by Eric Meier
When attempting to identify a wood sample, it’s important to keep in mind the limitations and obstacles that are present in our task. Before starting, please have a look at The Truth Behind Wood Identification to approach the task in a proper mindset; I consider the linked article to be required reading for all those visiting my site with the intent of identifying wood.
1. Confirm it is actually solid wood.
Before proceeding too much farther into the remaining steps, it’s first necessary to confirm that the material in question is actually a solid piece of wood, and not a man-made composite or piece of plastic made to imitate wood.
A solid piece of Cocobolo: note how the grain naturally wraps around the sides and endgrain of the wood.
- Can you see the end-grain? Manufactured wood such as MDF, OSB, and particleboard all have a distinct look that is—in nearly all cases—easily distinguishable from the endgrain of real wood. Look for growth rings—formed by the yearly growth of a tree—which will be a dead-giveaway that the wood sample in question is a solid, genuine chunk of wood taken from a tree.
Viewing the end of this “board” reveals its true identity: particleboard.
- Is it veneered? If you see a large panel that has a repeating grain pattern, it may be a veneer. In such cases, a very thin layer of real wood is peeled from a tree and attached to a substrate; sometimes the veneer can be one continuous repeating piece because it is rotary-sliced to shave off the veneer layer as the tree trunk is spun by machines. Assuming it is a real wood veneer with a distinct grain and texture—and not merely a piece of printed plastic—you may still be able to identify the outer veneer wood in question, but you should still realize that is it only a veneer and not a solid piece of wood.
Large repeating patterns suggest a veneer.
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Is it painted or printed to look like wood? Many times, especially on medium to large-sized flat panels for furniture, a piece of particleboard or MDF is either laminated with a piece of wood-colored plastic, or simply painted to look like wood grain. Many of today’s interior hardwood flooring planks are good examples of these pseudo-wood products: they are essentially a man-made material made of sawdust, glues, resins, and durable plastics.
2. Look at the grain color.
Some questions to immediately ask yourself:
- Is the color of the wood natural, or is it stained? If there is even a chance that the color isn’t natural, the odds are increased that the entire effort of identifying the wood will be in vain.
The reddish brown stain used on this piece of Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril) has been planed away on top, exposing the paler color of the raw wood underneath.
- Is it weathered or have a patina? Many woods, when left outside in the elements, tend to turn a bland gray color. Also, even interior wood also takes on a patina as it ages: some woods get darker, or redder, and some even get lighter or lose their color; but for the most part, wood tends to darken with age.
Fresh sanding near the end of this Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) board has exposed the characteristic yellow coloration of the wood, which has a strong tendency to shift down to a golden brown over time.
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Is it possible to sand or plane the board to see the natural raw color of the wood? The most predictable baseline to use when identifying wood is in a freshly sanded state. This eliminates the chances of a stain or natural aging skewing the color diagnosis of the wood.
3. Look at the grain pattern.
If the wood is unfinished, then look at the texture of the grain. Ask yourself these questions:
- Does the wood have an open, porous texture? Most softwoods will be almost perfectly smooth with no grain indentations, while many common hardwoods have an open pore structure, such as Oak or Mahogany; though there are some hardwoods that are also smooth to the touch, such as Maple.
- Can you tell if the wood is quartersawn or plainsawn? By observing the grain patterns, many times you can tell how the board was cut from the tree. Some wood species have dramatically different grain patterns from plainsawn to quartersawn surfaces. For instance, on their quartersawn surfaces, Lacewood has large lace patterns, Oak has flecks, and Maple has the characteristic “butcher block” appearance.
- Is there any figure or unusual characteristics, such as sapwood, curly or wild grain, burl/knots, etc.? Some species of wood have figure that is much more common than in other species: for example, curly figure is fairly common in Soft Maple, and the curls are usually well-pronounced and close together. Yet when Birch or Cherry has a curly grain, it is more often much less pronounced, and the curls are spaced farther apart.
The strong, tight curl seen in this wood sample is very characteristic of Maple (Acer spp.).
4. Consider the weight and hardness of the wood.
If it’s possible, pick the piece of wood up and get a sense of it’s weight, and compare it to other known wood species. Try gouging the edge with your fingernail to get a sense of its hardness. If you have a scale, you can take measurements of the length, width, and thickness of the wood, and combine them to find the density of the wood. This can be helpful to compare to other density readings found in the database. When examining the wood in question, compare it to other known wood species, and ask yourself these questions:
A piece of Lignum Vitae is weighed on a small digital scale.
- Is the wood dry? Wood from freshly felled trees, or wood that has been stored in an extremely humid environment will have very high moisture contents. In some freshly sawn pieces, moisture could account for over half of the wood’s total weight! Likewise, wood that has been stored in extremely dry conditions of less than 25% relative humidity will most likely feel lighter than average.
- How does the wood’s weight compare to other species? Taking into account the size of the board, how does its weight compare to other benchmark woods? Is it heavier than Oak? Is it lighter than Pine? Look at the weight numbers for a few wood species that are close to yours, and get a ballpark estimate of its weight.
- How hard is the wood? Obviously softwoods will tend to be softer than hardwoods, but try to get a sense of how it compares to other known woods. Density and hardness are closely related, so if the wood is heavy, it will most likely be hard too. If the wood is a part of a finished item that you can’t adequately weigh, you might be able to test the hardness by gouging it in an inconspicuous area. Also, if it is used in a piece of furniture, such as a tabletop, a general idea of its hardness can be assessed by the number and depth of the gouges/dings in the piece given its age and use. A tabletop made of pine will have much deeper dents than a tabletop made of Oak. Additionally, you can always try the “fingernail test” as a rough hardness indicator: find a crisp edge of the wood, and with your fingernail try to push in as hard as you can and see if you’re able to make a dent in the wood.
5. Consider the source.
Many times we forget common sense and logic when attempting to identify wood. If you’ve got a piece of Amish furniture from Pennsylvania, chances are more likely that the wood will be made of something like Black Walnut or Cherry, and not African Wenge or Jatoba. You might call it “wood profiling,” but sometimes it can pay to be a little prejudiced when it comes to wood identification. Some common-sense questions to ask yourself when trying to identify a piece of wood:
- Where did it come from? Knowing as much as you can about the source of the wood—even the smallest details—can be helpful. If the wood came from a wood pile or a lumber mill where all the pieces were from trees processed locally, then the potential species are immediately limited. If the wood came from a builder of antique furniture, or a boat-builder, or a trim carpenter: each of these occupations will tend to use certain species of woods much more often than others, making a logical guess much simpler.
- How old is it? As with the wood’s source, its age will also help in identification purposes. Not only will it help to determine if the wood should have developed a natural patina, but it will also suggest certain species which were more prevalent at different times in history. For instance, many acoustic guitars made before the 1990s have featured Brazilian Rosewood backs, yet due to CITES restrictions placed upon that species, East Indian Rosewood has become much more common on newer guitars.
