see Utile

Tree of 18 to 23 meters height found in the Amazonian basins and in the Tocantins. Its wood is used for furniture, and in heavy construction. It has a fine texture. 910 kg cu m Durability low Natural resistance

see Sapele

Equatorial Africa

Light brown timber with occasional pinkish tinge, varaible grain.

working is variable with some samples very abrasive and hard to plane.

see Black Locust

see Black Locust

see Mahogany (So. Amer) see Mahogany, African

White Afara, Limo clair, Limo Noir

Heartwood is of pale yellow to brown colour and may have olive or grey streaks

Irregular grain with moderately open texture.

works well, planing needs care and liable to split when nailed

Closely related to Idigbo

Other common names: Peterebi. 
Distribution: Grows in Southern Brazil, Argentina 
Tree Data: Partly as a result of growing conditions, woods in the Cordia genus are exceptionally variable in terms of color, texture and density. 
Timber Properties : The timber shows variable in relation to color and density. Darkly pigmented stock has better decay resistance  Argentine Afata tends to be golden brown in color, with a spicy scent and moderately coarse texture. Comparable in density to North American red oak. 

see Utile

See Koto

see Blackwood, African

see African Padauk

see Ebony, African

Other common names: barwood, comwood, corail, African coralwood, muenge, mbe, mbil, mututi, ngula, vermillion, and yomo.  
Distribution: Grows in central and West Africa and is extremely widespread 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has straight to interlocked grain with a moderately coarse texture and large pores. fairly rough grain Rich red to purple red heartwood and pale-beige sapwood. bright coral red sometimes dark veined that browns in the light Straight grain with light countergrain.  African Padauk undergoes an extreme degree of color change with pronounced darkening from the vivid orange color when freshly milled to a dark red almost black color when fully aged/oxidized. Oil finishes hasten this process and allow the full color change to occur while water based finishes inhibit the full color range. Hard, heavy, and strong with exceptional decay resistance and dimensional stability. Not suitable for steam bending. 900 - 1 000 kg / m3   
Working Characteristics: Works well with hand and machine tools. Glues easily and holds nails and screws well. Finishes to a beautiful sheen without the need for stain.  
Common Uses: This fairly hard wearing and resistant variety is used in many ways including decorative interior joinery and for parquet flooring alternating with lighter coloured varieties to create a particularly pleasant visual contrast. Major cabinet making. Sliced veneers.

Other common names:  
Distribution: It is grown in West Africa, primarily Ghana and the Ivory Coast. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Afrormosia closely resembles teak and is so often used as a teak substitute that it is sometimes referred to as African teak. It is prized for more than simply its resemblance to teak - it is also valued for character and properties all its own. Wood is heavy and dense, has high bending strength, medium stiffness, high crushing strength, moderate bending classification. The wood may distort during steaming. Afrormosia is one of the most uniform in color range woods, with a golden tan teak color when freshly milled. Heartwood is yellow brown turning to a dark brown on exposure; sapwood is narrow; lighter in color and clearly demarcated.  Afrormosia undergoes a large degree of color change over time with pronounced darkening from a golden tan color when freshly milled to a uniform medium brown when fully aged. Afrormosia is a heavy and dense wood that is extremely durable and very resistant to termites. It contains tannin, a substance that has a tendency to cause blue stains. If used near metals in wet conditions, such as in boatbuilding, it will cause corrosion or dark staining. Sawdust from afrormosia can be an eye irritant. Work this wood in conditions that provide good ventilation. Heartwood is rated as very durable and highly resistant to termite attack. Dark stains liable to appear if in contact with iron under damp conditions. 
Working Characteristics: Afrormosia dries slowly with little degrade and small movement in service. The wood has medium resistance to tools. Experts recommend a 20 degree cutting angle to avoid raising the grain when planing. Tungsten carbide-tipped saws are recommended to avoid tool wear. Prebore for nailing and screwing. Afrormosia glues well and finishes excellently. Works well with hand and machine tools, finishes cleanly, turns satisfactorily, good gluing, moderate steam bending properties. 
Common Uses: Afrormosia is suitable for many applications, among them veneers, paneling, boat building, stairs, flooring, high-end joinery, cabinetmaking, farm implements, decks and marine piling.

Other common names: doussie, chanfuta, apa, aligna, mkora, mbembakofi, and many other names but sold as single commercial timber. 
Distribution: Grows in Africa. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Doussie exhibits a medium range of color variation between golden tans to darker orange/browns. Doussie undergoes substantial color change with pronounced darkening from a light orangey brown to a deeper mahogany color over time. Timber has a coarse texture with often irregular, interlocked grain, pale straw colored sapwood with brown heartwood.  
Working Characteristics: Heavy, very stable in use, high strength and durability, moderate stiffness. Somewhat difficult to work and glue. Finishes to a high polish although grain filling sometimes desired. 
Common Uses: Highly valued for interior/exterior joinery, window frames, floors, staircases, ships' rails, heavy construction, school and office furniture, laboratory equipment, and chemical containers. A favorite among locals for decorative doors and chests. It is one of the most popular imported flooring species used in Europe

Other common names: egba, nitola, ntola, tola, white tola, moboron, mutsekamambole, and Nigerian cedar. 
Distribution: Grows in tropical west Africa, primarily Nigeria, Angola, and Zaire. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has a fine texture with a straight to mildy interlocked or wavy grain. Pale straw to reddish brown hearwood and lighter-colored, indistinct sapwood. Heartwood bears a resemblance to mahogany. Natural pink yellowish brown colour that darkens with exposure to light Medium to coarse texture. Straight grain to slight countergrain. Fine silver grain Light and relatively soft with low stiffness, low shock resistance, moderately low strength, good stability in service and high decay resistance (heartwood). 750-850 kg / m3 
Working Characteristics: Steam-bends moderately well. Turns, planes, bores, routs, and otherwise works well although gum may accumulate on cutting edges. Glues, screws, and nails easily. Stains and finishes well, particularly if grain filler used 
Common Uses: Top notch wood for interior joinery, paneling, table and chair parts, desks, handles, dowels, and other turned items. Other uses include mouldings, coffins, toys, flooring, exterior joinery, boat and vehicle frames, marine plywood, and decorative veneers. 
General: This variety, with its yellowish brown colour, is fairly widespread in Central Africa and is soft and easy to work. It is perfectly suited to all interior joinery work, responds well to rotary cutting (plywood) and provides pleasant looking mouldings..

