There are so many different species of wood available at your lumber yard nowadays, that it may be difficult to know where to start. Your choice will depend on a number of factors, including cost, color, grain and availability. If you are unsure as to what particualr wood you should use for a particular project, talk to the people at the lumber yard as they will be able to guide you very well.

All wood is not created equally. Wood with good working properties such as basswood, or alder, may not have the strength or durability for you project. At the same time, other woods such as cherry, or walnut that have nice finishing qualities may not be the color of choice for the project.

So, first and foremost, you must know what you are building before you select the wood. If your project requires strength, like a chair, then you will need wood that is strong enough to take the load, such as maple or oak. If your project is a decorative one that requires some carving detail, then a softer wood like basswood or pine might be in order. If your project is to be put outdoors, then you will need a wood that can last out in the elements, choose a wood like teak, that does not take a finish well, but its natura loils will protect it outside.

Here is a list of common woods and their durabilities to the exterior environment.

Least Durable:
Alder
Birch
Ash
Poplar
Spruce

Most Durable:
Teak
Oak
Cedar
Iroko
Chestnut

Here is a list of common woods in order of density from (east to most.

Softwood:
Red cedar
Spruce
Scots pine
Douglas fir
Pitchpine
Yew

Temporate Hardwoods:
Basswood
Poplar
Alder
Sycamore
Ash
Elm
Chestnut
Walnut
Cherry
Beech
Birch
Oak
Maple

Tropical Hardwoods:
Obeche
Agba
Meranti
Idigbo
Mahogany
Abura
Iroko
Utile
Sapele
Teak
Afrormosia
Ebony