In spite of this, walnut is still a great wood to work with and lends itself nicely for use as accents and inlays to dress up a project. The results aren’t awful, but the color isn’t uniform throughout the wood. Solid wood — that is, wood cut into boards from the trunk of the tree — makes up most of the wood in a piece of furniture. Always sand with the grain as sanding against the grain can create scratches, and wood dye ... 2. Because most coniferous trees grow fast and straight, softwoods are generally less expensive than hardwoods. The most common type of cedar is the western red variety. It might be that you just need to shop around a bit to get what you really want. Pine is available from most home centers, but it’s often of a lesser grade than what you can find at a decent lumberyard. Colour is the same, or a bit darker, than Black Walnut. Often referred to as Douglas Fir, this wood has a straight, pronounced grain, and has a reddish brown tint to it. We just purchased new Pella windows which are made of pine and would like to have them match the dark walnut cabinets. The following sections introduce you to the most common types of soft- and hardwoods. Douglas fir is moderately strong and hard for a softwood, rating 4 on a scale of 1 to 4. Cherry’s heartwood has a reddish-brown color to it and the sapwood is almost white. Both types of birch have a hardness of 4 on a scale of 1 to 5. You won’t find cherry at your local home center, so a trip to the lumberyard is necessary if you want to use it. Hand sanding with the grain is the best way to massage this hardwood into bringing out its beautiful grain, working with progressively finer grits of sandpaper as you go. Some of the more exotic species can be too expensive to use for anything more than an accent. As its name suggests, it has a reddish tint to it. It has an attractive grain and is relatively affordable. Maple comes in two varieties: hard and soft. Red oak can be found at most home centers, but if you want white oak, make a trip to the lumberyard. It doesn’t have the most interesting grain pattern and doesn’t take stain very well, so it’s best to use it only when you intend to paint the finished product. One of the great furniture woods, mahogany (also called Honduran mahogany) has a reddish-brown to deep-red tint, a straight grain, medium texture, and a hardness of around 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. I've never tried staining it, but Butternut has very similar grain pattern and is cheaper than Walnut. It’s also fairly soft (1 in hardness on a scale of 1 to 5), which makes it easy to work with. This wood is worth mentioning because it is very common at your local home center and it’s so inexpensive you’ll probably be tempted to make something with it. Common Woodworking Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them. As for the very light accents, they are Garry Oak. Is that how the saying goes? The substitutes for walnut are all more expensive than walnut. Yellow birch is a pale yellow-to-white wood with reddish-brown heartwood, whereas white birch has a whiter color that resembles maple. Both varieties are harder than many other woods; hard maple is so hard (a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5) that it’s difficult to work with. And if one stain doesn't do it, hit it again. Dark woods are popular and relatively rare--they will always be expensive. A top pick for head-boards, ornate antique-style dining tables, and mantels, walnut is typically clear-coated or oiled to bring out its color. it's not only about the color. The downside to hardwoods is their price. This is one wood that can be found quarter-sawn (the most stable cutting option available). The variety of colors, textures, and grain patterns makes for some beautiful and interesting-looking furniture. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Walnut can have some amazing grain patterns that, while quite dark, can be extremely attractive when finished properly. cheap wood with stain on it. Natural wood colors can also be based on the degree of saturation (meaning how dark a color is – high color or light pale) as well as transparency (meaning matte and glossy), divided into other groups. Birch is stable and easy to work with. It's softer, but I bet (in the end) it will be the closest match once you work out the finishing details. Walnut is not terribly high on the list of expensive woods in most areas. Western Red cedar is mostly used for outdoor projects such as furniture, decks, and building exteriors because it can handle moist environments without rotting. Press J to jump to the feed. However, it’s hard to stain because it can get blotchy, so you might prefer to paint anything that you make with birch. Just pick a blonde wood you like, maple being a a very good place to start, and test out some stains until you get the color you want. Blondes are more fun!? I love that stuff! 3. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Birch is inexpensive, but it’s so lovely that it’s often used for making fine furniture. Check out the National Hardwood Lumber Association for ways to support sustainable forestry. Two coats of brown and red and no one knows that the 3 piece crown moulding on that 9' ceiling is poplar not cherry (like the wainscot below it). Oak is one of the most used woods for furniture. If you get it rift sawn or get a hold of some straight grain plain sawn, it will look pretty decent. Because it’s in demand, cherry is getting somewhat expensive compared to other domestic hardwoods, such as oak and maple. Ash is a white to pale brown wood with a straight grain. I really like the dark look of walnut but man I don't like the price. It takes stain very well and looks great with just a coat (or 10) of oil. making pine look like walnut. Although, you should use a pre-stain conditioner or sealer before staining to reduce its tendency towards blotchiness. White oak actually takes dark stain ok. not just a board or two), it should be possible to pay significantly less than retail by buying from an individual. Forget going to your home center to get some — the only place to find mahogany is a decent lumberyard (and it’ll cost you). Teak is highly weather-resistant and beautiful (not to mention expensive — can you believe almost $24 a board foot?). Many varieties of wood are available, and each has its own properties. Example: the legs and top are Black Walnut. Cherry has a hardness of 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. Wood shop used to have willow. Because poplar is not the most beautiful wood, it’s rarely used in fine furniture, and if it is, it’s almost always painted. Wipe off the sanding dust with a dry rag. This type of wood is relatively soft (1 on a scale of 1 to 4), has a straight grain, and has a slightly aromatic smell. The substitutes for walnut are all more expensive than walnut. The first step to showing off these grain patterns is to sand the wood properly. Sand the poplar with 80-, 150- and 220-grit sandpaper. Poplar is good for making toys, bowls, and small woodworking crafts. Cheaper than Black Walnut. Unfortunately, walnut is somewhat expensive (usually around $8 a board foot), and finding large boards for big projects is getting difficult. Personally, I'd try to find a deal on some Walnut before looking for substitutes, especially if you're in a part of the country where it grows. Birch is readily available and less expensive than many other hardwoods. Western red cedar is moderately priced and can be found at most home centers. I've been reading this sub every day for more than a year now and I think this is the first time I've seen someone recommend staining something. This has been a common manufacturing practice in moderately priced furniture for more than 50 years. Birch comes in two varieties: yellow and white. Following is a list of common softwood varieties and their characteristics. You might consider birch. You won’t find maple at your local home center, but most lumberyards have a good selection of it. Pine comes in several varieties, including Ponderosa, Sugar, White, and Yellow, and all of them make great furniture. Not sure if anyone will believe me, but poplar takes a dark stain really well. Oak is commonly used for flooring and furniture because many people love its grain. More specifically, the top and legs are from the same piece of Black Walnut. Also the grain pattern doesn't match up well with walnut (imho) though rift would probably be the way to go. This is a very common wood for furniture-making and is available from sustainably grown forests. 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