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Alder (Alnus Rubra) Alder is the leading hardwood of the Pacific Northwest. The heartwood and sapwood are very similar in color, from pale pinkish brown to almost white. Its excellent stability makes it very popular for edge-glued table tops, and its turning and carving quality suits most chair applications well.
Aspen (Populus Tremuloides) Aspen is light, soft, and moderately weak in strength. There is little distinction between heartwood and sapwood, ranging from whitish to grayish-brown in color. Often used as a Basswood substitute, Aspen is mainly used in container applications, with its light weight and high resistance to splitting.	See Lumber Grades
Basswood (Tilia Americana) Basswood is the most versatile of all American hardwoods, because of its softness, light weight, and excellent carving and turning abilities. Creamy white to pale brown in color with no distinct grain pattern. Basswood's uses include cabinet drawer interiors, Venetian blinds, framestock, and toys.	See Lumber Grades
American Beech (Fagus Grandifolia) Beech is a hard, strong, heavy close-grained hardwood, white to reddish with some difference between sapwood and heartwood color. As a furniture wood, it is known for its bending qualities, finishes smooth and sands to a high polish. Beech is ideal for heavy-duty flooring, woodenware and handles.	See Lumber Grades
Yellow Birch (Betula Alleghaniensis) Yellow Birch is a good all-purpose wood as lumber, veneer, or plywood, with a very even texture, a fine grain, and extreme hardness. Nearly white or pale sapwood and creamy light brown to reddish heartwood, Birch is popular for furniture, interior woodwork, and flooring.	See Lumber Grades
Cherry (Prunus Serotina) Cherry is known as a superior cabinet wood, with excellent moisture resistance and finish holding, and minimal shrinkage and swelling. It has a rich natural finish, and nearly all available Cherry is used for high-grade work to highlight its beautiful color.	See Lumber Grades
Sap Gum (Liquidamber Styraciflua) Sap Gum is the sapwood portion of the Gum tree. The heartwood is referred to as Red Gum. Its color is pinkish white, and has an interlocking grain which makes it strong and stiff. Sap Gum is a preferred species for furniture, cabinetry, paneling, doors, and interior trim.
Hickory (Carya Cordiformis) Hickory has a combination of strength, hardness, stiffness and shock resistance not found in any other wood. The sapwood is white, while the heartwood is red or reddish brown. Long used in chair production, with excellent bending properties, its primary use by far is for tool handles.
Hard Maple (Acer Saccharum) Hard Maple is recognized as one of the best hardwoods found in North America, with a light color, fine texture, straight grain, and a subdued attractive grain figure. With natural strength and stability, combined with good availability, Hard Maple has widespread applications, including furniture, flooring, and veneers.	See Lumber Grades - Unsel See Lumber Grades - Sap
Soft Maple (Acer Rubrum) Soft Maple is similar to Hard Maple in appearance, somewhat lighter in color, and about 25% softer, making it superior to Hard Maple in bending and warp/twist resistance. It is an economical wood, with primary use in furniture, and is well suited for enamel finished and brown tones.	See Lumber Grades
Red Oak (Quercus Spp.) Red Oak is a commercial name used for several species of Oak, with a wide range of color, texture, and density characteristics, including Northern, Southern, Scarlet, and Black. Available in large volume, Red Oak is a heavy, dense, open grain wood widely used in furniture and flooring applications.	See Lumber Grades
White Oak (Quercus Spp.) White Oak is considered the King of American Woods, and comprises several sub-species of varying color, texture, and region including Bur, Chestnut, Swamp, Post, and Chinquapin. Many grain patterns are obtained from different sawing or slicing angles. Besides good appearance, White Oak has exceptional strength, hardness, waterproof and bending qualities.	See Lumber Grades
Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron Tulipfera) Yellow Poplar, one of the largest hardwood trees grown in the USA, is available in quantity for both lumber and veneer. Sapwood is creamy to white, often with darker streaks; heartwood is yellowish-green, and sometimes light brown. Yellow Poplar is suitable whenever extreme hardness and strength are not required.
Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra) Black Walnut is a prized species for veneer panels, doors, furniture and cabinetry, with a warm, rich, high-quality appearance, and a wide variety of grain patterns and figuring. Walnut also has superior physical properties, making it the preferred wood for airplane propellors and gun stocks.	See Lumber Grades
***Photos courtesy of the American Hardwood Export Council.***