see Mahogany (So. Amer)

Other common names: Tree-of-heaven Distribution: Originally from southern china, now grows throughout the east central US. Tree Data: This fast-growing tree originated in Asia and was introduced into the US around 1750 Timber Properties : The wood is ring-porous and moderately soft, with figure and color similar to ash. works well, but has relatively poor stability. Working Characteristics:  Common Uses: General :

Other common names: Amendoim, Viraro (Argentina), Pau fava (Brazil)  Very frequent in Chiquitanía and Guarayos 
Distribution:  
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Sapwood color Brown yellowish Odor Distinctive Luster Bright Heartwood color Brown redish Taste Indistinct and slightly bitter Grain Interlocked Texture Medium. 810 kg cu m 
Working Characteristics: Easy sawing and planing. Good finishing Low durability specially in contact with soil. Drying is slow but steady. 
Common Uses: 
General : 
 

(Red Oak) From Japan An evergreen oak. Wood is harder and more durable than that of Q. myrsinaefolia and has the same uses.

Japanese Red Pine) From Japan Attains a height of 150 feet and diameter of 16 feet. A dry soil tree. Wood is tough and strong and used for houses, bridges, barrels, wood rope, fuel and naval stores. 

see tree daisy

see Mahogany, African

Sapwood is light greyish brown, and merges gradually with the heartwood which is deep reddish brown. White coloured streaks of resin canals on the surface are conspicuous. Grain is slightly interlocked. Used for heavy and medium construction, boat construction, flooring, interior finishing, panelling, furniture and joinery.  

see  Cedar,  Alaska

see  Cedar,  Alaska

see  Cedar,  Alaska

Other common names: okuro, ayinre, and sifou. Includes heavy albizia, red nongo, and white nongo (over 30 species). 
Distribution: Grows in southern half of Africa. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber has a coarse texture with irregular, often interlocked grain. Heartwood is red-brown to chocolate-brown, at times with a purplish tinge.  Fairly heavy, low stiffness and shock resistance, high crushing strength, moderate bending strength, and low movement in service. 
Working Characteristics: Can be challenging to work due to fine dust, blunting effects on tools, and irregular grain. Pre-drilling recommended for screwing or nailing. Finishes ok although filling of grain required for a smooth surface. 
Common Uses: Has many uses including marine construction, flooring, vehicle bodywork, various furniture components, boxes, crates, beams, joists, interior construction, and veneer 
General :

see Albizia

see Alder, Common

see Alder, Common

see Alder, Red

see Alder, Red

Other common names: Includes black alder, grey alder, and red alder. 
Distribution: Grows in northern hemisphere - Europe, Russia, western Asia, and Japan. Red alder grows on Pacific coast of United States and Canada. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber is straight grained, fine textured with orange brown sapwood and heartwood with no outstanding figure. Moderately heavy and soft with low bending strength, shock resistance, stiffness, and decay resistance. 
Working Characteristics: Nails, screws, glues, and works well. Stains and polishes satisfactorily and sometimes stained to match other cabinet woods. Carves and turns quite well. 
Common Uses: Used for broom and brush handles, textile rollers, toys, clogs, artificial limbs, cabinet work, plywood cores, and veneer. 
General :  

see Alder, Common.  
Other common names: Oregon alder, western alder. 
Distribution: It is a native of the Pacific Coast from S.E. Alaska south through British Columbia, Washington and Oregon to Southern California. Its commercial range is limited to the lowlands of western Oregon and Washington. 
Tree Data: This is one of the few western hardwoods that finds an important commercial use. In size, it sometimes attains 30" x 120', but it averages much smaller. Alder matures in 25 to 40 years and then starts to deteriorate by 60 to 80 years. Alder aids the trees growing near it because its root system puts nitrogen into the soil that helps conifers grow. Alder's expansive root system is also valued for discouraging erosion. 
Timber Properties : Timber is straight grained and even textured. Pale yellow to reddish brown with indistinct boundary between heartwood and softwood. Soft, light, not particularly strong, with good elasticity, good steam bending, medium stiffness, low shock resistance, low decay resistance, and good stability in service. It's hardness and density is comparable to Appalachian soft maple with a fine-grain similar to cherry, birch and maple. 
Working Characteristics: Works easily with hand or machine tools. Turns and carves extremely well. Marginal nail and screw holding properties. Glues, sands, stains and finishes easily. 
Common Uses: Commonly used for panel core stock (one of the easiest commercial timbers to peel). Also used for interior cabinets, fine furniture, furniture frames sash, doors, millwork, and carving and paper products It is also considered a good turnery wood.  Alder is regarded as a good medium for smoking meats and fish and is used in cooking and barbecuing in the same way as hickory and mesquite, to add flavor 
General : At one time, alder was considered a "weed" tree, a nuisance that was bulldozed to leave room for the more highly-regarded Douglas firs, hemlock, and other conifers. Alder has become the third most extensively exported hardwood in the United States. The biggest importers of alder are Germany, Japan and Italy, while half of what is cut annually is used in the domestic market. It is the only broadleaf tree with cones.

see Mesquite

see Afzelia

see Sweetgum

A tall straight tree, up to 4 feet in diameter, wood is very similar to lauan and tanguile. It is one of the most abundant of the lauans. Moderately soft and easily worked, and is very good for light construction and interior finish. 

Europe and East Africa

tree reaches a maximum of 10m

Reddish timber with light lustrous surface. grain is variable but texture is fine and uniform

not naturaly durable

Not easy to work but turns and carves well.

