| Many different types of wood are used in | | | | decks and outdoor building projects because they |
| woodworking, from common softwoods to rare and | | | | aren't as prone to rot and are easy to work. Teak is |
| exotic hardwoods. When you're selecting wood for | | | | a great choice for outdoor furniture, because it's |
| your woodworking project, think about your budget | | | | highly weather-resistant, and its grain patterns make |
| and what you want to accomplish. | | | | beautiful pieces. Teak is one of the most expensive |
| Softwoods: Common and Inexpensive | | | | hardwoods, and its also very difficult to work. |
| When you're shopping for wood for your | | | | Best Wood for Furniture |
| woodworking project, the vast majority of the | | | | In many places, pine is considered the number-one |
| wood you'll see in your local lumber store is | | | | wood to use for furniture-building. Pine is soft enough |
| softwood. Softwood trees grow fast and straight, | | | | to carve, and takes stain well. Cherry is a popular |
| and as a result, softwood is plentiful and relatively | | | | furniture-building wood for formal and fine pieces. It's |
| inexpensive. Common softwood options that you'll | | | | easier to carve than many other hardwoods, |
| find at your local lumber store include cedar, fir, pine | | | | relatively easy to find and beautiful when stained. |
| and redwood. Softwood is ideal for carving and can | | | | Mahogany is another popular furniture wood. It looks |
| hold fine detail. On the downside, it's not terribly | | | | great stained, but it is hard to carve and shape and |
| durable and some varieties can have a tremendous | | | | it's difficult to find in large sizes or amounts. Oak is |
| amount of sap that makes painting and staining | | | | the last great furniture wood, with its two varieties |
| difficult. | | | | lending itself to different types of projects. Oak is |
| Hardwoods: Premium Price for Beauty | | | | also less expensive than most other hardwoods, |
| Hardwoods are more expensive than softwoods. | | | | although it's still typically more expensive than |
| They don't grow as fast, and in many cases, they | | | | softwoods. |
| don't grow tall and straight, making it difficult to find | | | | Choosing Wood for Projects |
| good lengths for building. As a result, they cost more, | | | | First, consider the project you want to undertake, |
| and they're less readily available. Common types of | | | | and which type of wood is best suited to that |
| hardwood include ash, birch, cherry, oak, maple, | | | | project. Will you be staining or painting? Are you |
| mahogany, poplar, walnut and teak. | | | | hoping to add intricate details, or are you working in |
| Hardwood typically produces more varied and | | | | straight corners and boards? Where will the finished |
| interesting grain patterns than softwood. | | | | project be kept, and what types of wood will be |
| Woodworkers prize hardwoods for furniture and | | | | around it? Remember that softwoods can be stained |
| projects that showcase the natural beauty of wood. | | | | to look like more-expensive hardwoods, but they |
| On the downside, matching hardwoods from several | | | | won't give you the same durability. |
| sources to make a piece can be difficult and some | | | | From there, evaluate your options based on |
| hardwoods are notoriously tough to carve. | | | | availability and budget. You may not be able to find |
| Best Wood for Outdoor Projects | | | | certain types of wood in large quantities, or you may |
| The most common types of wood used in outdoor | | | | have to special-order it from your local lumber yard. |
| projects are redwood and cedar. These are both | | | | Even if you can find it, the price of some woods can |
| relatively soft, but they stand up well to the | | | | be cost-prohibitive for large projects. |
| elements. Cedar and redwood are popular choices for | | | | |