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Wood 101

This section of the website has been developed to profile some of the wood varieties that I utilize when making your new furniture pieces. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I have just picked out some of my favourites.

 

Being a proudly Canadian-based woodworker I am committed to use only 100% sustainably grown, North American wood species. I use Canadian hardwoods first, but there is a lot of overlap with our neighbors to the south and some materials may have their origins there. I consider the use of exotic or tropical hardwoods to be unnecessary given the quality and improved sustainability of utilizing hardwoods we have available in our own backyard.​​

"American white oak is to me the most noble of woods."

                                                                                                                                            - Nick Offerman (aka Ron Swanson)

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Quarter-Sawn White Oak

Heartwood is a light to medium brown, Sapwood is nearly white to light brown.

 

Grain is straight, with a beautiful varied colour and texture. Quarter-sawn white oak is distinguished - and coveted - for its distinctive medullary ray flecks.

Is a strong, dense wood famous for being used to build the most durable 18th century naval warships.

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Walnut

Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown. Colour can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish undertone. Sapwood is a pale to medium cream colour.

Grain is usually straight but has areas of beautiful irregular figure.

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Alder

Heartwood is a light to medium brown, with a golden/reddish undertone. Colour tends to darken with age.

 

Grain is straight with an even, medium texture. Available in knotty and clear varieties.

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Hard Maple

Sapwood colour is off-white to white, sometimes with a reddish undertone.

Grain has an even, fine texture and a generally straight grain with some wave to it. Has a very tight, closed grain.

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Birch

Heartwood tends to be a light reddish brown, with nearly white sapwood. Has a fairly uniform appearance but with some colour gradients across the grain.

Grain is generally straight or slightly wavy, with a fine, even texture.

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Red Oak

Heartwood is a light to medium brown, with a reddish undertone.
 

The grain is straight with an uneven texture. A very common hardwood that has been popular for decades across Canada. It is quite hard, works well, accepts stain beautifully, and is cost effective.

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