Kinds Of Wood For Furniture
You may use different types of wood for furniture but if you are keen on detail there are some types that are preferred for their beauty, durability and workability. It is important to determine the real value of your furniture by identifying the types of wood for furniture. If you are able to identify the types of wood used in the furniture you can tell if the furniture is worth refinishing or if it should be thrown away. Here is a list of the types of wood for furniture:
OAK
One of the most widely used type of wood; oak has two basic varieties; red and white. Oak is a heavy, strong, light colored hardwood. It possesses good bending qualities and resists moisture absorption. This is used for furniture, boat framing, desks and flooring.
MAPLE
Maple is hard and considered to be shock resistant. It is best used in flooring, furniture and woodenware such as bowling alleys. Maple with a curly grain is often being used for violin backs.
MAHOGANY
This is also known as Honduras mahogany and is a tropical hardwood. It is known to be the hardest, strongest and the best quality. You will find many grades and species of this type of hardwood and vary in quality and price. Its properties include a uniform pore structure and poorly defined annual rings. It is reddish brown in color. Crotch mahogany figures are widely used and greatly valued. Mahogany is highly durable and is resistant to swelling, shrinking and warping. These types of wood for furniture are used for cabinets, wood facings and veneers.
CHERRY
These kinds of wood for furniture are also called fruitwood and its properties consist of moderately hard, strong closed grain and its color is light to red brown wood. Cherry is resistant to warping and shrinking and is easy to carve and polish. It also has a distinct feature of reddening when exposed to sunlight. It is widely used in cabinet making and solid furniture handles.
WALNUT
Walnut is one of the most popular for cabinet making woods. It is strong, hard and durable and not excessively heavy. The color of this wood is light to dark chocolate brown with a straight grain in the trunk. It is resistant to shrinking and warping and is known for its ease to work. It is used for making gunstocks, novelties, cabinetry and wall paneling.
ROSEWOOD
This is a very hard type of wood and has a dark reddish brown color. It is hard to work with and requires high polish. It is more popular to use in musical instruments, piano cases, tool handles and furniture. It possesses exclusive fragrance and is close grained.
TEAK
Teak is an extremely heavy, strong and also durable type of wood. Its color is yellow to dark brown. It carves well but because of its high value, it is often used as a veneer. It is also resistant to warping, cracking and decay. It is best used in fine furniture, shipbuilding, doors, window framing, flooring and general construction.
