Questions tagged [wood-selection]
Questions regarding selection of wood for specific applications or characteristics.
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How to identify big-box store pine and poplar species?
Big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowes sell a lot of lumber labeled "pine" and "poplar", but these common names correspond to some very different species with very different ...
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How can I order wood which won't warp?
NB I am in the UK. The situation could be significantly different in other countries.
I currently want to build some simple bookcases. I loathe MDF and want to make these from solid wood.
Many years ...
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Would a frame of 44mm x 18mm wood be strong enough to support MDF doors? [closed]
I'm designing my first indoor bit of furniture and I'm planning to hide some Ikea bookshelves behind some MDF doors to make some built in cupboards
I was going to use the following 18x44mm timber for ...
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Using Balsa for Wood Slat Wall?
I'm interested in building something like this:
Would balsa wood be an acceptable material to use? Balsa is very lightweight, so I'm assuming it'll be easy to work with. It's also very cheap.
My plan ...
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How long should I leave a green yew stick clamped to a bench for straightening?
I have already gotten a lot of great info from some previous questions on here, but honestly speaking, I am trying to find a reliable answer for my ten year-old, son who (probably rightly) doubts my ...
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Help getting started building decorative wooden crates
I would like to build some crates like those shown in the attached photos (including the Indy crate!) but I am having trouble getting started because I am not great at coming up with plans myself. I'd ...
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Can I use pine and poplar together in trim?
Is it safe to use pine and poplar interior trim pieces together or will I have trouble later from things expanding/contracting differently in the future? Specifically, I have pine door jambs and ...
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What is a good choice for wood to build painted vanity cabinet doors?
I'm going to build paint grade shaker style vanity cabinet doors. I will use 1/4" plywood for the panel. I haven't loooked, but I'm guessing I can find 1/4" Birch plywood.
I'm not sure what ...
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Cost-effective wood selection for outdoor craft project
Lots of questions here about outdoor wood/finishes but most of them are for furniture or other high-end projects. I'm looking to build planters like this one...
The plans I purchased list MDF as the ...
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How is playground wood treated?
Hi everyone I'm just wondering what is the standard for treating playground wood in a safe way for kids such as in this picture?
I've done a bit of searching but I can't find anything conclusive.
...
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What is the difference between MDF and MDO?
What are the differences between Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and Medium Density Overlay (MDO)?
In woodworking circles, MDF seems to be much maligned, yet MDO seems to be rather highly praised. ...
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How to find or create board for about 40x28 table to use as a keyboard tray
I'm working on one of my first DIY projects that's a combination of some 3d printed parts along with one main wood piece. The goal that I'm trying to achieve is a static keyboard tray that hangs under ...
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What's the name of this type of wood panel?
Question. This is made by, I think, gluing many moderately sized pieces of hardwood. What is it called?
Appandix. Reason I'm interested about this is to consider using it for doors instead of ...
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How to pick the right timber for external doors
Context. Door is used in humidity, rain, and high UV.
Questions.
What to look for in timbers' specifications in order to see how well they fit the context?
From my research, I found these, but not ...
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What is a good US Wood to repair some Jarrah furniture?
We have a table and set of benches in the garden, made of Jarrah wood. The only treatment they've had is regular coating with Jarrah oil, so they are nice and dark.
Some of the benches have recently ...
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Would poplar or alder be good for a desk?
I'm planning on building a desk soon and I am going to make the top of it out of 1x6 planks that I am going to join together. Would poplar or alder be strong enough for a lot of writing with something ...
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Pine vs Birch plywood bending
I'd like to make something like in this picture
I'm thinking of using 1.2mm plywood doubled on each side. Is birch plywood (which seems to be quite a bit cheaper) any worse than pine?
If you have any ...
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Wood sag question
I used a 2ft. piece of 2x12 Doug Fir as a small ramp for truck.
When truck weight was on the 2x12; the 2x12 flexed (sagged) a little and when the weight was removed the 2x12 went back into its regular ...
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What type of wood can I use to achieve this finish?
I’m relatively new to fine woodworking and I’m building something that needs a color/finish like this piece
Any ideas what kind of wood, stain, etc this might be or what I could use to mimic it? The ...
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Good wood(s) for making kitchen utensils?
I was asking a question on the cooking SE site about best utensils for cleaning and scraping pans w/o damaging them (particularly nonmental utensils) and realized that I probably have all the tools I ...
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Outdoor wood project for hot dry climate
I want to make a wooden mailbox that will be on a pole at the front of my house. I live in Phoenix Arizona so the temperature ranges where this will be sitting, are from 20F (-7C) to 150F (65C). (...
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Why do I need to use mutliple narrower pieces of wood when I can just use one wide piece?
I'm a beginner woodworker and I'm trying to understand something super basic here - let's say I'm building a bookshelf that's 12 inches deep. Why do I need to glue (after jointing and planing) two ...
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Can I use softwood for garden furniture?
I have lots of softwood so I am making some garden furniture. I know that this is not ideal in terms of how long it will last, painting and rotting, am I right to be concerned?
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What type of wood can be used for a jigsaw puzzle?
I'm interested in making a planet puzzle for my toddler, and I'm wondering what woods I can use. The plan is to have a relatively large puzzle (3'x1') with large pieces (~20 including the planets). I ...
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Would wood conditioner help keep ink from bleeding on wood?
I'm working on (water-based) ink-jet ink transfers to wood by printing images on freezer paper and then rubbing the ink into the wood. I'm using aspen and poplar for this project.
The issue I'm having ...
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Is Khaya more durable and a better flooring choice (based on quantitative hardness, density, etc.) than "genuine mahogany"?
