Wood Information

Butternut

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is usually a light to medium tan, sometimes with a reddish tint. Growth rings are darker and form fairly distinct grain patterns.

Grain/Texture: Grain is typically straight, with a medium to coarse texture. Silky natural luster.

Comments: Sometimes called White Walnut, Butternut is indeed closely related to Black Walnut. While the difference is not black and white, the wood of Butternut is considerably lighter-colored than Black Walnut, as well as being very soft and lightweight.

Cherry

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light pinkish brown when freshly cut, darkening to a deeper golden brown with time and upon exposure to light.

Grain/Texture: Has a fine to medium texture with close grain. The grain is usually straight or slightly wavy.

Comments: Cherry is the Old World counterpart to Black Cherry found in North America.

Hickory 

Color/Appearance: Heartwood tends to be light to medium brown, with a reddish hue; sapwood is a paler yellowish brown. Boards with contrasting heartwood and sapwood create a somewhat rustic appearance that’s sometimes marketed as Calico Hickory.

Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight, though occasionally wavy, with a medium texture.

Comments: Hickory is among the hardest and strongest of woods native to the United States.  Hickory is also known for its shock resistance, so the durability of these boards will not be an issue.

Maple

Color/Appearance: Unlike most other hardwoods, the sapwood of maple lumber is most commonly used rather than its heartwood. Sapwood color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Maple can also be seen with curly or quilted grain patterns.

Grain/Texture: Grain is generally straight, but may be wavy. Has a fine, even texture.

Merbau

Color/Appearance: Has an orangish-brown color when freshly cut, which ages to a darker reddish-brown. Color between boards can be highly variable. 
Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked. Texture is coarse, with a moderate natural luster.
This wood has excellent strength characteristics, along with excellent stability

Okoume

Color/Appearance: Heartwood ranges from a pale pink to light brown. Color darkens with age. Narrow heartwood is grayish white, not clearly demarcated from heartwood. The grain patterns can bear a resemblance to mahogany, 

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to wavy or slightly interlocked. Texture is medium, with good natural luster.

Padauk

Color/Appearance: Heartwood color can vary, ranging from a pale pinkish orange to a deep brownish red. Most pieces tend to start a vibrant reddish orange when freshly cut, darkening substantially over time to a reddish/purplish brown (some lighter-colored pieces can age to a grayish brown). UV-inhibiting finishes may prolong, but not prevent the gradual color-shift of this brightly colored wood.

Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight, but can sometimes be interlocked. With a coarse, open texture and good natural luster.

Comments: Padauk has a very unique reddish orange coloration, and the wood is sometimes referred to by the name vermillion. It’s moderately heavy, strong, and stiff, with exceptional stability. 

Purpleheart

Color/Appearance: When freshly cut the heartwood of purpleheart can be a  dull grayish/purplish brown. Upon exposure—usually within a few days—the wood becomes a deeper eggplant purple. With further age and exposure to UV light, the wood becomes a dark brown with a hint of purple.

Grain/Texture: The grain is usually straight, but can also be wavy or irregular. Has a medium texture with good natural luster.

Comments: In addition to its coloration, purpleheart has excellent strength and weathering properties, and can be used in applications where strength or durability is important—a wood with both form and function.

Sapele

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a golden to dark reddish brown. Color tends to darken with age. 

Grain/Texture: Grain is interlocked, and sometimes wavy. Fine uniform texture and good natural luster.

Comments: Usually pronounced (sah-PELL-ey) or (sah-PEEL-ey). Sapele is a commonly exported and economically important African hardwood species. 

White Oak

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light to medium brown, commonly with an olive cast. Paler sapwood is not always sharply demarcated from the heartwood.

Grain/Texture: Grain is straight, with a coarse, uneven texture.

Comments: Strong, beautiful, rot-resistant, easy to work, and economical: white oak represents an exceptional value to woodworkers.

Zebrawood

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is a light brown or cream color with dark blackish brown streaks vaguely resembling a zebra’s stripes.

Grain/Texture: Has a fairly coarse texture and open pores. Grain is usually wavy or interlocked.

Comments: Sometimes called Zebrano, the wood is strong and stiff, with a fairly high density. However, the wood is much more frequently used for its bold and unique striping.