Used for inlays and fine cabinet work

Paradise wood, Eagle wood, Calambac

China, Malaysa tropical asia

Easy to work bus will split easily - needs pre drilling to fix

Sapwood is whitish, heartwood is dark coloured with beautiful, distinctive figuring and a fragrant resinous smell

see Oak, Australian

Pattern wood, stool wood

Africa

straight grained moderately close textured light yellow wood

used locally as substitute for imported softwoods

Brittle with gum pockets, liable to split

Non durable

see PurpleHeart

see Rosa Peroba

see Ovangkol

see Ovangkol

see Muninga

Timber not available Amboyna burl only available for carving etc

Available as burr veneer

Closely related to the Padauks

sapwood is whitish darkening on exposure to air, heartwood varies in colour from pale yellow to blood red and is highly figured

See Ash, White

see Beech, American

see Birch, Yellow

see Walnut, Black

see Chestnut, American

see Elm, American

see Basswood

see Sycamore

see Oak, Red

see Bubinga

see Sycamore

see Walnut, Black

see Oak, White

see Basswood

see Yellow Poplar

Tree of 5 to 20 meters height, found in the Amazon region to Rio De Janeiro. Its wood is used for interior and exterior finishing, carpentry, coverings, etc.

Tree of 20 to 30 meters height, foundin all the Amazon regions andthe Bahia.Timber is medium / dark red brown.  Used for interior joinery carpentry. moderately durable. 640 - 670 kg kg m-3

Other common names: Anegre, English Tawa, African Birch Tanganika, Mukali, Grogoli 
Distribution: Anegre is a wood grown in Central Afria, Ivory Coast, Ghana Similar to European Birch 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : There is no marked distinction between the heart and sap wood. Colour varies from whitish to pale shades of brown and often with hints of pink. Colour variations do occur. Timber is fairly plain in appearance however if quarter sawn sometimes shows growth ring figure. Where wavy grain is present a mottle figure is shown. The grain varies from straight to wavy, and the texture from medium to coarse. 550 kg/m3 
Working Characteristics: This specie dries easily by both the air drying and kiln drying methods. However, it does have tendencies to blue stain in the early stages of drying.  Presence of silica can be very hard on tools. Chipping can occur during cross cutting, drilling and planing. Anegre glues, stains and polishes well. 
Common Uses: 
General : 

Tree of up to 45 meters height, found in the Amazonian basin. Its wood is used for furniture, carpentry, decks, civil construction, etc. Timber has a brown thick texture. Durability low to moderate. 705 kc cu m - 770 kg cum

Tree of up to 45 meters of height, found in the Amazonian basin. Its wood is used for furniture, carpentry, decks, civil construction, etc. Timber is brown thick slightly revessa. 770kg cu m. moderately durable

Partridge wood, pheasant wood

West Indies

straight grained open textured wood reddish brown to almost black occasionally with attractive figuring

Hard to work but turns well. Is rather brittle

Durable

Mainly used in structural work

Other common names:  
Distribution: Grows in Suriname 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Angelique is medium brown colored wood, which has been widely used as a teak substitute outdoors and for flooring. It is used in parquet patterns where it uniquely reveals an almost 3-D depth, yielding a brown color when viewed with the grain and a lighter tan color when viewed across the grain. Angelique has a medium range of color varying from a tan nut brown color through to medium browns, some of which, when freshly milled reveal a purplish cast. Angelique exhibits a medium degree of color change with the muting of the varied browns to a medium/dark brown over time. 
Working Characteristics:  
Common Uses: 
General : 

see Gaboon

see Ovangkol

Chenchen, ogiovu

Africa

sapwood and heartwood poorly defined both being whitish to yellow grey in colour

non durable very light wood

not easily worked

low grade timber used in plywood cores, packing cases

see Afzelia

A tree attaining a diameter of 4.5 feet. The wood is moderately heavy and hard and works easily. Used for structural work, planks, piles, ties, shipbuilding, paving blocks and interior finish. It is one of the most widely distributed and abundant woods in the islands. 

Other common names:  
Distribution: The apples number about 30 species worldwide, all in the temperate zones or occasionally in the higher elevations of the tropics.    Of these, four species, all crab apples, are native to the U.S. One other species, the common apple, has become naturalized there. 
Tree Data: Apple trees will grow to 40-50 feet with stem diameters of 20-30 inches and will live over 100 years. 
Timber Properties : Applewood is pinkish-tan to cinnamon brown, usually figured with narrow-to-wide bands of various shades of brown in an attractive figure. It occasionally has nice arrays of bark fleck. The wood is tough and hard with a fine, close grain. This heavy wood has a specific gravity of 0.77 and weighs about 48 pounds per cubic foot at 8% moisture content - heavier than most American hardwoods including Eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).  The wood is diffuse-porous. It has a gradual transition from earlywood to latewood with distinct growth rings. Pores are fine, solitary and numerous. The abundant rays are very fine and narrow, usually two-seriate. Neither pores nor rays are visible without a hand lens. 
Working Characteristics: Apple dries with difficulty but with care and coaxing, the strong tendency to warp and check can be minimized. Once dry, the wood remains stable. The wood machines well with hand or power tools, but sharp cutters are a necessity. Apple produces clean edges but typical of hard, dense woods, it burns quickly if moved too slowly, is pinched or crowded. It turns especially well but the occasional uneven grain may cause some lifting when planed or jointed. The wood has little taste or odor. This wood glues easily, should be drilled for fasteners that it holds well and has a moderate steam bending rating. It is not durable when exposed to high moisture conditions or soil but is quite durable in weather. Apple finishes well and takes a beautiful high luster polish. There are no reported health hazards from working with apple, but the usual dust precautions should be taken. 
Common Uses: Apple wood has had almost as many uses as the fruit. It was used for mauls, gavels, mallets, wedges, handsaw and tool handles, machinery bearings, shoemaker lasts and chair rockers. It was also used for flutes and other musical instruments, bowls and woodenware, toys and cabinet specialties. Apple wood is used to smoke-flavor food and is a favorite firewood because of its delightful odor when burning. An apple stick is still the wood of choice for divining rods used in dowsing for water. 
General : Apple wood is not often found in sizeable straight logs, so it has little commercial value. It is frequently found at orchards in small log form or pieces suitable for sawing out on your shop band saw. 

see Osage-Orange

see Osage-Orange

Tree of 25 to 30 meters height, found in the Amazon region, as much in humid swamps as firm land. Its wood is used for heavy construction, furniture, etc. 950 kg cu m. Average to good durability

Yew from Japan Attains a height of 50 feet and diameter of 55 inches. Wood is compact and lustrous and is prized for ornamental parts of buildings, for turning, carving, pencils and bathtubs. 

see Cedar, Northern White see Western Red Cedar

see Madrone,  Pacific

Other common names: Mistol 
Distribution: Argentina 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Argentine jujube produces a dense fine textured wood with a somewhat elm-like figure. Heartwood is red to reddish brown in colour. Good durability 
Working Characteristics:  
Common Uses: 
General : The wood is not usually available in large dimensions. Jujube belongs to the buckthorn family. Trees do not attain large size and heartwood forms slowly. Seeds yield a paste used in candy. 