I am having a hard time placing Khaya/African mahogany. An article states:
Varieties of mahogany include Honduran, South American, Peruvian, Bolivian, Cuban, Big Leaf and True. All of them are ...
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Wood type and size for a tabletop
I'm watching this video as a guide on how to build my new desk tabletop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USx0Pc6grZ0.
I'm very new to woodworking and have a question about structural integrity:
Are ...
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laminating cherry to pine or ash
I want to make bedposts about 6" square. I want to laminate cherry to the outside and wonder about the core. I thought I would use pine or ash as a core. worried about the expansion of the inner core ...
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Best wood for large picture frame (cost not a factor)
I need to have some frames made which will have fabric stretched tight around them, so they are not actually picture frames, but what artists call "stretchers". Some of them are large, about 8 feet ...
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Is it feasible to use furring strip to create a large frame?
My first woodworking project. I've completed a large puzzle, dimensions ~ 62" x 42", and I'm interested in creating a "frameless" frame to mount it on the wall. This would involve cutting and securing ...
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Replace porch boards (2x6) with composite
In 1993, my front porch was built using 2x6's for the decking, mounted perpendicular to the front of the house. After too many years of painting, replacing porch post's and rail balusters, I'm ready ...
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How Much Weight Can a 1inch x 11inch Dowel Hold/Support?
I am asking about the 6416U 1 in. x 1 in. x 48 in. Hardwood Round Dowel they sell at Home Depot.
I plan to join 3 4x4s and use the middle one as a swivel, the middle one will be under load and the 2 ...
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What wood can I use to make a jewelry box with a scroll saw? [closed]
I’m fairly new to wood working. I took a shop class in school years ago but that’s about the extent of my knowledge. I was wondering what a good wood would be to make a jewelry box using the scroll ...
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Wood selection and thickness for a laminate workbench top
I am planning a proper woodworking workbench for my shop in a Roubo style with a laminate top. The top will be 2 1/2' x 6'. As I will likely have this bench for the rest of my life, I do not mind ...
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What kind of wood is appropriate for a cast iron bench?
I have a cast iron bench with wooden slats that have rotted outdoors. The environment is coastal New England, so there are extremes of temperature, salt, and ice. The type of bench is shown in the ...
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Can you use smaller dimensions of hardwood than softwood and have the same strength?
I am planning on building some furniture which has to support 2 aquariums. I have found many examples online of a simple design which uses 2x4s constructional softwood to build a box for the aquarium ...
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Monolithic wooden boards vs joint wooden boards
We are going to make modular kitchen and wardrobes for our home using pure hard wood like teak wood. The depths of the shelf vary from 1 feet to 1 and half feet.
For shelves, can we use planks of ...
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Thickness of back-panels, horizontal planks and vertical planks
Our walls are made of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) with a thickness of 15 cm.
The walls have 15mm gypsum plaster on both the sides.
We are doing interior design - installation of wardrobes and ...
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7' x 7' Resin Shed Base - Plywood on blocks?
I bought a 7x7 resin shed. Link below: https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/sheds-outdoor-storage-accessories/sheds/suncast-reg-covington-reg-storage-shed-7-x-7/bms7725/p-1507530514920.htm
I need to ...
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Did I get hosed on the price for this ebony?
A local box store called Woodcraft had some pretty rough cut Ebony out for sale at $80/board foot. I haven't researched it much and don't know if this is a good price, but I got enough to turn a small ...
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Where can I buy custom cut wood sections for my project?
I'm working on bathroom vanity unit project. I don’t have any advanced cutting tools, so getting the pieces cut would be a great help. I am thinking of using Ash, are there any other woods/materials ...
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2.20m x 3.80m rectangular frame - will it be stable?
I want to make a cover that masks the pond foil along the edges of my parents' fish pond which is 2.2m x 3.8m.
I'm planning on using quarter sawn boards out of larch, 11cm wide and 3cm thick, joined ...
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Is there a reference for woods similar to exotics?
I support the idea behind the CITES treaty. However it seems that it took all the popular and desirable exotic woods and banned/regulated them to a point where normal schmoes can't afford to buy ...
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What are some tricks to flatten twisted and warped lumber boards without removing any material from them?
I live in Lithuania, Eastern Europe. Throughout the years, I have bought lumber from more than 20 lumberyards all around the country, trying to find at least a single one that could sell me straight, ...
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How to screw beer tap into wood without cracking
I am making a live edge shelf, similar to this, with my cousin. It will be about 3 feet long, 8 inches deep, and 1 inch thick.
I want to attach beer taps too it about every 5-6 inches, but I am ...
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Can these tree tunks be used for a small table?
The other day I found these two sections of a tree trunk in the street. So I'm wondering, can they be prepared to be used as some type of rustic stump table?
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How do I select wood types for a walk in wardrobe?
I am an amateur at wood working and am taking my time on my first large project, a walk-in wardrobe for some awkward space in my bedroom.
I've went over and over my plans to make sure they are what I ...
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Substituting Walnut for Hickory in a bow saw
I'm planning on building a version of the Gramercy Tools bow saw. According to their research, Hickory is a good substitute for the European Beech wood classically used in such saws, since it is both ...
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What wood species should I use for making stickers?
What type of wood would be best to make stickering pieces? Should they be round or square or triangular shaped?
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Can i use Aspen wood for my beginner axe handle? [duplicate]
This is the first time i'm creating what i hope will be a well enough durable axehandle. I don't like to buy my wood, I would rather take a tree down and work from the beginning. It's feels better in ...
