Navigating the Lumber Yard
Can you smell the sawdust in the air? Are you dreaming about measuring twice and cutting once? Does that dream flash to a nightmare where you are stuck staring at the piles of wood around you unsure of which to choose?
We've been there and we're going to help you through it. We know first hard that choosing the right wood for your project is important and confusing.
1. Cedar - This is a softwood that is mostly used for outdoor projects such as furniture, decks, and building exteriors because it can handle moist environments without rotting.
2. Fir or Douglas Fir - This is another softwood. It's normally used in building construction. However, due to its price tag, it can be used for furniture-making as well. It doesn't take stain well so we'd suggest painting it instead.
3. Pine - This is a soft wood too. It is very easy to work with and carve. It holds stain very well as long as you seal it first.
4. Birch - This is one of the hard woods. Hardwoods come in a variety of colors, textures and grain patterns that can make for some beautiful pieces. Birch is easy to work with, but doesn't hold a stain well.
5. Cherry - This is one of the most popular hardwoods. It's depth of color lends itself to a variety of wood working projects. It's easy to work with, stains well, and ages beautifully.
6. Mahogany - One of the preferred hardwoods for furniture making. It takes stain well, but also looks wonderful with just a coat of oil.
7. Oak - This hardwood is probably the most widely used for furniture. The white oak variety is resistant to moisture and can be used to make outdoor furniture.
As always, be sure to swing by Santee Hardware before starting your project so that we can ensure that you're on the right path.
