TYPES OF HARDWOOD
Cherry is a premium hardwood characterized by a rich color and a feeling of warmth. It varies in colr from a deep red to a reddish brown and will darken with age.
Poplar is a popular wood used not only in furniture and floors but in boat-building. The wood color generally ranges from a pale yellow brown to an olive green tone.
Walnut is often used in inlays as a contrast for lighter colored woods. The color ranges from a light brown to a dark chocolate brown. The wood is usually straight grained but someimes has a wavy or curly grain.
White Maple is light in color, sometimes with darker colored flecks. It is a straight grained wood which can be stained and polished easily. It can be stained to resemble other wood species.
White Oak is a light to dark brown in color, with a medium texture and longer rays than red oak. Because it is such a hard and heavy wood, white oak has excellent wear resistance.
White Ash is light in color, often nearly white, and sometimes treaked with pale yellow or brown. It is straight grained with a uniform texture. It is known as a good shock absorber and possesses good overall strength.
Red Oak is more widely available than white oak, and is characterized by a more reddish tone. The wood is hard and heavy, and, like white oak, it has excellent wear resistance.
Mahogany is reddish brown in color and polishes to a beautiful sheen. It has been widely used in fine furniture for hundreds of years becauseof it's integrity. It often ages to a dark warm tone.
Brazilian Cherry is used both for general flooring and decorative inlays. It is not actually a cherry tree but a Central and South American hardwood. It is a very hard wood which ages in time to a dark red color.
Purpleheart is a unique Central and South American hardwood which ranges in color from a dark brown to a rich purple. It is very hard and dense and prized for use in inlay as well as flooring.
Padauk is an exotic hardwood from either Africa or Asia. The wood is reddish in color which can fade over time to a warm brown. It is similar in appearance to rosewood.
Wenge is a dark wood with a strong pattern. It is very hard and heavy so it is great for flooring. It is also beautiful mixed in inlays with lighter colored woods such as maple.
Yellowheart is an exotic wood characterized by a deep yellow color and a straight, uniform grain. Yellowheart is used primarily for decorative inlays where it can add a spot of brightness.
Zebrawood is named because of its unique dark striping on a lighter ground. It is a heavy and hard wood which is suitable for decorative inlays.
For more information on hardwoods, please visit the American Hardwood Information Center.