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Commonly Used Hardwoods
Ash, White
- Creamy white to light brown
- Open Texture, grainy (similar to oak)
- Hard, heavy, stiff, strong
- Moderate price
- Finishes well, fill open grain before silk screening
- Machines well
- Readily available in most thicknesses and lengths
Basswood
- Creamy white color
- Close texture, little grain pattern
- Soft, light, flexible
- Moderate to low price
- Finishes well
- Machines well
- Fair availability
Birch
- Light yellowish tan
- Close texture, has some grain pattern
- Moderately hard and heavy, fairly stiff and strong
- Moderate price (used as a cherry substitute)
- Finishes well, silk-screens well
- Machines well
Cherry
- White to reddish brown
- Close texture, subtle grain pattern
- Moderately soft and light, fair stiffness and strength
- Expensive
- Finishes well, silk-screens well
- Machines well
- Fair availability, typically short in length
Maple, Hard
- Light yellowish white to light brown
- Close tight texture, subtle grain pattern
- Very hard and heavy, stiff, strong
- Expensive
- Finishes well, stains fair, silk-screens very well
- Machines fair
- Fair availability, recently in short supply
Maple, Soft
- Creamy yellowish white to beige
- Close tight texture, subtle grain pattern
- Moderately hard and heavy, reasonably stiff and strong
- Moderate price
- Finishes well, silk-screens very well
- Machines well
- Good availability
Oak, Red
- Pinkish reddish brown (Northern) to brown (Southern)
- Open grain, very pronounced grain pattern
- Hard, moderately heavy, stiff, strong
- High price
- Finishes well, fill open grain before silk-screening
- Machines well
- Good availability
Oak, White
- Light brown
- Closed but grainy, pronounced grain pattern
- Hard, heavy, stiff, strong
- Moderate to high price
- Finishes well, tolerates wet environments well
- Machines well
- Fair availability
Poplar, Yellow
- Pale yellowish white, greenish heartwood
- Closed grain, little grain pattern
- Moderately soft and light, stiff, strong
- Lowest price of the stronger hardwoods
- Finishes well, silk-screens well
- Machines very well, nails well
- Very readily available in all sizes
Walnut, Black
- Yellow to deep brown
- Closed subtle grain
- Soft and moderately light, stiff, moderately strong
- Expensive
- Finishes well, silk-screens well
- Machines well
- Fair availability, generally short lengths
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