- How large is the piece of wood? Some species of trees are typically very small—some are even considered shrubs—while others get quite large. For instance, if you see a large panel or section of wood that’s entirely black, chances are it’s either painted, dyed, or stained: Gaboon Ebony and related species are typically very small and very expensive.
- What is the wood’s intended use? Simply knowing what the wood was intended for—when considered in conjunction with where it came from and how old it is—can give you many clues to help identify it. In some applications, certain wood species are used much more frequently than others, so that you can make an educated guess as to the species of the wood based upon the application where it was used. For instance: many older houses with solid hardwood floors have commonly used either Red Oak or Hard Maple; many antique furniture pieces have featured quartersawn White Oak; many violins have Spruce tops; many closet items used Aromatic Red Cedar, and so forth. While it’s not a 100% guarantee, “profiling” the wood in question will help reduce the number of possible suspects, and aid in deducing the correct species.
Despite its discoloration and wear, its very likely that this old rolling pin is made of Hard Maple.
6. Find the x-factor.
Sometimes, after all the normal characteristics of a sample have been considered, the identity of the wood in question is still not apparent. In these instances—particularly in situations where a sample has been narrowed down to only a few possible remaining choices—it’s sometimes helpful to bring in specialized tests and other narrower means of identification.
The following techniques and recommendations don’t necessarily have a wide application in initially sorting out wood species and eliminating large swaths of wood species, but will most likely be of use only as a final step in special identification circumstances.
Odor: Believe it or not, freshly machined wood can have a very identifiable scent. When your eyes and hands can’t quite get a definitive answer, sometimes your nose can. Assuming there is no stain, finish, or preservative on or in the wood, quickly sand, saw, or otherwise machine a section of the wood in question, and take a whiff of the aroma.
Although new scents can be very difficult to express in words, many times the scent of an unknown wood may be similar to other known scents. For instance, Rosewoods (Dalbergia spp.) are so named for their characteristic odor that is reminiscent of roses. Although difficult to directly communicate, with enough firsthand experience scents can become a memorable and powerful means of wood identification.
Fluorescence: While certain woods can appear basically identical to one another under normal lighting conditions, when exposed to certain wavelengths—such as those found in blacklights—the wood will absorb and emit light in a different (visible) wavelength. This phenomenon is known as fluorescence, and certain woods can be distinguished by the presence or absence of their fluorescent qualities. See the article Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification for more information.
Chemical Testing: There are only a small number of chemical tests regularly used on wood, most of which are very specialized and were developed to help distinguish easily confused species with one another. They work by detecting differences in the composition of heartwood extractives. A chemical substance (called a reagent) is usually dissolved in water and applied to the wood surface: the surface is then observed for any type of chemical reaction (and accompanying color change) that may occur. Two of the most useful are the tests that are meant to separate Red and White Oak, and Red and Hard Maple.
Heartwood Extractives Leachability: Sometimes a wood species will have heartwood extractives that will be readily leachable in water and capable of conspicuously tinting a solution of water a specific color. For instance, the heartwood extractives contained in Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) contain a yellowish-brown dye that is soluble in water. (This can sometimes be observed anecdotally when the wood is glued with a water-based adhesive: the glue’s squeeze-out is an unusually vibrant yellow.)
In a simple water extract color test, wood shavings are mixed with water in a vial, test tube, or other suitably small container, and the color of the water is observed after a few minutes. If the heartwood extractives are leachable by water, then a corresponding color change should quickly occur.
In addition to Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera), Merbau (Intsia spp.), and Rengas (Gluta spp. and Melanorrhoea spp.) are also noted for their readily leachable heartwood extractives. Because this property is quite uncommon, it can serve to quickly differentiate these woods from other lookalikes.
7. Look at the endgrain.
Perhaps no other technique for accurate identification of wood is as helpful and conclusive as the magnified examination of the endgrain. Frequently, it brings the identification process from a mostly intuitive, unscientific process into a predictable, repeatable, and reliable procedure.
Looking at the endgrain with a magnifier shouldn’t be a mystifying or esoteric art. In many cases, it’s nearly as simple as examining small newsprint under a magnifying glass. There are three components necessary to reap the full benefits contained in the endgrain:
1. A prepared surface. When working with wood in most capacities, it becomes quickly apparent that endgrain surfaces are not nearly as cooperative or as easily worked as face grain surfaces. However, in this case, it is absolutely critical that a clear and refined endgrain surface is obtained.
For a quick glance of a softwood sample, a very sharp knife or razor blade can be used to take a fresh slice from the endgrain. However, in many denser species, especially in tropical hardwoods, one of the best ways to obtain a clear endgrain view is through diligent sanding. It’s usually best to begin with a relatively smooth saw cut (as from a fine-toothed miter saw blade) and proceed through the grits, starting at around 100, and working up to at least 220 or 320 grit, preferably higher for the cleanest view.
2. The right magnifier. It need not be expensive, but whatever tool is used to view the endgrain should have adequate magnifying power. In most instances, 10x magnification is ideal, however, anything within the range of 8 to 15x magnification should be suitable for endgrain viewing. (Standard magnifying glasses are typically in the range of 2 to 4x magnification.)
These stronger magnifiers, sometimes called loupes, usually have a smaller viewing area than standard magnifying glasses. Fancier models—with built in lights, or larger viewing surfaces—are available at a premium; but the most basic models are usually only a few dollars.
3. A trained eye. The third element that constitutes a proper endgrain examination is simply knowing what to look for. In analyzing the patterns, colors, shapes, and spacing of the various anatomical features, there is a veritable storehouse of information within the endgrain—all waiting to be unlocked. Yet, if these elements have not been pointed out and learned, the array of features will simply seem like an unintelligible jumble.
The discipline of recognizing anatomical endgrain features is not easily summed up in a few sentences or even a few paragraphs, but it is nonetheless critical to the identification process. To this end, an in-depth look should be given to the various categories, divisions, and elements that constitute endgrain wood identification on the macroscopic level. (In this regard, macroscopic denotes what can be seen with a low-powered, 10x hand lens—without the aid of a microscope—rather than simply what can be seen with the naked eye.)
Because the anatomy between softwoods and hardwoods is so divergent, each will be considered and examined separately:
October 12th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
One of the worst ripoffs going on right now, is all the sellers on ebay selling the very cheap to get Argentine Lignum Vitae as the Genuine Lignum Vitae.
I would say that well over half of all Lignum listed on ebay right now is Argentine.
I’ve contacted ebay in the past, and they don’t even care.
You would think it would be illegal to make false claims regarding the genus of wood.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:06 am
This is a great article and as custom furniture makers it’s important to educate the client about the quality of the material that’s being used in the pieces of furniture they are purchasing and what exactly they are getting for their money.