The equal, and very low, radial and tangential shrinkages of mesquite wood result in a very dimensionally stable timber with almost no tendency to warp. Mesquite when oiled will age to a naturally darker, rich, red-brown color from exposure to sunlight, however, if a UV inhibiting, water-based finish is used, the wood will stay a lighter shade. 

Other common names:  
Distribution: This wood grows along the Colorado River. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : It finishes to a beautiful luster, kind of greysh green with amazing little switchbacks in the grain, lots of burl, lots of lacy-looking places and some birds eyes. It is a very attractive wood and nice to work. Comes from a tree called "Cola de Cholote". Has a grain similar to cactus wood but less open. Burls need to be stabilized with epoxy  before working. Bark is almost as thick as cottonwood. Slow to dry and will crack easily. Should be dried in log form to maintain stability. Finished pieces have an amber-greyish cast. 
Working Characteristics: Drying must be done with great care as the wood sucks up a lot of water which if allowed to evaporate too rapidly will reduce a log to splintery cracks in a short time. Unlike other woods which lose their moisture through the ends of the logs and branches, AZ Silkwood loses its moisture from every surface through cells that look for all the world like cactus cells. 
Common Uses: Wonderful for accents and small projects 
General : Early in this century, Tamarisk was imported to Arizona from Australia to  aid in wind control. Planted around the edges of fields, it protected the crops from gale force winds. It is bug resistant, and nothing grows around or underneath it. It smells terrible when burned and has never been considered viable for any woodworking because of its' drying characterists. 

see Dogwood, Flowering

pale brown – light  400 kg m-3 – interior joinery, carpentry and furniture

Black & American White see below

See Koto

Other common names: Tasmanian Oak, White Top Stringybark 
Distribution:  
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Heartwood is pale pink to pale yellowish brown often indistinguishable from the sapwood. Gum veins are common. A walnut colour can be obtained by steaming with ammonia. The texture is moderately coarse, straight with some wavy grain producing fiddleback. 650 kg/cu.m 
Working Characteristics: Works easily a nd finishes well. Gluing is good. Alpine Ash steams and bends readily. Low to moderate durability timber best reserved for protected use. 
Common Uses: It is used in furniture, panelling, flooring, protected above ground framing, plywood, internal joinery, handles and cooperage. 
General :  

See Ash, White

see Ash, Black

See Ash, White

Other common names: brown ash, swamp ash, basket ash, and hoop ash. 
Distribution: Grows in United States and Canada. A common tree of the swamps 
and stream borders of the region included between Newfoundland, Lake Winnipeg, 
and Deleware, Virginia, Ohio and Arkansas. 
Tree Data: Maximum size 3' x 100', average diameter 20" 
Timber Properties : Timber is generally straight grained with a coarse texture. 
Grayish brown heartwood and light brown sapwood. Moderately heavy and hard with 
medium strength, stiffness, and shock resistance. Softer, weaker and lighter than 
white ash. Poor resistance to abrasion and decay. Good stability in service. 
Working Characteristics: Steam-bends exceptionally well. Works well with hand 
or machine tools - easier than other ashes. Marginal turning and mortising 
properties. Glues satisfactorily. Holds nails and screws well but pre-drilling 
recommended. Stains and finishes well. 
Common Uses: Used for interior trim, furniture (bent parts especially), basket 
weaving (splits easily along annual rings), dowels, plywood, and decorative veneer.
 General :Other common names - White ash is a better choice than black ash for 
applications such as tool handles where strength is important.  
The wood is softer, easier to work and more durable than white ash, though not
 so tough. 
It is used largely for furniture and interior finish.

see Ash, Black

See Ash, White

The ash, which is a light-coloured and widespread species, with satisfactory qualities, has become an essential variety for slicing. Indistinct cambium. Perfect wood creamy white. Medium grain. Veneers. Furniture. Interior joinery. Sports items. 680kg/m3

see Ash, Black see Hackberry

see Oak, Australian

This, the only ash of the northwestern U.S., occurs along the streams of the Sierra Nevada foothills and in the Coast Ranges from Santa Cruz Mts. north to B.C.. Most important in Oregon and Washington where it is cut commercially. Usually a small tree but sometimes 80 feet high and 4 feet in diameter. The wood is not as hard as eastern ash, light and only moderately tough. Used for vehicle repairs, furniture, cooperage and occasionally for interior trim

see Ash, Black

see Oak, Australian

Other common names: American ash, Biltmore ash, and cane ash. 
Distribution: Grows in United States and Canada. The most valuable of American native ashes and world-famous for its quality and technical properties. Found native from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, and south to Texas and Florida. 
Tree Data: Maximum size 6' x 120', average 2½' x 20-90'. 
Timber Properties : Timber is generally straight grained with a coarse texture. Pale-brown heartwood and almost white sapwood. Moderately heavy, hard, strong, and tough with moderately high shock resistance, good dimensional stability, and poor decay resistance. 
Working Characteristics: Steam-bends very well and is quite elastic. Machines fairly well with machine tools although turning and mortising properties are marginal. Glues, screws, and nails satisfactorily. Stains and finishes well, although filling may be required.  
Common Uses: Used for furniture, cooperage, baseball bats, boat oars, ladders, chairs, food containers, agricultural implements, tool handles, plywood, and decorative veneer. The wood is very tough and resilient, and is used for farm implements, tool handles, vehicle bodies, baseball bats, tennis rackets, oars, spring boards, piano frames, and to some extent for furniture and interior trim. 
General : White ash is the largest and most common of the ashes in the United States, as well as the most commercially valuable. There are roughly 16 ashes native to the United States, with most growing the eastern states. Ash is a member o fthe Olive Famly. The terms "tough" and "soft" ash stem from a marketing view of the lumber. The so-called tough ash is sold for the end uses of sporting goods and tool handles while the grades of soft ash are sold for furniture and joinery. The wood has excellent strength and elasticity. It is tough, stiff and hard, plus is high in shock resistance with excellent bending qualities and above-average workability. The timber dries rapidly, with little degrade and small movement in service. Ash has a moderate blunting effect on tools, but is easily worked with both hand and machine tools.

