Hardwood Species
White Ash
The wood is very strong, hard,
tough and elastic. The heartwood of commercial white ash varies from
grayish brown, to light brown, to pale yellow streaked with brown; the
sapwood is lightly colored or nearly white. A popular, easy to finish
furniture wood, ash is also an excellent wood for paneling, handles,
bending stock, veneer and sporting goods.
Hickory
An important variety of N.C.
hardwoods, hickory is very heavy, very hard, stiff and strong; the color
is white to cream with a tan heartwood. It has a very high resistance to
shock and therefore is a favored wood for tool handles. Other uses
include furniture, paneling, sporting goods and other specialty
applications
Soft Maple
A favorite of American furniture
makers, the wood is creamy to light brown. Although softer than hard
maple, it is still a very hard wood and offers great resistance to
abrasion. Other uses include paneling, interior finishes, cabinets and
novelties.
Red Oak
The natural tones and contrast give
oak it’s unmistakable character. The wood is heavy, hard, stiff and has
a high resistance to shock. The color varies from light brown to a light
brown with a reddish cast. It is a favorite wood for furniture, interior
finishes, paneling, flooring, pallets, crossties, millwork, caskets,
stair treads and risers.
White Oak
The wood varies from a light brown
to a light brown with a grayish cast in the heartwood. With limitless
design possibilities, white oaks are used for architectural interiors,
paneling, furniture, flooring, tight cooperage, millwork, crossties,
pallets, veneer, caskets and boats.
Black Walnut
Finishing beautifully with
impressive grain patterns and color, black walnut is widely described as
the most valuable of American hardwoods. The color varies from a rich
chocolate brown to a dark purplish brown. Main uses of black walnut
include furniture, architectural woodwork and decorative panels. Walnut
is also used in gun stocks, cabinets and interior finishing.
American
Tulipwood/Yellow Poplar
One of the most abundant species of
hardwoods in N.C., tulipwood has many desirable characteristics that are
suitable for a variety of uses. The sapwood is white and frequently
several centimeters thick; the heartwood is yellowish brown, but can be
streaked with purple, green or black. Because of the white sapwood and
excellent machining properties, tulipwood is gaining favor in many
export markets. It is used for furniture parts, molding, interior trim,
siding, musical instruments, boxes, crates and veneer core stock and
backs. Tulipwood holds paint, enamel and stain well.
Hard Maple
This wood is typically
sorted by color due to the cream to white sapwood and light reddish
brown heartstock. It is heavy, hard, strong, close grained and
possesses a uniform texture which creates a beautiful tight finish when
sanded. Due to the high shock resistance, it is often used in carved
furniture arms and legs, flooring, and cabinets.
Cherry
