Trade names: Sapele veneer.
Botanic name: Entandrophragma
Similar woods: South
Origin: African hardwood.
Range: This species grows to a height of up to 45 m. It is mainly seen in the tropical forest of Africa. The name of the wood, Sapele comes from the city of Sapele in Nigeria, where the tree is prevalent. Sapele is a commonly exported and economically important African wood species.
Uses: Used in production of Veneer, plywood, furniture, cabinetry and flooring.
Properties: Sapele veneer is very even in colour and grain. It has a curly and mottled figure. Sapele has a wild "razor-like" pattern
Trade names: Sapele veneer.
Botanic name: Entandrophragma cylindricum.
Similar woods: South American mahogany
Origin: African hardwood.
Range: This species grows to a height of up to 45 m. It is mainly seen in the tropical forest of Africa. The name of the wood, Sapele comes from the city of Sapele in Nigeria, where the tree is prevalent. Sapele is a commonly exported and economically important African wood species.
Uses: Used in production of Veneer, plywood, furniture, cabinetry and flooring.
Properties: Sapele veneer is very even in colour and grain. It has a curly and mottled figure. Sapele has a wild "razor-like" pattern
Trade names: African rosewood, faux ebony
Botanical name: Millettia laurentii
Origin: Central Africa
Range: The species grows to a height of up to 18-27m. The tree belongs to that of the legume family which can be distinguished by their flowering patterns, colourful leaves, and fruit. It is natively found in Central and West Africa, including countries such as Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Uses: Most commonly used for the creation of veneer, panelling, furniture, turned objects, and high-end musical instruments
Properties: It is extremely durable, dense and tough
Trade names: Sawn, Black cherry.
Similar woods: Red Alder, Maple and Birch are the most common substitutes.
Botanical name: Prunus serotina
Origin: North America
Range: Cherry wood varies from rich red to reddish-brown and darkens with age and on exposure to light
Uses Fine furniture and cabinet making, moulding and millwork, kitchen cabinets, panelling, flooring, doors, boat interiors, musical instruments, turnings, and carvings
Properties: Cherry is of medium density and has good bending properties, it has low stiffness and medium strength.
Trade names: Sawn, Black cherry.
Botanical name: Bo Na Tilia Americana
Origin: Eastern North America and Europe.
Range: 20-40 m tall and trunk diameter 1-1.2 m. This odourless and finely grained wood is a blessing for woodworkers and other industries everywhere and has easily managed to find its place on the worldwide commercial market.
Uses: It is mainly used for large-scale operations such as the creation of wood pulp, veneer, plywood, musical instruments and window shutters and blinds.
Properties: Basswood is light and soft with generally has low strength properties and a poor steam-bending classification.
Trade names: Carolina Pine, Yellow Pine, Red Pine
Botanical name: Pinus taeda
Origin: North America
Range: Vast forests of longleaf pine once were present along the southeastern Atlantic coast and Gulf Coast of North America, as part of the eastern savannas.
Uses: Furniture, Construction lumber, Doors
Properties: The bark is thick, reddish-brown, and scaly.
Trade names: Kentucky Coffee tree, Coffee tree
Botanical names: Gymnocladus dioicus.
Origin: Eastern North America
Range: The tree grows in such a substantial size; thus, good quality lumber can be produced. The tree is medium-sized to large and can reach 100 feet in height.
Uses: Used for posts and railroad ties. Extensively used for building furniture, cabinets, and interior millwork.
Properties: As it is strong and has some durability, the wood has good working properties
Botanical names: Diospyros ebenum
Origin: Found in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Western Africa
Range: Species of ebony include the Diospyros ebenum or Ceylon ebony which is native to southern India and Sri Lanka; the Diospyros crassiflora or Gabon ebony which is native to western Africa; and the Diospyros celebica or Sulawesi ebony which is native to Indonesia and prized for its luxuriant, multi-coloured wood grain.
Uses: It is the most ideal wood for musical instruments because of its stability and superior tonality and clear tone. Its has a dark and unusual wood colour which helps in making the manufacturing of ornate, decorative pieces.
Properties: Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood. It is generally finely-textured and has a mirror finish when polished, making it valuable as an ornamental wood.
Botanical names: Swietenia mahogany
Origin: Americas
Range: One of the first places Mahogany wood was discovered was in Belize, however it soon became known that the Mahogany tree was indigenous to the Americas. In its native environment, the Mahogany tree grows to an immense size – as much as 150 feet high and between 10 and 12 feet in diameter. The average Mahogany tree is 3 to 6 feet in diameter.
Uses: To manufacture a veneer product, in which a core of inferior wood is covered with a thin layer of mahogany.
Botanical name: Larix occidentalis
Origin: Northwestern North America
Range: The tree goes up to 30-55 m tall, 1-1.5 m trunk diameter. It is valued for its tough, waterproof and durable qualities.
