General

Mission-style furniture is the quintessential example of furniture made in a simple style. It is tough, heavy, and durable. Traditionally, craftsmen made this furniture using red or white oak. Nowadays craftsmen use other woods like ash, cherry, maple, and walnut to make Mission-style furniture. Mission-style furniture is sturdy and sometimes even chunky. You can identify … Read more

Maple is one of the most versatile and popular types of wood in use in the United States for woodworking projects. We use it for flooring, cabinets, furniture, pool cues and bowling pins. Maple wood is easily available all over the country. It is affordable yet durable. Soft maple vs hard maple is a common … Read more

Wood is one of the most versatile and abundant materials available on earth. As a material, it is of great economic importance. Some woods are strong, hard, weather resistant, chemical resistant, or rot resistant, but none stands out for every possible function or use. Natural wood is of two main types – hardwood and softwood. … Read more

When you look for rare woods, zitan wood is a type of wood that comes to mind. This is an almost mythical wood in that you hear about it but rarely get to see it. Today zitan wood is heard of but rarely seen. Zitan or red sanders comes from the Eastern Ghats of South … Read more

One of the most controversial trees in the history of woodworking is the yew tree. The tree has a long history. The lumber that comes from this tree is also a topic of much discussion in woodworking circles. Is yew good for woodworking? Yes, yew wood has many useful applications. Despite the belief that it … Read more

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends $40 billion a year to combat termites. These pests destroy over 600,000 homes each year. We call termites “silent destroyers” because we only discover them after they have destroyed the wood completely. Does wood varnish prevent termites? It can prevent them. Termites, which we also call “silent destroyers” … Read more

Sanding can be a messy task when you work with wood. You end up with a lot of sawdust and debris, and it is an extremely time-consuming job. It might surprise you to know that you don’t always need to sand wood. So, as a woodworker, you need to identify situations where you don’t need … Read more

When wood comes into contact with heat and humidity, its fibers expand.  Wood is a porous and hygroscopic material. It means that when left on its own it will absorb water readily. The result is that the wood swells. Heat also has a similar effect on wood. Does wood swell in heat? Yes, it does. … Read more

A patina is a thin layer of material that forms on wood over time. Caused by the interaction of wood with the environment, it is generally brown or black. Patina is a phenomenon that occurs naturally, but you can create it artificially. It also forms on the surface of copper, brass, bronze, and other metals. … Read more

Popular legend says that sawn lumber grows stronger with age. It’s a fact that old wood is stronger than on the day it was first milled. Old wood is at least 50% stronger than fresh-cut lumber. Does wood lose strength over time? As wood grows older, decreased moisture content makes it stronger. It shrinks the … Read more