February 1st, 2012 at 8:51 pm
My friend and I have a type of wood that is so beautiful, so heavy, and so hard but we cannot for the life of us figure out what it is…nor can anyone else! I have taken several pictures of it and would like to send it to you for review. The cross section of most of the limbs starts out very blonde then goes to a ring of caramel, then a ring of Toffee then the center is sometimes very dark like rich coffee. The wood is insanely hard and very heavy. I got knocked on my shin and it left a golfball size knot for a month! The bark seems like a hickory type or maybe mesquite but really not sure. The bark peels off in bits and flakes but not that easy. I have noticed that the cross sections that we cut (with a skill saw since our splitter can’t cut it) over time get dry and split a little. The limbs can get beautifully narly. I am in love with this wood and am keeping large chunks of it for myself! It truly seems to heavy and hard to be of any value as furniture but again I am not sure.
please let me know if I can send you some images so you can help me identify it.
Sincerely,
Maria Mann
February 1st, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Also another bit of information about this tree…the wood sinks. Not one piece, big or small floats in water…all sink! And you should know that we got the pieces of this tree at the US forestry Service in Truckee California…although that does not mean the tree came from anywhere near there…It along with many other cut trees were brought there for local people to pick up and haul away…mostly to use as fire wood. I think this tree is very special. Please send me an address where I can forward the images I have.
Thanks again!
Maria Mann
March 26th, 2012 at 10:48 am
maria,
Have you looked at IronWood? Look online at photos of Ironwood. Very Very dense, doesn’t float.
June 4th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Maria,the wood you are talking about could easily be from one of the acacia trees,I think there are a couple of types and I know them from the SF bayarea.
August 5th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
just pick up this piano, could you tell me what type of wood this may be. it was built around 1914. any info would be great.thanx
August 8th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Luis, that looks to be a dead ringer for quartersawn white oak. (And it’s very well bookmatched too.)
Here’s a picture from a church organ that also has quartersawn oak panels.
September 12th, 2012 at 6:35 am
Hi, hope you can help? I am trying to identify this parquet flooring. It has an aroma when handed and is a golden colored hard wax oil is applied. Thanks in advance any help would be very welcome.
September 14th, 2012 at 1:17 am
Chris:
That second board is throwing me off a bit. It looks a lot like an american walnut species, with the off coloring and grain, but that second board is making me second guess my thoughts on it. Can someone verify/validate?
September 14th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
My husband and I have just purchased an old wine barrel and it appears to be from Spain (the maker being Envases Murua Logrono.) On the makers website it states that their barrels are either made from American White Oak (Quercus Alba) or French Oak (Quercus Petraea). The barrel is stained a dark brown but is there any way to see which type of oak it is? We live in Germany but are from Ohio and I would find it amusing that this barrel could be made of Ohio wood.
Thanks for the help.
Dina Smith
September 15th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
@ Chris (and Dave): If my guesses were only limited to common american hardwoods, I’d guess walnut right along with Dave, but I know that flooring comes from all over the world, and honestly, I’d say it’s impossible to tell from a simple facegrain picture. This is a textbook example of a phenomenon I discuss in this article: http://www.wood-database.com/w.....ification/ See the sub-heading titled “Think You’re A Know-It-All?”
@ Dina: I don’t know of a way to tell for sure within the white oak grouping, they’re all very similar anatomically.
September 21st, 2012 at 2:41 am
Maria,
I hope this doesn’t come too late to answer your question.
I am almost certain that the wood you have is mountain mahogany, which grows up in the Sierras, and not far from Truckee. The color description you gave matches the mountain mahogany that I have, and it is one of only a few woods native to this country that are dense enough to sink in water.
The two most common kinds are:
Cercocarpus betuloides – Birch-leaf mountain mahogany
Cercocarpus ledifolius Nutt. – Curl-leaf mountain mahogany
September 26th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Hello
I need help in identifying type of wood a local contractor has used in making encasement enclosure at the bottom of the Cedar Post of a Pergola they built.
Pergola is hardly one week old. The bottom enclosure was installed yesterday.
I called and commented that wood used is not Cedar. It looks like Pine or Poplar. Contractor stated that wood is Cedar. It looks different because the rest of the Pergola was exposed to Sun!!! How can wood change color in one week? Please see the attached picture if somebody can identify without doubt if it is Cedar wood or not. They did not leave a single loose piece of wood behind.
Thanks
September 26th, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Any Idea what this would be made of….I’m clueless? Thank you in advance for your help.
September 26th, 2012 at 6:48 pm
K. – That very well may be cedar. It was likely in a pallet somewhere away from the sun. Over the span of a few years, you’ll probably never notice, even as little as a few months. The problem is that, without actually testing it, there’s no way to tell. My guess would be that it is cedar, though.
Veronica – There is no way of telling from that distance, especially on a finished piece. Colored lacquers, wood coloring due to aging, and various other variables make this nearly impossible to identify. A much closer picture of the grain may assist in identifying the genus, maybe even the species if recognizable enough. At least close enough to show no more than 2′ of the wood. Also, a picture of the side of the cabinet will not help much, as those may sometimes be plywood (not a bad thing)
October 3rd, 2012 at 11:41 am
Hi, I love your database here, very very well researched and documented.
My problem:
I’m relatively new to woodworking, and this site has so much information that it over complicates identifying more common wood.
I need an article or identification guide that is a little LESS specific. Ideally, I’d like something with which I can narrow down types of wood by categories. Hardwoods/softwoods, Common American lumber/exotic, and so on.
For example:
Can you dent it with your fingernail? if no, it’s a hardwood.
Is the wood heavier than oak? If yes, it’s ____,_____,______,______ or _____.
Earlywood/latewood visible? If yes, it’s _______, or _______.
Then, I can refer to the specifics here.
If a guide like this exists, I sure haven’t found it yet. Anyone have any ideas or the know-how to write such a guide?
Much obliged,
Peter
October 9th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Can anyone tell me what kind of wood this is?
October 11th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Does this headboard look like bird’s eye maple veneer?
It looks like it to me. Have not looked for identifying marks but I was told it might have been made circa 1911 or 1912.
Also because of this photo I see a goat’s head smack dab in the middle, replete with grinning mouth (which appears to be a carefully crafted and laid inset). Is this really a goat’s head or supposedly a god or devil of dreams or nightmares? Was any US or European furniture maker known to craft such sly images into their furniture.
Thanks!
October 15th, 2012 at 8:43 am
I have this wood that is said to be poplar, but it has grain and color like oak. It is soft and light (like poplar) and has a pleasant scent when sawing or sanding (not like poplar). Can anyone help identify?
October 15th, 2012 at 11:24 am
Ron,
By your description of the scent, weight, and the pictures, I’d be strongly inclined to suggest that it is Sassafras.