Uses: Used as a top-quality knot-free timber. It is in great demand for building yachts and other small boats, extensively for exterior cladding of buildings, and interior panelling.
Properties: Heaviest and hardest native coniferous wood.
Origin: North Bavaria, Germany, Central Europe
Range: The heartwood is light brown to yellowish-brown. It was used in Germany for a long time the most common plywood for furniture. The strong and very durable oak wood is very versatile. Depending on the type of surface treatment, it looks classic or very modern
Uses: Used in high-quality, aesthetically interesting furniture
Properties: Hard, very durable and possess high strength.
Range: Uses Homebuilding, flooring, panelling and furniture making. Also used for making kitchen cabinets, window frames and doors
Properties: Most economical domestic wood available. It takes stain quite well and can be painted. It is lightweight and easy to saw, plane, sand, and finish.
Trade names: Lacewood, Brazilian Lacewood, South American Lacewood
Botanical name: Panopsis spp. (P. rubescens and P. sessilifolia)
Origin: Tropical South America
Range: The tree grows at least 9-15 m tall, with .6-1.0 m trunk diameter. Uses Veneer, cabinetry, fine furniture, musical instruments etc
Properties: The wood itself is a reddish-brown with grey or light brown rays, which result in a lace pattern when quarter sawed.
Botanical name: Tieghemella heckelii, T. africana
Origin: Western and Middle Africa
Range: The tree grows up to 55-60 m tall, and has 1.2-1.8 m trunk diameter. Extensively seen from anywhere between Sierra Leone to Gabon.
Uses: Used for making veneer, plywood, furniture, cabinetry, flooring, musical instruments, turned objects, and other small wooden speciality items.
Trade names: Olive Ash, Common Ash, European Ash.
Botanical name: Fraxinus excelsior
Origin: Europe
Range: Depending on soil and climate, the tree can grow up to 24-30m with diameters between 0.6-1.5. During WWI, Olive Ash was used to constructing aircraft.
Uses: Used in architectural panels, cabinetry, ceilings, dashboard pieces, as doors, as well as in furniture and marquetry.
Properties: This wood was ideal for the structure of aircraft because of its flexibility and strength.
Other names: Peltogyne, Purpleheart, Amaranth
Origin: Native to tropical rainforests of Central and South America
Range: Grown in anywhere between Guerrero, Mexico, through Central America, and as far as south-eastern Brazil.
Used: For building Inlays or accent pieces, flooring, furniture, boatbuilding, heavy construction and a wide variety of speciality wood items.
Properties: The wood has excellent strength properties, and can be used in applications where strength is important— it is a block of wood good for both form and function.
Botanical name: Quercus rubra
Origin: the North-eastern United States and South-eastern Canada
Range: Can grow up to 25-35 m tall, with 1-2 m trunk diameter
Uses: Used in cabinetry, furniture, interior trim, flooring and veneer.
Properties: The wood is hard and heavy, with medium-bending it has strength and stiffness and high crushing strength.
Trade names: Brazilian rosewood", but also as "Bahia rosewood". East Indian Rosewood, Indian Rosewood, sonokeling.
Botanical name: Dalbergia latifolia
Origin: India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia
Range: Can grow up to 30 m tall with 6-1.2 m trunk diameter
Uses: Used for making fine furniture musical instruments, veneer and other speciality wood objects.
Properties: The wood is hard, dense, heavy varieties of wood. It has relatively high crushing strengths and high bending strengths. Rosewoods also offer good stability
Trade names: Brazilian rosewood", but also as "Bahia rosewood". East Indian Rosewood, Indian Rosewood, sonokeling.
Botanical name: Dalbergia latifolia
Origin: India, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia
Range: Can grow up to 30 m tall with 6-1.2 m trunk diameter
Uses: Used for making fine furniture musical instruments, veneer and other speciality wood objects.
Properties: The wood is hard, dense, heavy varieties of wood. It has relatively high crushing strengths and high bending strengths. Rosewoods also offer good stability
Trade names: East Indian Satinwood, Ceylon Satinwood
Botanical name: Chloroxylon swietenia
Origin: Central and southern India, and Sri Lanka.
Range: It can grow up to 12-15 m tall with .3-.5 m trunk diameter.
Uses: Used for making veneer, inlays, furniture, turned objects and other speciality items
Trade names: English Beech, French Beech, Danish Beech, Romanian Beech
Botanical name: Fagus sylvatica
Origin: Europe
Range: Can grow up to 30-40 m tall, with 1-1.5 m in trunk diameter
Uses: Used extensively as Lumber. Also used for veneer, flooring, boatbuilding, furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, plywood, and turned objects. Typically found in office buildings as reception desks, screens etc
Properties: Very suitable for steam-bending. It has medium stiffness and high crushing strength. It is a very good wood for turning.