see Poplar  
Other common names:  
Distribution:  
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : The wood can have fantastic crotches with a very attractive mottled figure and streaks of pink, orange and yellow. This highly figured wood is often used for marquetry or other high end uses such as panelling or cabinetry. The wood dries easily but has a tendency to warp or twist during drying. Experts recommend care in storage to void distortion. Aspen has a low bending and crushing strength and low stiffness. 
Working Characteristics: Care must be taken in the sanding and finishing of aspen, otherwise the wood can be "wooly." Water-based finishes tend to work better than oil-based finishes. The wood works well with hand and machine tools, but it has a tendency to bind on a saw or tear. Sharp-edged tools are recommended. 
Common Uses: Aspen is idela for producing food containers. It is lightweight and has no odor. The light-colored aspen is frequently used to makecheese containers and baskets and all kinds of crates and boxes. It is an excellent wood for excelsior -- wood wool -- and for pulp and paper making. It is also used to make brake blocks and for furniture parts and interiors. 
General : Aspen is one of those domestic woods that gets very little glory -- after all, a wood that makes excellent excelsior is not going to get high marks from furniture manufacturers. But users say this under-utilized wood dserves more credit. Availability, as well as cost, are just some of the advantages of aspen. In a finished form, the wood is significantly lower priced than oak and ash. Same aspen logs are cut into highly figured logs and sliced into decorative veneers.

Other common names: aspen and trembling aspen. 
Distribution: Grows in north-eastern and north-central United States. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Timber is straight grained with a fine, uniform texture. Grayish white to grayish brown heartwood and lighter-colored sapwood. Soft, light, and low in strength, stiffness, decay resistance and shock resistance. Dents very easily. 
Working Characteristics: Easily worked by hand or machine tools. Turns reasonably well.
Common Uses: Used for pallets, boxes, matches, turned articles, veneer, particleboard, and pulpwood 
General : Often sold as poplar or cottonwood. .

see Utile

(False Arborvitae) From Japan An important tree, attaining a height of 80 feet and diameter of 6 feet. Used in temples, houses, ties, lacquer wares and well linings

see Cedar, True

see Cedar, True

Other common names: Australian Ash, Victorian Ash, Tasmanian Oak 

Distribution: Australian Ash is a generic name for a group of eucalyptus species grown primarily in Victoria and Tasmania, with E. regnans, E. delegatensis, and E. obliqua being the most common. The available resource is not large, but what is being milled is from sustainable and managed forests 

Tree Data:  

Timber Properties : The timber is graded to appearance grades only, the three primary grades being :  Select : virtually clear, allowing only very limited defects Standard : generally clean, but does allow some naturally occurring resin canals (black streaks). Natural Feature : allows all naturally occurring defects in the timber Most Australian Ash is supplied quarter sawn, and therefore tends to have a fairly straight grain pattern on the face of the board. 720 kg/m3 Durablity Heartwood Non durable Sapwood Non durable Very p rone to shrinkage and distortion 

Working Characteristics: The timber is relatively easy to machine and finish. 

Common Uses: Furniture, Joinery, and flooring 

General : 

see Blackwood, Australian

see Queensland Walnut

see Oak, Australian

see Queensland Walnut

Other common names: Cypress and Murray Pine. 

Distribution: Cypress Forests occur from the Riverina districts of New South Wales in the south through most of the mid west up into the southern central west of Queensland. 

Tree Data: The trees usually grow to about 15 to 20 metres high with maximum log diameter approximatley 600mm although most are much smaller. 

Timber Properties : Density(average) 800kg/m3 green 680kg/m3 dry Durability Class 1 Hardness Rating (average) 5.6kn green 6.5kn dry  Heartwood colour ranges from a light yellowish-orange to brown with some very dark brown streaks. The occurance of numerous knots is a characteristic of the timber which provides a remarkably decorative figure on the exposed faces. The knots are usually very tight and do not readily fall out of the finished timber. The heartwood of cypress is regarded as highly resistant to termite attack and very durable. The distinctive odour of the timber is attributed to the natural resins in the wood fibre which acts as repellent to the termites.The sapwood, like most timber species, however, does not have the same properties and is not termite resistant or durable.   

Working Characteristics:  

Common Uses: Cypress has always been regarded as a multi-purpose building timber and since the banning of organochlorine it has become highly favoured for domestic framing. Apart from its area of occurance, where it is used for most building and finishing components, Cypress is widely known as flooring, decking, panelling and weatherboards. The natural high durabliltiy and hardness set it apart from exotic imported and plantation softwoods and make it ideal for these exposed or high wear applications. 

General : This is the most common member of a group of Australian Conifers refered to as Cypress, this specie, White Cypress is the only member of the grouping commercially available. In New South Wales over 90% of Cypress is harvested from natural regrowth forests which are Government controlled by State Forests of NSW. These state forests have been managed since the late 1800's and now provide a stainable harvest as well as maintaining the ecological balance to protect fauna and provide access by the general public.

see European Hornbeam

Other common names: movingue, Nigerian satinwood, barre, ayanran, bonsamdua, ejen, and okpe 

Distribution: Grows in West Africa. 

Tree Data:  

Timber Properties : timber has straight to interlocked grain, sometimes wavy with fine, even texture and high luster. Lemon-yellow to yellow-brown sapwood and yellowish cream to light golden yellow heartwood. Moderately heavy with medium bending and crushing strength, low stiffness and shock resistance, moderate decay resistance, and very good dimensional stability. 

