Common furniture woods have their own distinctive marks, just like
each person has his or her own unique fingerprints. Below are some
details or characteristics that can help you easily identify the
numerous types of furniture woods available.
Ash (white ash):
Ash is a tough hardwood known primarily for its excellent bending
abilities; it's used for bentwoods and for bent furniture parts
requiring maximum strength. Ash veneers are also common. Ash varies in
color from creamy white or gray with a light brown cast to a dark
reddish brown. The price is moderate.
Basswood: Basswood is a common hardwood, often used
in combination with rare woods such as walnut and mahogany. Its color
varies from creamy white to creamy brown or reddish, with broad rays and
sometimes slightly darker streaks. The grain is straight and even.
Basswood is close-grained, with very small pores. It is inexpensive.
Beech:
Beech is another hardwood that bends easily, but it isn't as attractive
as ash. Beech is often used with more expensive woods, primarily in
inconspicuous places -- chair and table legs, drawer bottoms, sides and
backs of cabinets. Beech takes a stain well, and is often stained to
look like mahogany, maple, or cherry. Beech is both hard and heavy,and
is difficult to work with hand tools. It is inexpensive.
Birch (yellow birch): Birch, a common hardwood, is
used in all aspects of furniture construction. The wood is light
yellowish brown, very similar in color and in grain to maple. The grain
is quite pleasing. Birch is close-grained. It is moderately expensive.
Butternut:
This hardwood, often called white walnut, is similar in many ways to
walnut. The wood is light brown, with occasional dark or reddish
streaks. The grain is pronounced and leafy. Butternut is
coarse-textured, with visibly open pores; it is usually filled.
Butternut stains well, and is often stained to look like dark walnut.
The wood is light, and is easy to work with hand tools. It is moderately
expensive.