Choosing the Proper Wood Type for Your Home Improvement Projects
One: Cedar is a very popular wood to use for home improvement projects. This wood type is easy to find in stores, fairly inexpensive, simple to navigate during the building process and it provides a sturdy piece of work once it is finished. It is also a great choice if you are looking for wood that will not readily splinter or decay. The downside of the wood, however, are that it does mar and blemish rather easily because it is a weak, soft wood.
Two: Maple is a fantastic wood for pieces that will be used moderately to often because it is a hard wood that is very strong and will not ding readily. It is also beautifully rich in color and finishes superbly. The downsides of the wood are that the cost can be rather high and it is not very easy at all to work with. This choice of wood is better suited to a skilled worker vs. a novice.
Three: Oak is another popular type of wood to work with in home improvements. You can get red or white. Both are hard woods and are very durable. They are not too hard to work with and they are fairly priced. This is a great wood choice for the novice worker. The down side of the wood is that it can have large pours that you must fill before completing your project. This really is not difficult to do but can be time consuming if your are looking for a quick project.
Four: Cherry is a beautiful hard wood that gets lovelier over time because it darkens with age. It is very smooth and easy to work with and will provide you with a strong and very ding resistant finished project. It is a wonderful choice for most any woodworking project you attempt. The downside is that it may be a bit higher priced than other commonly found woods, but the cost could be well worth it in the end result.
Five; Pine wood is very popular for use in home projects because it is so fantastic to work with during the building process. It holds fasteners tightly, is easy to cut, fairly inexpensive, finishes very well, and resists warping. The down side is that it is a soft wood and can be fairly soft and weak.
Six: Walnut is a hard wood that rivals Cherry Wood for stability and beauty. It is very strong and creates highly stable finished products. It also finishes beautifully. T he down side is you will pay a lot more for this wood than you will for Cherry. Walnut can be very expensive.
Seven: Spruce is a nice softwood to use if you will be painting your finished project because it is notorious for holding paint so well. It is easy to work with because it cuts so well and does not readily splinter and it finishes nicely too. The down side is that while it holds its own for the type of wood it is, it is not strong in comparison to most other woods used in home projects.
Eight: Basswood is a hardwood used for intricate detailing on home projects. It carves nicely and is a wood worker’s dream. The downside may be in the price as it costs a bit more than more traditional woods do.
Nine: Poplar is another wood, like Spruce, that is good to use when you will be painting your final project. It holds paint well and is lightweight to handle. It is readily available in stores and very reasonably priced.
Ten: Lauan is a great wood to use for backing. It is an exotic wood that can be bought in very large sheets, making it a great option for sub flooring under tile. The down side is that it is not a wood to be used for intricate wood working as it can be a bit difficult to cut and navigate.
With so many different types of wood to choose from when starting a home improvement project it is nice to have a few common facts in mind about them before making your choice. Know too, that it is important to ask questions when purchasing the wood to determine if you are selecting the type that is best for your individual project.