Working Characteristics: Can be difficult to machine due to blunting of cutting edges caused by silica in the wood. Gum build-up can also cause over heating. Pre-drilling recommended for screwing and nailing. Glues, stains, and polishes well (with grain filling). 

Common Uses: Used for cabinetry, window and door frames, ship fittings, flooring, and decorative veneers 

General :.

See Ayan

see Albizia

See BAGTIKAN:

Other common names: Light Red Lauan, White seraya, Urat mata Several species of Shorea go under this name. 

Distribution: Parashorea is reported to be a comparatively small genus, and is represented over a wide area from Burma, Indo-China, Sumatra and the mala Penisula in the west to Borneo and the Philippines in the east. P. plicata is reported to occur in the Philippines, and is found on practically all the Islands, except in northern Luzon. It is considered as one of the most abundant species in the islands 

Tree Data: Parashorea trees are described as very large, attaining heights of about 200 feet (60 cm), with trunk diameters of 36 to 60 inches (90 to 150 cm) above large buttresses. Philippine trees are reported to reach up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter. They usually develop straight and well formed boles that have merchantable lengths of about 100 feet (30 m). 

Timber Properties : Sapwood Color The sapwood is usually very wide, 2.5 to 3 inches (60 to 80 mm) and is whitish in color when freshly-cut, but darkens to light gray upon drying. It is not very distinct from the heartwood. Heartwood Color The heartwood is straw, light brown, or reddish brown in color, turning slightly darker upon exposure. Grain The grain is typically interlocked. Texture Texture is medium and even. Odor There is no distinctive odor or taste. Ease of Drying The timber is reported to air-season well and rapidly if properly stacked. Kiln-drying is also rated as not difficult. Natural Durability The timber is reported to have very little natural resistance against decay in the tropics and is only moderately durable in temperate regions. The heartwood is not resistant to termite attack and the sapwood is susceptible to attack by powder-post beetle. Resistance to Impregnation The heartwood is rated as extremely resistant to preservative treatment, but the sapwood is moderately resistant. 

Working Characteristics: Parashorea timbers are reported to be rather easy to turn and machine in boring, mortising, moulding, and all operations. Response to most machine tools is rated as very good, and machined surfaces tend to be smooth and clean with only slight blunting effect on cutters. The species has high bending strength in the air-dry condition (about 12 percent moisture content). It compares favorably with Teak, which also has high bending strength. Maximum crushing strength, or compression strength parallel to grain, is high. Some familiar species with high crushing strength parallel to grain include Hard maple, Teak, and White oak. Hardness is rated as medium. It resists denting and marring about as well as white oak or birch. The wood is of the Lauan type. Moderately hard, moderately heavy, easy to work and seasons well. Not very durable 

Common Uses: Cabinetmaking Flooring Furniture Joinery Light construction Plywood Shipbuilding Balusters Bedroom suites Building construction Building materials Chairs Chests Concealed parts (Furniture) Softer pieces are well-suited for patterns. 

General :

see Rosewood, Brazilian

see Brazilwood

Sapwood is pink, purple-brown or grey-brown and is fairly well-defined from the heartwood. which is light to deep red-brown. Grain is deeply interlocked. Texture is moderately fine to slightly coarse and even. Suitable for heavy and medium construction, beams, posts, joists, frames for wagons, trucks and lorries, heavy-duty flooring, heavy duty furniture, door and window frames, railway sleepers and transmission posts. 

Other common names: Balau 

Distribution: The species is widely distributed throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The resource is substantial, but a logging ban is already in effect in the Philippines, Malaysia has partial bans on the export of timber, and Indonesia imposes substantial taxes on the exporters of unprocessed timber. 

Tree Data:  

Timber Properties : Sapwood is moderately well-defined and lighter in colour than the heartwood. Colour of freshly cut heartwood is yellow-brown, brown or brown with reddish tinge weathering ultimately to a deeper shade of brown or reddish dark brown. Grain is interlocked, often giving rise to faint strip figure. Texture is fine and even. 880 - 980kg/m3 Durablity Heartwood Very durable Sapwood Non durable Stable 

Working Characteristics: The species is deemed to be a heavy hardwood. It machines well but the grain has a tendency to splinter, hence making it unsuitable for applications such as decking. 

Common Uses: Suitable for all forms of heavy construction, bridges, wharves, railway sleepers, piling, telegraph poles, transmission posts, beams, keels, keelsons, framework of boats, dock blocks, fenders, framework of carriages, wagons, lorry and truck bodywork, door and window frames. heavy-duty flooring and heavy-duty furniture. 

General : The timber is graded to Select grade only, and this grade excludes sapwood.

See baldcypress

Other common names: cypress, southern cypress, cows cypress, pond cypress, swamp cypress, red cypress, yellow cypress, 
white cypress, black cypress, and Gulf cypress. 
Distribution: Grows in eastern half of United States being native along the streams and in the swamps along the Atlantic 
and Gulf Coasts from Delaware south to Florida and west to Texas and north along the Mississippi bottoms to southern Illinois
 and Indiana. It is not related to the Monterey cypress of California. 
Tree Data: Attains a maximum size of 12' x 150', averaging 3-5' x 100' . 
Timber Properties : Timber is generally straight grained with a coarse texture and a sometimes greasy feel. Variable colored 
heartwood, ranging from yellowish to brown or black; pale yellowish white sapwood. Varies considerably in color, weight, and 
durability. Typically light, soft to moderately hard, with moderate strength and stiffness, good dimensional stability and 
exceptional decay resistance (especially older growth material). 
Working Characteristics: Works easily with hand and power tools. Holds screws and nails well and glues satisfactorily. Sands 
smoothly and holds paint and other finishes very well. 
Common Uses: Used mainly for outdoor building applications because of its high decay resistance. 
Other uses include caskets, sash, doors, millwork, tanks, vats, silos, containers for corrosive chemicals, boat building, 
stadium seats, boxes, and crates.  Localized pockets of fungus decay often create "pecky" cypress which has a rather novel 
appearance 
General :  Like the redwood this is a member of a very ancient genus. It is peculiar in that it inhabits swamps that are 
submerged much of the year.  The wood is exceptionally durable and is therefore prized for greenhouse lumber, for posts, 
stakes, shingles, siding and tanks, and is also used for interior trim, boxes and crates.

