A useful guide for the types of wood and where they’re used mostly , is always an “immortal” wood theme . Wood as an “alive” material it has different types and “behavior” .
We can separate it , from its mechanical , electrical , chemical , acoustical (don’t you forget the musical instruments) , thermical , properties and from its smell , looks , touch and the general feeling we get from it .
We are free to use whatever type of wood our souls like , but there are some written and unwritten “laws” , to make our lives easier .
You may probably like the plywood very much , but you cannot make a wooden boat from plywood only , i suppose .
You may like very much the pine wood , but i suppose you cannot your sailboat’s mast by pine wood or some “soft” wood . You need the appropriate type of wood , to make your mast and be strong for many , many years .
You may like the plywood , but the rifle manufacturers don’t make their rifle’s wooden parts from plywood .
They choose other type of wood , because they want specific characteristics . Resistance to hard conditions , rain , sweat , moisture and many more , the plywood isn’t so good at .
How to know What wood to use for projects ?
First of all you should learn the exact properties and specific characteristics of the wood type you’ll need to supply , in order to combine them with the exact woodworking project you need and then adjust all of these factors with the money you have in your pockets .
What is the best wood to use for Crafts ?
The most common wood types for generic woodworking crafts are the pine and spruce concerning the natural wood and the MDF along with the plywood and the marine plywood for your outdoor crrafts , boating , fences , et.c .
Why Different woods are used for Different projects ?
All wood types aren’t the same concerning their properties and specialized characteristics , so depending of the specific woodworking project you have , you should pick the appropriate wood to match your exact needs and reach the best possible result .
What is the best wood for Small projects ?
This is highly depending of the woodworking project you have , because you may need pine or spruce to create a small and basic wooden toy or box , but you may need also ebony to create a chess pawn .
Can you Mix wood in design ?
Yes definetely you can and many furniture manufacturers combine several wood types for their crafts in order to give their furniture different properties in specific spots , make difficult designs and control their cost without reducing the furniture’s beautiness and prestige .
Here is a helpful and generic Guidebook – List for woodworking projects :
1) Log Houses : forest pine , siberian pine , spruce , red spruce .
2) Roofs , balconies : forest pine , spruce , black pine , cypress .
3) Wood constructions to harbors : impregnated pine .
4) Shipbuilding : Teak , cypress ( it is very straight wood ) , mahogany , oak , spruce .
5) Outdoor columns : impregnated pine , cypress , spruce , eucalyptus .
6) Greenhouses : black pine , spruce .
7) Outdoor constructions in general : impregnated black and forest pine , cypress , yew .
8) Window frames for your house : Mahogany , forest pine , oak , walnut , chestnut .
9) House floors : Beech , chestnut , maple , Iroko , cherry tree .
10) Outdoor floors : Beech , red spruce , Iroko and of course impregnated pine wood pieces .
11) Furniture : beech , oak , pine , cherry tree , walnut , maple , birch , red oak , willow tree , plane tree(drawers) , cherry tree , hard maple(table surfaces) .
12) MDF : Forest and black pine , beech .
13) Wood veneer for decoration : teak , maple , walnut , Iroko , mahogany .
14) Wooden boxes : pine , spruce , beech , cypress , yew .
15) Wooden toys : red pine , spruce , beech , flamouri , birch , chestnut .
16) Wooden barrels : pine , beech , chestnut , oak ( wine ) .
17) Indoor ladders : forest pine , oak , beech , acacia .
18) Wood carving : olive oil tree , walnut , oak , beech , cedar , willow tree , mulberry tree , cypress , wild pears , birch .
19) Musical instruments : spruce , red pine , mulberry tree , walnut , ebony , elm tree .
20) Apiculture behives : forest and black pine , spruce .
21) Photographer frames : Oak , beech , hard/soft maple , cherry tree .
22) Firewood : Oak , beech , olive oil tree , pine , yew .
23) Christmas trees : red spruce , spruce ( or maybe choose not to cut trees )
24) Gun’s wooden parts : Walnut , Cherry tree , Oak , Chestnut .
25) Billiard sticks : plane tree .
26) Houseware : walnut , maple .
27) Boats : beech , eucalyptus , birch .
28) Constructions inside the water : elm tree .
29) Tool handles : beech , maple , olive oil tree .
30) Charcoal for painting : oak , hazel tree .
31) Cigar boxes : chestnut .
32) Piano’s : beech , linden , Ebony .
33) Ship’s mast : cypress , spruce .
34) Plywood : pine .
35) Sauna benches : poplar .
If you want to make a wood construction in the outside , you should choose wood with straight fibers , so it won’t bent during the drying process .
You’ll need a wooden part with mid density and hardness and with moisture , below the 20% .
One of these types of wood is the teak . You can work very easily with teak and paint it as well , with no difficulties . Another one good characteristic is that teak has great resistance to wood bugs .
Natural wood is another situation and approach than the engineered one .
Of course in here i talk about the natural wood only ( ok except the MDF, but it’s very common) and i don’t refer to the industrial one .
The industrial wood is made by us the humans and we can give to it , whatever characteristics we want to give to it .
I know that you know and see , the sea plywood the hotels and others use to put near their pools , or you have aside to yours too .
The sea plywood is very strong and has great resistance to the weather conditions . You know that one big resistance “test” for wood is the alternations between , the hot sun and moisture .
Protect your Woodworking plans with Oils & Shou Shugi Ban method .
If you want to make a wood project in your backyard or wherever outdoor and the piece of wood you have doesn’t match completely to the above guide “map” , don’t worry .
You can protect your project and keep it for many years in a very good shape .
There are many wood protecting oils you can paint your wood and make it invulnerability , to the so tough for wood , weather conditions . If you “remember” and paint your wood once or twice a year , depending the place you are , your project will be well protected .
I’ve chosen some of my favorite oils et.c , you can buy to protect your wood , in HERE .
Another thing you can do , is to protect your project from the weather by covering it with a cloth or something like that , the year’s time periods you don’t use it .
If your wood project is something which is always exposed to the weather , the continuous oil painting is necessary .
To remind you that , for the outdoor protection you can always apply the ancient Japanese sealing method for the outside wood , the Shou Shougi Ban .
With this method , you burn the outside surface of the wood for a specific depth , then you rub it , to clean the carbon and you paint it with oil .
All this , seals the wood and it doens’t let the moisture , water and the external weather conditions affect to your woodworking’s project “health” .
If you want to see some stains – varnishes – dyes , et.c , suggestions for wood , go to buy them , in HERE .
Keep woodworking .