How to Buy the Right Wood for a Job
Lumber comes in various grades and sizes - and those vary by region. Make sure you know what type of wood is best suited for your purpose. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Beeches
- Maples
- Pines
- Plywood
- Redwood
- Rosewoods
- Firs
- Poplars
- Walnuts
- Ashes
- Oaks
- Teaks
- Cedar
Instructions
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Comparison shop before you buy. Selection and price vary widely by lumberyard.
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Learn to tell the different grades from one another. (See Related eHows.)
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Use redwood or cedar, which are considered softwoods, for exposed surfaces. Redwood doesn't take nails well as it splits easily. Cedar tends to be knotty.
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Choose pine or fir for rough-cut projects, including shelves and framing. Pine cuts easily, and it handles paint and varnish well. Pine is also a softwood.
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Try some of the hardwoods: Poplar is light-colored and is typically painted, as is ash. Ash stains unevenly.
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Stain maple and oak, which are very heavy and strong. The grain of these hardwoods is pretty and straight.
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Look at other kinds of woods: Teak and rosewood are beautiful but teak is expensive and both are difficult to glue; walnut is very strong and stains nicely; beech looks great varnished or stained, but is hard on saws.
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Use finish-grade plywoods for built-in projects. Then use the more expensive woods for exposed areas.
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Tips & Warnings
Get 10 percent more wood than you plan for your project. This allows for mistakes and matching grain.
Make sure you check out your wood carefully before starting a project. It's frustrating to get started and realize the plank you are using is warped or mismatched.