Other common names: lanero, polak, tami, topa.
 Distribution: Grows in Central America, South America, Indonesia, and India (most comes from Ecuador). 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Straight grained and spongy with a pale beige to pinkish color. Low in absolute strength, stiffness, and shock resistance, although quite strong for its weight. Quite stable in use. 
Working Characteristics: Possibly the easiest wood to cut, shape and sand. Not suitable for steam bending. Finishes fairly well but porous composition soaks up finish. 
Common Uses: Used for insulation, sound modifiers, buoyancy aids, model-making, cushioning, core stock. 
General : Softest and lightest commercial hardwood

Other common names: fir, Canadian fir, eastern fir, and bracted balsam fir 
Distribution: Grows in eastern half of United States and Canada. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Straight and even grained with a medium to fine texture. Creamy white to pale brown color, heartwood indistinguishable from sapwood. Light and soft with low strength, shock resistance, and decay resistance. 
Working Characteristics: Works fairly easily with hand or machine tools. Glues, screws, nails, stains, paints, and varnishes well. 
Common Uses: Used primarily for general construction, as well as boxes, crates, sash, doors, trim, plywood, and pulpwood 
General :. .

Indiginous to China light tan color with light yellow throughout. Over time the colors mellow to a more uniform yellow. Used in China for constructional purposes, elsewhere used for flooring and decorative furniture and mouldings.

A herb - no timber

Sangre, Bastard cedar & Tapsava

British Honduras and the Guianas

mild working timber useful for turnery, with a slight tendency to split, takes stain and polish well

Featureless wood pinkish brown to brown grey

Usued in packing cases

see Blackwood, African

see Mahogany, African

See Persimmon

See Ayan

see African Padauk

Other common names: Basralokus, Barakaroeballi (Surinam), Angelique batard, Angelique gris (French Guiana).  Another species, Dicorynia paraensis, is found in the Brazilian Amazon and is called Angelica do Para.
 Distribution: Distribution: Abundant in eastern Surinam and western French Guiana where it may make up 10% of the forest stands. Best growth on deep, loamy, well-drained soils of lowland plains but also found in wet areas. 
Tree Data: The Tree: Well-formed tree to a height of 150 ft and diameters to 5 ft but more commonly to 3 ft. Boles are clear for 60 to 80 ft over heavy buttresses. 
Timber Properties : General Characteristics: Heartwood reddish brown gray to reddish- or yellowish brown sharply demarcated from narrow brownish-white sapwood. Texture medium; unusual subsurface luster; grain usually straight, sometimes somewhat interlocked; no distinctive odor or taste. Vessels are prominent as long brown lines on side grain producing an attractive figure. Silica content reported 0.20 to 1.70% and as high as 2.92%. Weight: Basic specific gravity (oven-dry weight/green volume) 0.65; air-dry density 50 pcf. Drying and Shrinkage: Moderately difficult to season, dries rapidly but with a tendency to moderate checking and slight warping. Reported to hold its place well after manufacture. Heartwood quite resistant to moisture absorption. Durability: Heartwood is resistant to very resistant to attack by decay fungi but is somewhat susceptible to dry-wood termites. The wood is resistant to attack by marine borers.  Preservation: No data available but is reported as probably extremely resistant to preservative treatmen 
Working Characteristics: Working Properties: Working properties vary according to density and silica content but generally works well and finishes smoothly. Specially tipped cutters are suggested particularly for dried wood. Glues well. 
Common Uses: Marine construction and general heavy construction, railroad crossties, industrial flooring, ship decking, planking, and framing, piling, parquet blocks and strips. 
General : 

Other common names: linden, American linden, lime, lime tree, American white wood. 
Distribution: Grows in Canada and United States A tree widely distributed in the eastern half of the U.S. and of considerable economic importance. Its natural range extends from New Brunswick south to Virginia and Alabama, and west to the Dakotas, Kansas and Texas. Most abundant in the Lake States. 
Tree Data: Attains a maximum size of 4' x 140' and averages 21/2' x 80'. 
Timber Properties : Generally straight grained with a fine, uniform texture and medium luster. Creamy-white to brownish heartwood and nearly white sapwood. Soft, light, low in strength, shock resistance and decay resistance. Poor for steam bending. 
Working Characteristics: Works well with sharp machine or hand tools and is excellent for carving (soft and resists splitting). Glues, screws, nails, stains, and finishes satisfactorily although soft texture can be challenging for staining. 
Common Uses: Popular among hobbyists for model ships, airplanes, and other wood carvings. Other uses include boxes, crates, cooperage, furniture, millwork, drawing boards, toys, novelties, pattern making, dowels, handles, venetian blinds, core stock, and decorative veneer.  
General :. Basswood is a soft wood. It is extremely light in weight and is almost without color -- although some of the wood can be pale pink or brown. It is never used where strength is important. Basswood is, by and large, one of those non-glamorous woods popular for such low-key uses as corestock, boxes and crossbanding. Basswood is also known as the woodcarver's favorite species. In the Middle Ages, lime ( a common name for basswood's European species) was called a holy wood because it was used so often to carve religious figures. It works well with hand or machine tools and is "kind" to cutting tool surfaces as long as they are kept sharp. The wood is also ideal for precision working and stability and is easy to cut while maintaining its shape. As a carving wood, its assets include its soft nature and the fact that it cuts easily, yielding a clean and polished looking surface no matter what cut of the grain is used. Its many uses include hand carving and turnery, piano keys, harps, pattern making and drawing boards. In less glamorous applications, basswood is commonly used for making crates and boxes, charcoal, hatblocks and excelsior. Another common use of basswood in the United States is for beehive frames. Because of its light weight, it is also used for making artificial limbs. It is also used for millwork such as mouldings, sashes and doors.

