Since the dawn of history, man has been working with wood.
In the earliest times, like in ancient Egypt, people created crafts out of wood
like toys, weapons and bowls. Even in modern times, wood craft is highly
popular.
Today, we create many
items with wood ranging from necessities to luxurious works of art. For
instance it is used to create furniture for homes as well as designer wooden handicrafts.
All wood is basically classified into two: Soft wood and
Hard wood. Softwoods are gymnosperms that have seeds with no cover and bear
leaves in every season. Hard woods are angiosperms that have seeds with hard
covering and lose all their leaves in winter. Hardwoods are sturdier and harder
to cut. Soft woods are grown in tree farms than forests and so are environment
friendly.
Types Of Woods
Softwoods
The main types of softwoods are:
·
CEDAR: It is popular with craftsmen. One reason
is its pleasant smell. It has a straight grain and so is used to make exterior
buildings like decks and furniture because of its ability to handle moisture
and avoid rotting.
·
PINE: Are of many kinds like white, sugar,
yellow etc. and used to create furniture. Craftsmen find it easy to work with.
·
FIR: It has a reddish tint and a unique straight
grain. It is popular as it is inexpensive.
·
REDWOOD: Another softwood that is resistant to
moisture. It is also easy to work with.
Hardwoods
In general, craftsmen prefer to work with hardwood. The
reason is that hardwoods have a greater variety of colors, grain patterns and
textures. But they are more expensive because they need a longer time to grow.
There is also great concern about the decimation of forests that are hardwood.
The main types of hardwood are:
·
MAHOGANY: It is most reputed for creating
beautiful furniture. It has a grain of deep brown color and straight nature,
which can be stained very well. But the trees are not grown on farms and so are expensive types, not found in major
retail stores.
·
ASH: Light in color and serves as a substitute
for white oak. Like mahogany, it is easy to work with but not easy to find and
mostly found in lumber yards.
·
CHERRY: Many craftsmen use this wood for their
crafts. It stains properly, is easy to craft and is more durable than other
woods.
·
BIRCH: Found in yellow and white, it tends to be
easy to find and inexpensive.
·
MAPLE: Have two kinds: hard and soft. Hard
versions are tough to work with. Soft types have fine grain and are less
expensive.
·
OAK: Popular for making furniture and easy to
work with. Two types are red and white. White is water resistant and suitable
for outdoor projects like tree houses.
·
POPLAR: It is a low cost hard wood which is
comparatively soft. They tend to have brown streaks against white background.
Hence they are popular for indoor furniture like dressing tables.
·
WALNUT: It has rich color and is easy to work
with. But it is the most costly type of hardwood. It is popular with craftsmen
for luxurious items.
·
TEAK:
Being weather resistant and gorgeous to look at, it features a golden
shade. It needs to be specially ordered
from lumberyards.
These are the major types of wood available in the market.
One can order and buy wooden handicrafts
online based on the type of wood you fancy.