It doesn’t have conspicuous enough rays to be oak, and if its as light as you say it is, it probably wouldn’t be ash either. The pleasant scent hints at Sassafras.
October 15th, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Thanks Eric. I believe you have it right!
October 18th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
I saw a small very dense tree/shrub that grows in Ca called manzanita. I was told that there are 2 species of this tree 1 in southern and 1 in northern Ca. My question is can someone confirm this and where can I get some of this? I know the pieces if available will be small it that’s fine. Thanks for any and all info. Also great database and it has been very helpful especially the weights
October 25th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Robert,
I’m not sure about all of the different species, but I just picked up a piece of Manzanita off of ebay this week, and I’ve now added it to the site.
http://www.wood-database.com/l.....manzanita/
November 5th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Hi. I have inherited a dresser. I think it is solid oak but don’t really know. The joints are not machine made, no veneer and no wood filler. Any help identifying wood type and age would be appreciated.
November 17th, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Looks like English Oak
November 21st, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Thanks Richard. Care to give your considered opinion as to the age of this dresser? Bob
November 25th, 2012 at 5:10 am
Hi there
I love this website! I am new to the wood scene. I need to ascertain what type of wood my floorboards are as parts of need repair. I have done some research however will the original lacquer – I am assume layers of varnish lacquer.
I believe it may be oak, as it has quite distinct knots, cracks, burrs. I am not sure if I am right? I am on the east coast of Australia so I am not sure if it is a native oak? I don’t think so.
Would it be possible to identify the wood??
Mant thanks
Melissa
December 11th, 2012 at 10:14 am
Anyone know what kind of wood this might be?
December 11th, 2012 at 11:44 pm
Hi, I have inherited this cabinet and trying to work out what typ of wood it is – any ideas ?
December 13th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
@Melissa: Sorry, I’m not very familiar with Australian woods; it certainly doesn’t look like regular oak (Quercus spp.) Would have to see an endgrain closeup to get a better idea.
@Tom: Hard to tell definitively from the picture, but my guess would be red oak. Again, endgrain closeups might yield a better ID.
@Lisa: My guess would be some sort of Mahogany. It certainly doesn’t look like any common domestic wood from the US.
December 13th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Eric thanks for your assistance.
I found out my floors are Ironbark, locally found.
So very happy about that.
Cheers
Mel
December 13th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Hi all,
I recently bought an old desk and am trying to determine the type of wood used on it. I know that the desk is pre-1940s and it was manufactured in Shelbyville, IN if it helps. I know that there are at least two types of wood used on this desk. Originally, there was a leather/rubber linoleum cover on the top of the desk. Unfortunately the top was in such bad shape that I had to strip it off to the wood underneath. This wood is definitely a different type than the rest, which makes up the frame of the desk. I’m interested in both wood types so that I can hopefully stain them to (at least kind of) match. Anyone have thoughts on what types of wood these are?
Thanks so much!!
Mary
December 13th, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Sorry all-it would only let me upload one image at once…
December 19th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Melissa,
Your wood looks like mahogany, which is not always red – However, being from Austrialia, it could be a variety of eucalyptus (lyptus for short) that is being sold nowdays out of South America. The alternating bands of grain in lyptus mimic mahogany quite well, and I’ve even seen pallets made out of lyptus loaded up with Brazilian ceramic tile. (a chore to tear apart, but beautiful when planed). Lyptus can vary in color from creams, pale pink, red/browns, and dark browns – sometimes in one board.
December 21st, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Tom Lewis – Those are oak boards in that drawer.
December 22nd, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Hello! I need some help identifying the wood of this table I purchased at Salvation Army. I love the thing, but what I didn’t realize at the time my husband and I wouldn’t be able to sit with our legs under it. (I’m 6′, he’s 6’5″) and now need to add bun feet to it. I want to make the right choice in woods- or get close!
Thank you for your time!!
Aimee M
December 22nd, 2012 at 3:22 pm
I thought perhaps a second shot might be useful;
December 22nd, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Aimee – the grain and patterns look like oak. White oak perhaps?
December 22nd, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Mary C – can you uplod another pic?
December 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 am
Thank you for the info- I’ll go with that. Now to decide on shape for bun feet & refinishing process…
Thanks & have a Merry Christmas!
December 26th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Hello,
If some one help in identified of the old of this cabinet. I am replaced the hinges because falling be self and looks like is made by hand the wood is Cain a brown very hard to set nail or screws and looks like is over 100 years old
December 30th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Can you help me to identify the wood of these hammock chairs? I bought them at Del Mar Fair in San Diego from a man from Mexico. They say on the side they are from Yucatan. As you can see there are areas that are light and others that are darker. We purchased them to use outdoors and I want to be sure to care for them properly. I have more pics if you need. Thanks!
December 31st, 2012 at 6:22 pm
This is a photo of the wall paneling and built in cabinets in my dining room, built in 1913. People have told me it’s made of Tiger Oak, but the original Specifications for the house say the wood for the dining room is suppose to be birch. Could that be birch?
December 31st, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Hello,
I recently picked up a chest of drawers with solid carved bottoms to the drawers instead of ply so I think it is pretty old. I think it is a soft wood as I can press my nail mark in to it. I would love to know what it is. It is very silky to touch. I am trying to strip off the horrid veneer hopefully without destroying it.
Please help me identify this.
Great site btw
December 31st, 2012 at 11:09 pm
sorry horrid paint not veneer. also it is more pale than this photo shows as there is some oil on it here. the mark where the handle was is more like its natural colour. also it has many pin knots.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:33 am
Sharon, that’s a classic example of oak. Definitely not Birch.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:44 am
@ Sharon – the wood on the floor could be birch. The wood on the drawres, etc is def not birch.
January 3rd, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Becki,
Is your chair heavy? If so, that could be Epi, and if it is, you don’t need do anything to it, but you could put a waterproofer on it, and it wouldn’t hurt. Over time, in the sun, it may tend to gray, at that point, light sanding and stain will keep it looking good (no matter what kind of wood it is).
Sharon,
Definitely not birch. Looks like a quarter sawn oak, but what really nice patterns!
Liz from Oz,
Looks like teak to me, or very light colored mahogany, hard to tell from the photo. I think teak might be more likely with pin knots than mahogany. The alternating bands of grain lend credence to either choice, the smooth to the touch also would lean toward teak, but not the soft enough to score with a fingernail – teak is usually pretty dense. You may need a closer photo & other input.
If it’s really old, the finish may be shelac (made from beetle carapaces….eeww), which can be removed with denatured alcohol and a shop cloth. Spray on and wipe with new face of cloth each wipe to remove the shelac.
