Selection of woods

Description

Noted for toughness and elasticity. Young straight grained trees were traditionally used for sports goods, where white colour was also important. Older trees tend to have dark hearts.

Uses

Joinery, furniture, flooring, coach building and tool handles.

Description

A hard wood with fine and even texture. Beech machines and turns well. Colour varies from white on the outside to brown at the heart.

Uses

Furniture, internal joinery and flooring.

Description

For beauty there are few woods which will compare with the variety known as “English Brown Oak”. It’s knotty, gnarled grain brings out the best variety of shade and colour which may vary from an even mid-brown to a stripey “tigerish” figure. It is comparatively rare.

Description

This species is soft and easy to work but brittle and is light to reddish in colour with creamy coloured sapwood. Obtainable in large sizes up to 36” wide but normally very knotty. These can be small black knots or large firm knots which vary from the size of a coin to a cricket ball. Can be a very decorative wood, sweet smelling, with its variety of grain and knots.

Uses

Garden furniture, paneling and organ building, but supplies are limited.

Description

Pale, pinkish brown wood which darkens on exposure to light occasionally with green streakings; worked, it gives a smooth rich finish. Not obtainable in large sizes.

Uses

Brush backs and traditional use for furniture. It is suitable for joinery and panelling providing the design allows narrow widths. It is a fine decorative wood for panelling.

Description

Tough, coarse textured with a tendency to be twisted in the grain conferring resistance to splitting. Heartwood, reddish brown in colour; sapwood can be distinct, but not considered a defect. Wych Elm may exhibit green streaks in the grain.

Uses

Cabinet and joinery work, flooring.

Description

Hard, finely textured and white in colour with little apparent sapwood. Availability is very limited and cutting sizes are usually small.

Uses

Pianos, or turnery and butchers’ blocks.

Description

This timber has a reddish brown heartwood which is classed as durable. Clean logs free of knots may be used for boat building.

Uses

Constructional and fencing application

Description

Yellowish white in colour, with a fine, firm and close texture. Very easily worked wood which resists splitting. The ideal wood for carvers and model makers.

Description

Wood of great strength and durability, much prized for its beautiful appearance. It is the timber of our churches, inns and country houses where Oak beams up to 50ft long may be found.

Uses

Furniture, joinery, fencing, flooring and applications where its durability is of great advantage, such as cladding and decking.

Description

Pear is hard, tough and fine grained, and has a tendency to warp in seasoning. Cuts well in all directions of the grain, hence used for carving. Pinkish or yellowish brown in colour. Stocks are not generally available.

Description

It is easy to work; has practically no sapwood: and is a very stable wood with a light honey colour. It should be pre-drilled before screwing or nailing. Chestnut was formerly used in England for large beams. It is often found included in original ‘Oak’ panelling beams in historic buildings. It is wood with a character of it’s own, warmer in colour than White Ash and without the strong figure or medullary rays of Oak.

Uses

Coffin boards, good class furniture, decorative ceilings and panelling.

Description

Selected trees are bright white in colour, firm in texture, easy to machine and cut. Sycamore tends to have a dark heart in older trees. Figured logs are in great demand for veneers. It has to be brushed and end racked immediately after cutting to surface dry before sticking. Boards laid together overnight will turn pink. Both Sycamore and Ash are in great demand where a light coloured wood is required. Smaller, younger trees tend to be whiter than larger butts. Sycamore can be cut and vacuum kilned from fresh with good colour retention.

Uses

Panelling, furniture, joinery, draining boards, turning, especially bobbins and rollers for the cotton trade.

Description

Pink to purplish brown in colour, often with black veined lines. The sapwood is white. Trees are often of irregular shapes and difficult to obtain in long lengths. Good trees are becoming very scarce owing to the demand from the veneer trade. Heavy, fine grained wood, it is very resistant to splitting. Can be very faulty in the heart.

Uses

Joinery, furniture, turnery, rifle butts

Description

A tree that attains a great age but seldom a great height. The butt is often very fluted, colour varies from pale yellow to dark red or purple. Fine close grain, tough and hard, often with small clusters of pips. Very faulty and only yields small cutting sizes. Can show great character if natural faults are included.

Uses

Small articles of furniture, chair making, and turnery

Description

European Alder is lighter and more varied in colour than American Red Alder but generally available in smaller sizes.

Uses

Furniture and joinery

Description

Similar to Native Ash, it is noted for toughness and elasticity. Young straight grained trees were traditionally used for sports goods, where white colour was also important. Older trees tend to have dark hearts.

Uses

Joinery, furniture, flooring, coach building and tool handles

Description

Selected prime, white one face. Tends to be cleaner, whiter and milder than English.

Uses

Joinery, furniture and woodware

Description

Beech is steamed for 48 hours or longer prior to kilning to produce an even mid-pink colour. Steaming also tends to reduce splitting in the boards.

Uses

Joinery and furniture

Description

The steaming process evens the colour between the heart and sapwood. More readily available than English Walnut.

Uses

Joinery, furniture, turnery, rifle butts

Description

This timber has a reddish brown heartwood which is classed as durable. Clean logs free of knots may be used for boat building and joinery.

Uses

Constructional and fencing application, joinery and cladding

Description

Due to the European intensive forest cultivation, European Oak tends to produce longer, cleaner and straighter grained material than English Oak.

Uses

Furniture, joinery, flooring, cladding, decking and barrel staves

Description

This is a non durable timber and is the whitest European timber, needs care in seasoning to retain the white colour. Seasonal log supply (October to April) and limited lengths restricts use.

Uses

Internal joinery, furniture and woodwork

Description

An even pink colour, often with ripple figure. Cutting sizes are small due to frequent defects.

Uses

Furniture and cabinet making

Description

Similar to English Ash in colour and texture but more even appearance as all boards are plain sawn.

Uses

Furniture, joinery and flooring

Description

Similar to European Beech but a little harder and with more light brown heart colour. Available as square-edged boards.

Uses

Flooring, joinery and furniture

Description

Warm pink heartwood with a distinct yellow sapwood. Cherry is a fine textured decorative wood which takes a superb finish. It is available wider and longer than Native Cherry.

Uses

Furniture, joinery and shop-fitting

Description

The purple brown colour is darker than European Walnut and usually available in longer lengths and wider board than Native or European Walnut.

Uses

Flooring, furniture, joinery and gun stocks.

Description

Pale cream to white in colour with occasional darker streaks. Dense and wear reisstant, machines well.

Uses

Worktops, chopping boards, flooring, joinery, furniture, butchers’ blocks and turnery.

Description

Heavily grained, coarse texture with strong red to pinkish brown colour, this is the only Elm available in clear grade.

Uses

Flooring joinery and furniture

Description

This is the largest growing hardwood species in North America producing long boards and wide lengths of relatively clear lumber. The sap and heartwood are well differentiated.

Uses

Joinery. Furniture and carcassing

Description

Darker in colour than European Alder and available in slightly wider boards. Often used as a substitute for Black Cherry.

Uses

Furniture and joinery

Description

A durable Oak somewhat denser than English. The wood has less character than English Oak largely due to the method of sawing.

Uses

Furniture, joinery, flooring and barrel staves.