Origin: Europe
Range: Sycamore trees are believed to be over 100 million years old and some sycamore trees are expected to live for 500-600 years. The sycamore tree sheds its bark to make way for its new growth underneath. Hippocrates, Ancient Egyptians has a history of mentioning the Sycamore Tree.
Uses: Used mainly for making high graded veneer for furniture and interior decoration, it is important for wood products where the white colour is important
Properties: Moderate in weight, hardness, stiffness, and shock resistance and has good bending qualities.
Trade names: Teak, Burmese Teak
Botanical name: Tectona grandis
Origin: Native to southern Asia
Range: It is widely grown on plantations throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It can grow up to 30-40 m tall, with 1-1.5 m in trunk diameter.
Uses: It is used in ship and boatbuilding. Used in making Veneer furniture and for exterior construction also for carving turnings and other small wood objects.
Properties: Teak has a high degree of natural durability, it is moderately hard and heavy with low stiffness.
Trade names: Teak, Burmese Teak
Botanical name: Tectona grandis
Origin: Native to southern Asia
Range: It is widely grown on plantations throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It can grow up to 30-40 m tall, with 1-1.5 m in trunk diameter.
Uses: It is used in ship and boatbuilding. Used in making Veneer furniture and for exterior construction also for carving turnings and other small wood objects.
Properties: Teak has a high degree of natural durability, it is moderately hard and heavy with low stiffness.
Trade names: Ailanthus, tree of heaven, Chinese sumac
Botanical name: Ailanthus altissima
Origin: Native to China; widely naturalized worldwide
Range: It is grown up to 20-30 m tall, .6-1 m in trunk diameter. It is a unique species that has its origins in Eastern Asia. It can also be known as Sumac, Stinking Sumac, or Chinese Sumac. It is from the Simaroubaceae family and is a vigorously growing tree.
Uses: Extensively used for cabinetry and paper (pulpwood).
Properties: It has similar working properties to Ashwood. And it is strong and durable.
Trade names: White Ash, American White Ash
Botanical name: Fraxinus Americana
Origin: Eastern North America
Range: It is grown up to 20-30 m tall, and with .6-1.5 m in trunk diameter. The name white ash derives from the undersides of the leaves
Uses: Used for extensively for flooring mill and work boxes/crates baseball bats and other turned objects such as tool handles.
Properties: Ashwood has strength and durability and is generally light in colour.
Trade names: Northern White Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae
Botanical name: Thuja occidentalis
Origin: Northeastern North America
Range: It grows up to 15-20 m tall with .4-.6 m in trunk diameter. It has remarkable longevity and some specimens live to be 800 years old. The wood of white cedar is stable, finely textured and extremely long-lasting.
Uses: Used for mainly boatbuilding, carving, siding, shingles, and construction lumber.
Properties: It offers exceptional natural resistance to insects and decay, resulting in excellent durability
Trade names: Stave Oak, Ridge White Oak, Forked-Leaf White Oak and Fork-Leaf Oak
Origin: Eastern U.S
Range: It grows up to 20-25 m tall with 1-1.2 m in trunk diameter. Northwest’s White Oak is grown in both the Glacial and Appalachian regions. Strong, economical and rot-resistant.
Uses: Used for making furniture, flooring, architectural millwork, moulding, doors, kitchen cabinets, panelling and caskets
Properties: White oak is a hard and heavy wood with a medium-bending and crushing strength, low in stiffness, but very good in steam-bending.
Botanical names: Betula alleghaniensis
Origin: U.S. and Canada
Range: Situated in a wide range across the northern U.S. and Canada, yellow birch generally grows best in rich, moist woodlands by rivers and streams.
Uses: It is used for making furniture, cabinetry, charcoal, pulp, interior finish, veneer, tool handles, boxes, woodenware, and interior doors.
Properties: Yellow birch wood is relatively strong, close-grained, and heavy.
Trade names: Zebrawood, Zebrano, Zingana
Botanical name: Microberlinia brazzavillensis
Origin: West Africa (Gabon, Cameroon, and Congo)
Range: The tree goes up to 20-40 m tall with 1.2-1.5 m in trunk diameter. For most of the 19th century, the botanical identity of zebrawood was unknown. It is grown in lower tropical rain forests of Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
Uses: Used as a decorative exotic wood for primarily sliced veneer, occasionally rotary cut for face veneer, wall panelling, custom furniture, furniture trim, inlay bandings, marquetry, speciality items, turnery and as luxury architectural woodwork.
Properties: Zebrawood's blinking dark and light stripes produce alternating soft and hard material. The variable density and structure might create some woodworking problems when machining