January 5th, 2013 at 12:35 am
Hello,
Thanks for a great article, however my inexperienced eye still can’t differentiate figure out what kind of wood my TV cabinet is. I’ve been trying to match it to internet pictures of common furniture woods, but that isn’t working for me either. Could you help me out?
January 5th, 2013 at 4:59 am
hi
what type of wood can i use with rodesein teak?
it must be more alike when its oiled
any help
thanks
Albie venter
January 5th, 2013 at 9:45 am
Ted,
Thank you SO VERY MUCH for your help. I will take care of them (I have two) exactly as you suggested. I have been reading online that outdoor woods should be covered when not in use. Once I put a waterproofer on them do I need to cover them as well? Living in SoCal it only rains about 2 months out of the year so we don’t have to worry about it too much.
~B
January 6th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
@ Heather – the wood on top of the desk is definitely oak. The doors’ frames are something else though…
January 6th, 2013 at 12:06 pm
@ Heather – Take a closer pic of the door frame and I’ll take another look.. the door insets are def oak…
January 7th, 2013 at 11:42 am
Becki,
Whether or not you waterproof them, covering would drastically reduce the graying effect of the Sun’s UV light. In Florida, you’d get mildew & mold if you covered them – you’ll have to use the trial & error method during your “rainy” season where you live. Olympic makes a good waterproofer that’s not as expen$ive as the over-advertised “name brand” water sealer.
Heather,
You have ‘bookended’ veneers on the top and doors – a nifty effect where the grains are mirror-images of each other. This is done by shearing the 1/16th (or less) veneer off of a board, rather than off of a rotating log, and putting two (matching – one piece shows the back of the veneer, the other shows the front – so they’re identical, but mirrored) veneers side-by-side like you do with sliced bread when you make a sandwich, (so that the crust shape matches). The veneers on the top are about 4″ wide, but your cabinet doors really stand out, because they’ve put the grain of the wood at a 45 degree angle (you lose some wood in the trimming, but it makes for a dramatic effect).
I tried saving the image you posted and opening it with another application. (The resulting image is about 10 times bigger than what shows on this webpage), and I’m going to change my original identification (and agreement with Bill) from a choice of Oak (147 varieties in North America) or possibly Ash, to Douglas Fir. Or, it’s oak on the top, and fir on the doors. Although with all the imported goodies we can get now (Scan Design), it could all be some Norwegian Alpine conifer. If the wood is fairly soft, it might be from some kind of pine/spruce/hemlock/fir. Hard to tell hardness with veneers, because the wood (inside) that you can get to is a base, or secondary wood (usually) of a different species (like Bass or Poplar) than the pretty stuff outside that shows.
January 7th, 2013 at 11:45 am
SUGGESTION TO ALL PEOPLE SUBMITTING PHOTOS:
Include a CLOSE-UP of about a 4″ square area along with the photo from 5 feet back. A lot of the identification technique of wood species is being able to see the individual pores and structure of the wood and how close together the grain is. I would examine a piece of wood from about 6 inches away from my eyes if I was there with the wood. It’s kind of unfair to ask people to identify your wood from across the room.
January 7th, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Thank you Ted. Where would all us wood noobs be without this data base.
January 10th, 2013 at 10:41 am
Thank you for this great site! I couldn´t identify my wood though and I would like to know what this is…
Colour is quite right, it´s dense and have some pleasant odour when working with it. Picture shows a same 10cm long piece from two angles.
January 10th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Hi all, we’re trying to figure out if our kitchen cabinets are maple or oak… What do you think?
Thanks for all your input!
January 11th, 2013 at 10:45 pm
I would like someone to help me out on identifying this furniture. Thanks!
January 11th, 2013 at 10:47 pm
I have another piece that needs to be identified. Thanks again.
January 14th, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Hard for to tell with this funny angle. Thoughts?
January 14th, 2013 at 9:46 pm
@Lina:
Looks like oak to me, maple has far less pattern.
And then self-answered to my own question: that sample is Cumaru. Wonderful wood, leaves nice surface!
January 15th, 2013 at 9:17 am
Can someone help identify the wood from the back of this coffee table? My dad brought it back from Japan, WWll. The top is stained and varnished over and am wondering how far I should go in stripping it.Thank you!!
January 19th, 2013 at 5:28 pm
Hi, we are wanting to build a front door that gets lots of exposure to harsh Australian sun in an Australian hardwood. We are in a BAL fire area of 19 and we are wanting the door to be arched t the top. Its measurements are: 900mm x 2.4m and is 45mm thick. The house is going to be rendered in a lemon colour. Do you have any suggestions for an appropriate wood. If so, we’d love to know your thoughts. There’s a photo of the door attached.
January 21st, 2013 at 3:18 pm
We are trying to identify this wood from a water tank build by the Great Northern Railroad around 1900, I have been told it was made of clear redwood or cedar. I will add two more pictures to follow. Thanks in advance.
January 21st, 2013 at 3:19 pm
Here is a shot of the end grain.
January 21st, 2013 at 3:20 pm
And here is a picture of the tank itself
January 21st, 2013 at 6:19 pm
Lina
January 10th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Hi all, we’re trying to figure out if our kitchen cabinets are maple or oak… What do you think?
Thanks for all your input!
That is absolutely oak cabinetry.
January 22nd, 2013 at 5:12 pm
I bought this pepper grinder from a man in a flea market who was a teacher doing the market for additional income during the summer months. It was toward the end of the day and he was talking really fast – he told me this is this special kind of wood used prior to 1910 and I totally didn’t recall the type. This pepper grinder works really well and it was a really great price. Can you identify?
January 23rd, 2013 at 9:26 am
Which veneers are used here?
i can only recognize the rose leafs – maple.
Background-?
and the stem .. looks like somekind of walnut?
pls help i want to make this marquetry but i need to buy the certain veneers. if any other good combination pls tell
thanks!
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:02 pm
Hi, just purchased this sideboard – was told it was made around 1900s and is a family piece (his family originated in Nova Scotia). I think it’s mahogany .. can anyone confirm?
January 24th, 2013 at 2:08 am
Hello,
I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of wood this is. Any ideas?
January 25th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
I am trying to identify the wood used to manufacture the card table with Queen Anne style legs. Any suggestions?
Thanks
January 28th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Any idea on this ?
~
January 28th, 2013 at 5:19 pm
Hi there – following up on my sideboard, posted Jan 23. Walnut, not mahogany, from several opinions.
I was thrown by the colour, and by the ‘flame’ on the front of the piece – it didn’t look like burl walnut I’ve seen before.
But I love this website, and I’ll keep reading (and learning!)
February 6th, 2013 at 7:42 am
I Have dismantled a couple of old bi-fold louvered closet doors, thinking they were mahogany. The grain was close, and so was the color, until they were sanded, now it is a blonde color. The stuff tools easy too, I wanted to use it for bracing on a mandolin, but I need to know what it is first. Any input would greatly appreciated. The top two are what I started with, the bottom are after cutting.