See Banak

see Hackberry

see Magnolia

see Blackbean

see Laurel, California

see Magnolia

see Blackbean

Other common names: red beech, white beech, stone beech, and winter beech 
Distribution: Grows in Canada and United States. Range extends from New Brunswick west to Wisconsin and south to western Florida, Missouri and eatern Texas. 
Tree Data: An important species in the eastern forests, attaining a size of 4' x 100'. 
Timber Properties : Straight or sometimes interlocked grain with a fine, even texture. Dark to light uniform reddish brown to bright cherry red heartwood and very thin, nearly white sapwood. Unlike the true beech it does not have a prominent fleck figure. Hard, heavy, strong, stiff and shock resistant. Poor dimensional stability and decay resistance. 
Working Characteristics: Machines well but can be difficult to work by hand. Tends to split - pre-drilling recommended for screws and nails. Finishes and steam-bends well. 
Common Uses: Does not impart taste or odor to food: ideal for food containers, baskets, utensils, and bread/butcher boards. Also used for chairs, handles, flooring, turned articles, clothes pins, workbench tops, tool handles, novelties, and interior furniture. 
General :. Not prized highly in the American markets, although its European cousin is one of Europe's most important commercial hardwoods. The wood is hard, strong, heavy and tough, and is used for the cheaper tool handles, for woodenware, furniture, novelties, flooring  Southern beeches are relatively unknown in the woodworking world and is sometimes called Brazilian cherry. Coigue, rauli and lengue or South American cherry wood are used for furniture components, cabinet work, millwork, cooperage and all-purpose timber, especially in the countries where they grow. The advantage of the wood is that it finishes extremely well, is very easy to work with hand and machine tools, plus it glues and screws well.  The wood is usually straight-grained and of uniform texture. Selected logs are cut for decorative veneers and used for cabinetwork, paneling and other architectural uses, fine furniture, butcher blocks, cutting boards and grandfather clocks. This wood dries slowly, with little degrade. Has medium density, bending and crushing strength; low stiffness and low resistance to crushing strengths. Works well with hand and machine tools. Easy to glue and finish. 

see Beech, European

see Beech, European

see Beech, European

Other common names: Beech, English beech, Carpathian beech, Danish beech, and others according to country of origin. 
Distribution: Grows in central and southern Europe and southeast Asia. The resource is adequate to maintain ready availability of timber and veneers to both the domestic and international markets.
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : Natural matt white colour often kiln treated to obtain a more or less pronounced pink. European Beech undergoes a medium degree of color change with a slight muting of the orangey tan colors and an ambering in color over time. Generally straight grained with broad rays, and fine, even texture. Pale cream to pinkish brown heartwood that darkens to a pale reddish brown. Hard and heavy, with high bending and crushing strength and moderately high stiffness and shock resistance. Poor dimensional stability and decay resistance. 570 - 720 kg/m3  Durablity : Heartwood Durable, Sapwood Moderately durable 
Working Characteristics: Machines well but can be difficult to work by hand. Tends to split - pre-drilling recommended for screws and nails. Stains and finishes well, sands to an excellent finish. Exceptionally good for steam bending. Possibly the most popular general purpose furniture wood. 
Common Uses: Also ideal for food containers, baskets, utensils, and bread/butcher boards because it does not impart taste or odor to food.  Also used for chairs, handles, flooring, turned articles, cooperage, musical instruments, clothes pins, workbench tops, tool handles, novelties, core stock and decorative veneers. 
General :  European Beech is widely used in furniture where its light orangey tan color along with its fine graining and small rays offer a distinct contemporary look. European Beech offers a medium range of color variability in each of the color ranges this wood is offered in. In the drying process, Beech which is steamed yields a pink/orangey tan color, while the unsteamed Beech yields a blonde tan colored wood.  Interior joinery: High quality Furniture, parquets, moulding, etc. Panels: plywood, glued and/or finger-jointed laminboard and boat building. Decorative veneers. Turnery. Bentwood parts. Railway sleepers. 

see Beech, American   
Other common names: Red Beech 
Distribution: Red Beech is a native of New Zealand. The main growing areas are from the east cape of the North Island to Cook Strait, and some areas of the west coast of the South Island. 
Tree Data:  
Timber Properties : The species is similar to Australian myrtle, and is graded to appearance grades. Heartwood Durable Sapwood Non durable The heartwood varies in colour from a deep red to a pale pink, while the sapwood is a pale creamy white colour. 650 - 700kg/m3 
Working Characteristics: The timber is very difficult to kiln dry, but when dried, it has superior machining and finishing qualities 
Common Uses: :Furniture, patio decking, turned products, and flooring.  
General :  Red Beech cannot be exported without a licence.

see Beech, American

see Sycamore

see Beech, American

see Beech, American

Australia, Malaysia, Burma

Heartwood is red to red brown and may show a stripe figuring

Difficult to work by hand apt to split during drying

Not naturally durable

Used in rafters, mining posts structural timbers

see Satinwood, Ceylon

Sapwood is straw-coloured and is sharply differentiated from the heartwood, which is brick red or dark red when fresh, darkening to dark red-brown or walnut brown on exposure. Grain is interlocked or irregular. Texture is slightly coarse and even. Suitable for light to medium construction, boat-decking and planking, heavy-duty flooring, parquet flooring and transmission posts.

Other common names -  Ekop, and Awoura  This is a wood with satiny depths and stripes similar to Zebrawood but much more subtle.  Specific gravity of  0.91 

Indiginous to Central Africa  Natural red / brown colour with yellowish white vein, medium texture grain and slight occasional countergrain. Silver grain This red-brown wood with a clearly distinguished cambium can be used for many purposes. Good quality logs are well suited to rotary cutting. However, this fairly dense variety has many applications in joinery and cabinet making. Interior joinery, fine joinery. Cabinet making. Sliced veneer for decoration. 1000 kg/m3

Sapwood is well-defined by colour. Heartwood is light brown to almost bright yellow when freshly cut but darkens on exposure to a deep reddish brown, becoming very dark brown or even black with age.Grain is straight. Texture is moderately fine to fine and even. Used for all heavy construction, marine piling, boat construction, sharves, fence posts, heavy-duty industrial flooring, shingles and vehicle body work.  

see Mahogany, African