I am beginning to work with a lot more wood species as I work on more pieces. So, what process do I use to decide which ones to use? The current 8 wood types I have worked with include
- Red Oak
- Mahogany
- Aspen
- White Oak
- Maple
- Walnut
- Hickory
- Pine
Each one of these species has a different grain, color, hardness, price, and use case.
Appearance
The first thing I look at when deciding a wood species is its appearance. Depending on the piece, I usually want a good contrast between light and dark wood species. Dark wood species that I have worked with include Walnut, Mahogany, Red Oak, and Hickory. Although Red Oak and Hickory are relatively light unless oil-finished. Light wood species that I have used include Aspen, White Oak, Maple, and Pine.
These light and dark contrasts end up making a piece look a whole lot more professional. For example if a piece is mostly a light colored wood, adding a dark accent wood makes a big difference, and vise-versa.
Hardness
Each wood has varying hardness, all but Pine are hardwoods on the list of wood species I have used. The hardness of a wood isn't the biggest factor when choosing what species to use, but the hardness affects the density of the wood as well, so if you want a final product that weighs less, you'll want to use less dense woods such as Pine or Aspen. If the weight of the final product needs to be heavier or doesn't matter, I would use a denser wood for durability.
Properties
These woods have different properties and use cases. For example, White Oak is naturally non-rotting as described in my previous journal entry: White Oak - Why I Use It. Which makes it great for pieces that may come in contact with water or moisture. Additionally, Mahogany, at least in my opinion, has a very natural, strong scent that would be perfect for an unfinished decorative piece.
Price
A big thing when choosing a wood species is price. Typically hardwoods are more expensive than softwoods, but you have to weigh the tradeoffs. As earlier mentioned, hardwoods are denser and more durable, which is great in most scenarios. Although, if the piece doesn't need to be super durable or resistant to blunt forces, a cheaper wood like Pine works just fine.
Conclusion
When choosing wood species I like to first look at appearance, to see what would make the piece look the best. I then decide whether it needs to be a dense, durable hardwood, or a lighter, softer wood. Next I take into account what the piece will be used for and if it needs to be water resistant, have a nice scent, or anything else that may be affected by the wood species. Finally, I look at the price and weigh the tradeoffs of price vs. durability.