February 6th, 2013 at 8:58 pm
Brad,
It’s mahogany if the doors are fairly old, if they’re new, it could be eucalyptus, but most likely not. We Western Worlders are used to Mahogany and Cherry being a red color, because traditionally, that’s the STAIN that the woodworkers put on those woods to make them a uniform color. Mahogany right out of the tree runs from blonde as spruce, thru pinks, reds, and browns. Cherry can be blonde thru a medium brown that mellows darker as it’s exposed to light over the years. All the wood species have a particular “look” that furniture makers in the past copied from each other, like old oak furniture is either a very dark brown, or a honey color, but it starts out very light or pinkish (white oak & red oak). Black walnut is very dark, and many craftsmen would stain lighter walnut pieces to look darker, all a bit of artwork, since the wood is purple when it is newly planed.
February 7th, 2013 at 6:31 am
Thank you. I have been rebuilding guitars for a few years now, and honestly being driven quite crazy by the stains they put on. Just my taste. So glad i found your forum, thanks again.
February 7th, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Brad,
HAH…LOL.
This isn’t MY forum, I’m just a guest here like you, trying to share some knowledge with the masses. I do wish people would get in CLOSER to the wood with the photos, like macrophotography.
Hey, I’ve got it. All you submitters put a ladybug on your furniture, and take a photo so that the ladybug is as big as a pingpong ball. That will be close enough to make out what the wood is.
February 7th, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Scott,
It’s cedar.
February 9th, 2013 at 3:09 am
Hi guys need help please
Can u help me identify please
February 9th, 2013 at 3:12 am
And this please this is one of the legs it is very heavy
February 9th, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Can anyone tell me what kind of wood this may be. It’s from an old dresser. I have tried matching it to pictures on the Internet but I just can’t. I know nothing about wood at all. I can upload a picture of more of it if needed. Thanks for your help!!
February 11th, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Ashleigh, quarter sawn oak.
Rather than cut the boards out of a tree on so that the width of the board is perpendicular to the radius, your boards were cut with the width parallel to the radius of the log – like blades on a propeller, sticking out from the center of the tree, as one would look down on the log as a circle. Regular boards are cut like the sides of a box surrounding the circle of the center of the tree.
Shannon, let me apologize in advance – If you want help with identification, you should take a picture of each from about 7′ closer to the furniture. (See January 7th above) Right now I’d say it’s either walnut, cherry, birch, pecan, elm, or maple. No way to tell what the wood is from the other side of the room. Treat your next photo of your table like you were trying to show a fingerprint on the wood. That’s really what we need, an image of soul of the wood, not a photo of a brown thing leaning on your brick wall. Look at Ashleigh’s photo above, yes, she got a little flash challenged, but you can see the veins & pores of her wood (actually the zylem & phloem) – and that’s what it takes for identification.
Put a dollar bill on your table. Frame your picture to have the bill go edge to edge in your viewfinder. Remove the bill & snap the photo. Take it with a camera, not your phone. Maybe take the furniture outside in bright sunlight, so that your flash doesn’t go off and obscure what you’re photographing.
February 12th, 2013 at 8:47 am
@ Ashleigh
February 9th, 2013 at 11:51 pm
Can anyone tell me what kind of wood this may be. It’s from an old dresser. I have tried matching it to pictures on the Internet but I just can’t. I know nothing about wood at all. I can upload a picture of more of it if needed. Thanks for your help!!
That is “quarter sawn” oak. Oak wood.
February 12th, 2013 at 8:58 am
@ Brad S – I would guess Birch…
February 12th, 2013 at 8:44 pm
Thank you so much for uour answers bill and ted! Amazed that people can identify wood from just a picture. Is being “quarter sawn” good for furniture? I have a few other pieces i will need to seek help with at a later date too
February 13th, 2013 at 4:23 am
Ashleigh,
I don’t know that there any appreciable difference in strength, 1/4 sawn wood just looks differently in some species than in others. Rather than looking at the “piping” system of the tree one way like Lina’s photo of Jan 10th, your boards are cut perpendicular (90 degrees, thus “quarter” of a circle – sawn) to the way her’s were, exposing the interesting lighter colored wavy bands as the “piping” system of the tree that carries water & nutrients are cut on their longitudinal axis. Oak lends itself to this kind of cutting, because it has large zylem & phloem “pores”.
February 13th, 2013 at 5:54 am
I am trying to identify what type of wood this is before I try and sell the table. Can anybody help. I previously thought mahogany but I am now thinking it maybe a cope and cheaper material has been used. Thanks.
February 15th, 2013 at 10:13 am
Samuel,
Eucalyptus (Lyptus in the furniture trade) looks a lot like mahogany, and is grown in sustainable resource farms to replace rainforest hardwoods like mahogany.
I can’t say for sure if that’s what your table is made out of, since there are about 137 varieties of Lyptus, Thank you for taking a closeup photo. There are a lot of exotic woods out there that I can’t identify.
February 15th, 2013 at 10:16 am
Thanks Ted for your advice, you are probably right unfortunately, I did hope it was mahogany.
March 3rd, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Can anybody tell me what wood these chairs are, they have a sticker that says made in Italy??
March 4th, 2013 at 12:41 am
The piece I’m working WON’T take stain….using a dark walnot….the wood has lines all through it white (light color)….dining room table and chairs…..has a 6 inch spot…burned smear….something spilled on it…..after I sanded the spot….NOW I can’t stain it or match it…ANY IDEAS out there…..very close grain with light lines on it dark wood….again it looks like walnut….Just can’t get rid of the spot (circle on table)….tried everything….Jim
March 4th, 2013 at 1:12 pm
Hello,
Can you help me identify the type of wood used in this table? Many thanks.
March 5th, 2013 at 8:37 pm
Wanda,
Take a closer photo. Looks like maple from back here across the Mediterranean Sea. Look at Samuel’s photo above yours. Get that close.
Jim,
Black Walnut that we know and love is the center section of the tree or heartwood. The sapwood is whitish. Depending on how they cut the boards, and edge-joined them, you could have white lines out in the field of dark wood. If the wood is burned, you’ll have to plane or sand down the whole table to get past the burnt spot. I don’t know about staining it, you’ll might lose the white lines – staining them brown. Sounds pretty neat. Post a photo of it.
Shirley,
Rotary cut Birch veneer plywood.
March 6th, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Ted, thanks for reply, here is another picture. Hope it is clear enough. Thank You
March 7th, 2013 at 11:14 am
Hi Ted,
I really enjoy this site. This is a custom made that I bought at an estate sale. I am unable to identify the wood. This is the view from the top. I am unsure if this is the natural color or a stain. Sorry about the glare. Any ideas?
