Stairscase Wood Species
Genuine Mahogany
| Color: | Blood red to reddish brown, sometimes lighter in color with pale red to grayish tinge |
| Density: | Medium texture, moderately heavy |
| Grain: | Fine grain with interlocking parallel runs at times (ribbon) |
| Machinability: | Excellent |
| Finishing: | Takes stain well, will soak it up quite a bit. We suggest using sanding sealer. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Has long been a premier choice for high end furniture and millwork. Usually the grade is excellent and average width is wider than most domestic hardwoods. Excellent exterior uses. |
| Common Uses: | High end furniture, interior millwork, exterior doors, windows, and trim |
| Other Names: | Honduras Mahogany, Genuine Mahogany (African Mahogany is genuine also), South American Mahogany |
Brazilian Cherry/Jatoba
| Color: | deep reddish brown, sometimes with wine colored undertones |
| Density: | high density, very, very heavy |
| Grain: | Uniform medium texture, regular to irregular interlocking grain |
| Machinability: | poor, very tough on machinery |
| Finishing: | Direct sunlight will affect a color change in a matter of days. Out of sunlight it will oxidize slowly in about six months. Water based finishes tend to retard the color change and oil based finishes will enhance it. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Most poplar hardwood import from Brazil. |
| Common Uses: | high end furniture, hardwood flooring, staircase treads |
| Other Names: | Brazilian Cherry, Jatoba |
Quarter Sawn White Oak
| Color: | light tan to brown heartwood, sapwood, sapwood is creamy white to gray |
| Density: | very hard, shock resistant, and very dense, heavy |
| Grain: | moderately open grain on plain sawn, Quartered and Rift is straight grain |
| Machinability: | fairly well, can be tough on tooling |
| Finishing: | Takes a finish well. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Highly resistant to the environment, very hard, may be a bit more color consistent than Red Oak. Quartered and Rift sawn have a striking grain appearance. |
| Common Uses: | barrels, buckets, tool handles, furniture (especially Quartered or Rift grain) |
| Other Names: | Many individual species of Oak fall into the White Oak category. |
Walnut
| Color: | brown to deep purple brown heartwood, sap is brilliant white to cream color-gray |
| Density: | fairly light weight, medium texture |
| Grain: | moderately open grain |
| Machinability: | excellent machining characteristics, turns, sands, and carves well |
| Finishing: | Unsurpassed in finishing! Clear finishes and oils will bring out satiny grain. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | The dark heartwood makes this very distinctive. Try using pieces with sap mixed with heart. |
| Common Uses: | high end furniture, carving, flooring accents, musical instruments, gun stocks |
| Other Names: | American Black Walnut |
Red Oak
| Color: | pinkish red to blonde in color |
| Density: | very hard and strong |
| Grain: | Openly porous and with dramatic grain patterns. Like White Oak, it is offered in Quartered and Rift grains also. |
| Machinability: | excellent |
| Finishing: | Due to porous nature it will soak up stains but also offers a wide variety of finish tones. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | This is probably the most popular hardwood used in modern woodworking. Broad grains give this a pronounced appearance. |
| Common Uses: | furniture, cabinets, molding, trim, flooring, paneling, turning |
| Other Names: | encompasses many individual species: Northern Red, Southern Red, Black, Shumard, Cherrybark, Scarlet, Pin |
White Oak
| Color: | light tan to brown heartwood, sapwood, sapwood is creamy white to gray |
| Density: | very hard, shock resistant, and very dense, heavy |
| Grain: | moderately open grain on plain sawn, Quartered and Rift is straight grain |
| Machinability: | fairly well, can be tough on tooling |
| Finishing: | Takes a finish well. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Highly resistant to the environment, very hard, may be a bit more color consistent than Red Oak. Quartered and Rift sawn have a striking grain appearance. |
| Common Uses: | barrels, buckets, tool handles, furniture (especially Quartered or Rift grain) |
| Other Names: | Many individual species of Oak fall into the White Oak category. |
Maple
| Color: | creamy white to off white sapwood-tinged occasionally with slight red brown heartwood |
| Density: | hard, heavy and strong, very resistant to shock and abrasive wear |
| Grain: | closed grain, uniform texture. Some of the figured Hard Maple is available (Curly, Birds eye, and Quilted) |
| Machinability: | excellent, will tear out with dull tooling |
| Finishing: | Finishes very well. Some of the figured woods will show variable levels of penetration. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Great wood for applications requiring hardness. Birds eye and curly patterns are available. |
| Common Uses: | furniture, handles, cabinets, woodenware, flooring, paneling, millwork and moldings |
| Other Names: | Sugar Maple, Black Maple, Norway Maple, Rock Maple |
American Cherry
| Color: | red to deep reddish brown heartwood, white to yellowish sapwood |
| Density: | medium weight, moderately hard, stiff and strong |
| Grain: | fine, closed grain |
| Machinability: | excellent |
| Finishing: | Takes a finish well, however light to natural finishes are recommended. |
| Distinctive Characteristics: | Beautiful markings (gum streaks, pin knots sometimes) and red color will darken to a rich reddish brown with age. |
| Common Uses: | high end furniture, cabinets, interior millwork, musical instruments, paneling, flooring |
| Other Names: | American Black Cherry, Choke Cherry, Rum Cherry, Whiskey Cherry, Wild Cherry |
