kinds and sizes. Strong yet beautiful in appearance, it staining beautifully if required.
Maple wood is a dense hardwood with an even texture and straight grain pattern, although variations such as birdseye, tiger flame, curly or quilted grain patterns may also be selected for special custom artisan furniture projects.
Some species of maple trees are known as “figured,” meaning their grain has acquired extra character due to damage, injury or disease during growth. Such pieces tend to be more costly than standard hard or soft maple pieces.
Mahogany
Mahogany wood is an extremely hard and resilient material, which makes it suitable for various uses in furniture construction as well as flooring applications. Mahogany’s beautiful hue makes it suitable for decorating the interior space of homes.
Mahogany may be an attractive wood, but harvesting and transport are environmental concerns related to harvesting and transport. Honduran mahogany for instance is threatened due to illegal logging activities.
There are, thankfully, other varieties of mahogany available that have less of an environmental footprint, including African mahogany, sapele and boise.
Both species resemble genuine mahogany in appearance and grain structure, and display a similar cat’s eye effect that deepens with age, highlighted by brown-red hues in their grain.
