There are many species of wood used for woodworking throughout the world. Each species has different treatment rules to get the most out of certain types of wood. Most wood workers like to work with hard wood. The variety of colors, textures, and grain patterns make beautiful and attractive furniture. The disadvantage of hard wood is the price. Some of the more exotic hardwood species can be too expensive to use other than accents. The type of wood you choose determines the beauty and strength of your furniture. Many wood varieties are available, and each has its own properties. The following section introduces you to the most common types of hardwood.

Teak
Although this type of wood has medium to high color variants, wood lovers always love the heart wood which has rich brown color when exposed to sunlight. While Teak sap has lighter cream color. Depending on the growing conditions, some teak even have greenish color, small yellow stripes and even some darker colors. Teak wood is known for its natural resistance to the elements. With this quality, teak is the first choice for outdoor structures or garden furniture and for indoor cabinet applications.

Mahogany
One of the great furniture woods, mahogany has a reddish and brown to dark red color, straight fibers, medium texture, and a hardness of about 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. This wood is very well colored and looks great with just a few layers of paint. Wood craftsmen around the world consider authentic mahogany to be the best of all wood furniture. It has the quality to recommend it because it has pieces of beauty and exceptional work characteristics in durability, stability and beautiful shine. Wood workers find that this wood also requires and stores extraordinary details, while it can be shaped easily.

Oak
Oak is one of the most widely used wood for furniture and has many varieties, but most have very similar qualities for woodworking. White oak is preferred for furniture making because it has a more attractive figure than red Oak. White Oak is also resistant to moisture and can be used for outdoor furniture. Although Oak has a very different and sought-after appearance, it can be a hard wood to work with. However, by following some specific guidelines, you can overcome the common difficulties of working with Oak and get extraordinary results from your Oak projects. In fact, quarter-sawn wood is cheaper than other hardwoods, such as cherries. Red Oak can be found in most central houses, but if you want white Oak, take a trip to the lumberyard.

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