Many thanks,
Deb
March 8th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Hello,
I am having a really hard time identifying wood. The object I have taken the sample from is quite brittle but I have tried my best to get as thin samples as possible on the microscope slides.
I know that it is a softwood and it’s origin in Austria. Could be a spruce, fir or pine? Can anyone make something of the image?
Many thanks in advance.
A.
March 8th, 2013 at 4:29 pm
Are the following section images of more information? Unfortunately I couln’t get any better photographs.
March 8th, 2013 at 4:31 pm
And another one.
March 10th, 2013 at 12:36 am
Hi, im selling this Buffet and Hutch and im just wondering wether it is Jarrah or something else. Not 100% sure. Can somebody please help me out.
March 10th, 2013 at 12:47 am
Another picture.
March 11th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
DISCLAIMER:
This is NOT my website, I’m just a carpenter /cabinetmaker / general contractor who stumbled onto this site and have answered some of your questions to the best of my ability. Usually there are more people than me responding. Maybe I need to get a life.
March 11th, 2013 at 5:20 pm
Wanda – good close-up. Italy…. maybe it’s olive wood, I’m not sure, looks like Ash if it is heavy and dense, if light-weight it could be Birch, which isn’t seen in solid pieces often in the USA, usually in veneers, you need more respondents than just me.
Debra – I’m going with Pecan, since you said Estate sale and because of all the dark speckles, though it could be Walnut.
Alice – looking at the DNA structure on the 4th chromosome and comparing the gene sequencing near the telemere structures……
My Gawd – I created a monster! LOL
I keep asking for closeups and you’ve provided an electron microscope image at x100,000 power!
Maybe, Alice, and you sound so earnest, so I don’t want to stifle your scientific approach, but just take two closeups with a regular $150 digital camera from about 6 & 12 inches away, and then an overall shot from a few feet back. At these extreme enlargements you’ve provided, just about all species of wood are going to look identical to bamboo or a nicely packed colony of algae.
William, this may have more than one species involved. The back-boards look like Ponderosa Pine, but the photo of the door frame looks like Hemlock or Douglas Fir.
March 11th, 2013 at 5:25 pm
Could you still help me out seeing as you are a carpenter please
March 11th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
@Wanda: The second picture you posted looks completely different from the first; if I was only going by the second picture, I’d guess Beech. It’s commonly used in Europe, and is very commonly used in steam bent parts, especially chair backs.
@William: Unless you have some reason to seriously suspect Jarrah, I’d say it’s most likely a softwood. I think it’d be quite difficult to guess the species without knowing more information. I’m not even sure if that’s the natural wood color — I’d guess no.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:01 am
Anyone able to help? Many thanks in advance. A.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:11 am
Excuse me, I’ve overread your Post Ted.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:21 am
I hope the following images are of any good. I have only just removed the paint and varnish off the panels. The wood has still marks all over so I’m not sure whether any conclusion can be made at this point.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:22 am
And the back.
March 14th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
I need help identifying this door. It’s from a house built in 1914 in NJ.
March 14th, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Here is another pic.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Alice,
I don’t know for sure. The panels look older than Noah, was the piece of furniture in a flood? One thing that’s got me stumped is the age. If the wood was from virgin timber, the growth rings would be closer together, they aren’t so it’s from 2nd or 3rd growth forest, where the trees grew faster, and the rings are further apart. There’s a lot of erosion on the wood, and the dovetails look hand-cut, adding to the impression of age. I’d guess Birch or Spruce, but if the wood was a little more reddish-brown it could be Fir or Hemlock. Hard to tell with the damage on the surface – the wear and staining. Need other self-proclaimed experts to chime in.
OK, I’ve reread your first posting, and you say it’s from Austria. That explains the age and the growth rings. Europe was deforested long ago, so most all wood in the past 500 years isn’t from virgin timber. Also that leans me more toward Birch or Spruce. Fir & Hemlock are more North American woods. Spruce has been used in Europe to make all kinds of things (like Stratavarious violins). The weight might give a clue – Spruce is very light-weight and is a softwood, Birch is one of the softer hardwoods, but still should be a bit denser than Spruce. The difference would be about the same as an equally sized piece of styrofoam compared to solid cardboard.
Suggestion: Take a panel to your local lumberyard or big-box store (HD or Lowes) and compare it to a Spruce 2×4 or 2×6 and then to a piece of Birch plywood that is side-matched veneer, not rotary cut. (That means the factory glued boards together and then sliced the 1/16th of an inch veneer off of the slab one layer at a time, rotary cut means they spun a log and shaved the veneer off in a gradually shrinking spiral.) See which one looks the closest to your wood.
I’m going to make my best guess as it being Spruce.
March 15th, 2013 at 11:54 am
@Ralph: Very hard to tell since it looks like a softwood. Looks like it’s stained and that’s not its natural color. Possibly Eastern White Pine? Possible a cedar? Check for a scent on a freshly milled piece if you have access to a scrap/expendable piece.
@Alice/Ted: From the microscope endgrain with the neatly ordered rows of cells indicates a softwood. Definitely not birch. I’m just thrown off by the dark material in the cells, which I hope/guess is just a residue of stain/varnish that was on the wood. The easiest thing you could do is to check the endgrain for resin canals. Read about them here: http://www.wood-database.com/w.....d-anatomy/
Big and frequent canals would suggest pine.
Small and infrequent canals would suggest spruce.
No canals would suggest fir.
March 15th, 2013 at 8:58 pm
Ralph – I vote for cedar, too. Hard to tell from the photos you submitted.
March 21st, 2013 at 11:01 pm
I am doing a total update of my boat. I wood like to replace the bulkheds (walls)with cherry. Unfortunately cherry is too expensive. Is there a plywood with a grain pattern similar to cherry, I could stain to look like cherry but is cheaper?
March 22nd, 2013 at 4:06 pm
Hello,
I was told this is a “dry sink” when it was given to me by a relative.
I’m considering refinishing and am curious as to:
A) what type of wood it might be
B) whether there is any perceived antique value that might be lost by me messing with it
Thanks in advance,
Ben
March 22nd, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Oh and I’m writing from Australia which is why the pic is upside down.
March 24th, 2013 at 2:49 pm
Alan,
You can stain birch plywood to look like cherry, either the dark brown of natural cherry or the reddish traditional cherry stain. Found at your local home improvement store.
Stain first, satin or gloss marine varnish or polyurethane second.
March 28th, 2013 at 6:28 pm
About to purchase this lovely piece, and have it refinished. seller thinks oak I think mahogany , any ideas, also does anyone know anything about this style of table. The leafs are on the end and lift up into place as well, extending to 8 feet.
March 28th, 2013 at 6:29 pm
a second pic of same above
March 30th, 2013 at 10:25 pm
Again, people posting photos – take a CLOSEUP!
