Different Types of Wood

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Different types of wood - There are many types of wood used in woodworking and we will break those done into groups. They are softwoods, hardwoods and manufactured panels. Some references point to exotic woods but they are mostly hardwoods none the same.

Softwoods - Softwoods are generally the wood from evergreen or coniferous trees. Examples are the many varieties of spruce, hemlock, pine, fir, cedar and redwood. Some softwoods are used in making veneers that are used in plywood panels. Softwoods make up the majority of the woods that you will find at your local lumber yard or home improvement center. They are also the primary woods used in home building for framing and window sash construction and not typically used in furniture building with the exception of pine, which is highly used for cabinet construction.

Pine boards are sold in nominal widths from 2 in. to 12 in. The actual measurements of these boards are usually 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. less than their nominal dimensions. A universal measurement usually will apply to a board's thickness as well. A normal 1-in. board is actually 3/4 in. thick and a 5/4 board will be 11/16 in. thick. Most all softwoods will be sold in even foot lengths that are 8 ft. to 16 ft. in length.

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The drawback to using softwoods is that they are less stable than hardwoods as they absorb and lose moisure quicker than hardwoods. They are usually fresh cut and if you use these types of wood for indoor use it is a good idea to purchase it ahead of time and allow it to "acclumate" to indoor conditions before use.

Hardwoods - Hardwood lumber comes from deciduous trees or the kind that shed their leaves annually. They include oak, maple, cherry, birch, walnut, ash and poplar. Of these varieties, only oak and poplar are carried by most of your home centers and local lumber yard. The remaining will be carried by specialty lumber sources and sized according to their different uses.

The thickness of hardwood lumber is specified in quarters of an inch, measured when the wood is in a rough, unplaned state. The thinnest stock is 4/4, representing 1 in., and the thickest usually available is 16/4, representing 4 in. Most suppliers will plane and straighten the edges of their stock before selling it. You can expect to pay a premium for this type of wood that is not always cut into standard sizes such as the softwoods. This is not always the case as in some areas you may be able to purchase hardwoods like poplar and soft maple for prices comparable to pine. Hardwoods like cherry and maple will be much more expensive.

Manufactured Panels - Manufactured panels and plywood are usually thin pieces of wood that are glued to a core of particle board or medium density fiberboard to produce cabinets, doors and parquet flooring along with many other applications.

Watch this excellent video which explains the different types of wood