WIthout the surface of the wood being obscured by glare from your flash.
It’s hard to tell from 8 feet away what the species of wood is.
Would you hold a gem 2 feet away from the appraiser?
No, he looks at it with a loupe at 10X magnification.
That said,
jenan – it’s most likely mahogany, but there is a possibility that it could be teak. The only reason I’m leaning a little bit that way, is because it’s not the typical color that most mahogany is stained – which is usually darker and redder. Teak is typically medium to dark brown. Nice touch the carpenter used, end-matching the boards on the extension to the boards on the table.
(The first photo is a nice picture of a table, but totally unsuitable for identification purposes, which is why you posted your question. The second one is a tiny bit better, and since mahogany has such a very distinctive pattern, it’s possible to make an educated guess from insufficient data & come up with a reasonable answer.)
Beautiful table, buy it. Why are you thinking of refinishing it? It may just need to be sanded lightly, and another coat of finish applied, if you’re just trying to eliminate surface mars and scratches. I don’t know that I’d trust many to strip and sand it down to bare wood. Especially if it doesn’t really need it. You might end up paying an equal amount to refinish it as to what you paid for it. How much ARE you paying for it?
March 30th, 2013 at 11:46 pm
it’s a steal, owner has accepted offer of $700. It’s my g/f purchasing, but I found it and negotiated, I have antique mahogany pieces from 1920 at home so yes this stain threw me off . It actually looks like a honey red. Owner thought it was oak, I leaned to mahogany. It doesn’t appear to be teak. It’s quite heavy. I agree a light sand and another coat of finish. It has one small scratch but I think that will take care of it. Friend has new house and wants everything pretty. sorry about pics all I had available at the time. will send you finished product pic and confirmation from re-finisher of wood and period it is from. He is 3rd generation 35 yrs experienced.
March 30th, 2013 at 11:49 pm
ps , if i click on thumbnail of my pics, it comes up enlarged, maybe that is peculiar to my mac, but i thought maybe on page as well
March 31st, 2013 at 10:40 pm
I had all but given up finding the quintessential book of woods when it struck me that I had a computer, so I went on line and found your site. It all BUT provides me with what I am looking for; specifically I am looking for a book that has color pix of both the bark, and the wood grain, where that particular tree grows, whether it is soft or hard wood, what the expense would be(by foot – 2″ x 4″) for a particui-lar wood, etc. In general, ALL the information a carpenter would require in choosing a particular wood grain for a project. I picture in my minds eye the left side of the page providing all the informa-tion a carpenter needs to know, and on the right side one or more color pix of the grain itself. I grant you, such a book would be a carpenter’s dream to have, especially for a new and budding would be carpenter; and not to leave out that creating such a book would be rather thick (unless the creator of such a book breaks it up into several books based on ‘softwood, hardwood, etc. In the meantime, do any carpenter’s out there know of anything book-like that would contain all the info I have said here, yet cover several hundred species of trees? I have been an occasional carpenter for more than 40 years and I really would enjoy getting my hands on such a book. Again, is there a carpenter out there that knows if such a book exists? And the approximate cost of library of books? Thank You!
P.S.#1: I have NOT tried going to “Angie’s List” first. I do not believe she has the book I have in mind. P.S.#2: I DO NOT understand the browser box matter (jpg format … I have NO idea what that means. I DO NOT have an understanding of computer languages and I am barely able to get around anything but YouTube. Modern tech is killing me!)
Again – Thank You!
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:03 pm
Jenan – Wow! Scoop it up for $700, for sure.
Mahogany has a big tangental swirl of grain surrounded on both sides by reversing bands of grain, looks like opposite one way streets parallel to each other, a rather peculiar thing mahogany does. That’s what I see from your second photo, even from the distance. And yes, my MacMini opens the photos into a bigger window than the photo posted on the page. I see six edge-joined boards making up your (almost) table. The craftsman that made it used 8′ boards , cutting 1 foot off of each end after they were joined to make the extensions, with the middle 6′ making up the main table, so that when you pull the extensions out, you are looking at the original 8′ boards (again).
Glad you agree on the light sanding & finish coat. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke is always good advice.
Mark – Amazon.com
I’d recommend #1 & #3, but they’re probably all good.
#1 is how it (the wood) got that way, what it does (for the tree, and for use in construction or furniture), and has a lumber section
#3 is how to identify species, probably has bark & leaf photos or renderings along with closeups of the end-grain, tangental cuts, and quarter sawn cuts (if it’s a species that lends itself to having a radically different appearance in quarter sawn, like Oak – see Ashleigh’s photo Feb 7th above.)
#5 is spiral-bound, it will lay flat.
Understanding Wood: A Craftsman’s Guide to Wood Technology by R. Bruce Hoadley (Oct 1, 2000)
$39.95 $31.09 Hardcover
Usually ships in 1 to 2 months
$16.91 Kindle Edition
Wood: Identification & Use (Revised & Expanded) by Terry Porter (Feb 1, 2007)
$19.99 new (13 offers) $19.98 used (22 offers)
Wood Identification & Use (Compact Edition): A Field Guide to More than 200 Species by Terry Porter (Feb 21, 2012)
$24.95 $18.96 Paperback
The Encyclopedia of Wood by U.S. Department of Agriculture (Apr 1, 2007)
$19.95 $15.00 Paperback
$9.99 Kindle Edition
The Real Wood Bible: The Complete Illustrated Guide to Choosing and Using 100 Decorative Woods by Nick Gibbs (Jan 12, 2012)
$19.95
$13.30 Paperback
Spiral-bound
April 2nd, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Mark – oh, yeah, since you’re computerly challenged, Kindle is Amazon’s pet electronic book, you (buy one, then) download the electronic version of the book, and their proprietary software turns it back into a book on their iPad looking machine. You can still read when the power goes off at night, and it’s cheaper than paper.
April 4th, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Great website…very useful. Much thanks.
I am buying a house and the kitchen cabinets have wood that look like this. Can anyone help identify what it is made of?
Appreciate it.
April 5th, 2013 at 11:34 pm
Dileep,
Another photo from 12 feet away.
Your cabinets appear to be made of rotary cut oak veneer plywood – pre 1973.
I hope you’re getting a good price on the house and intend to gut this kitchen and remodel with professional design assistance. Shrink the window & sink down to 36″ and gain some cabinet and drawer space. Greenhouse windows are attractive & useful for growing herbs.
April 6th, 2013 at 7:17 am
Ted,
Thanks. I will get more detailed pics today. I wanted to get quick opinions from a few people before I actually signed the contract. My price was based on hoping it can be salvaged. Im rethinking now.
Im guessing oak veneer on plywood was a cheap solution when they originally put it in.
April 6th, 2013 at 6:44 pm
Hi, any idea what type of wood this is?
Any help appreciated. I bought in Australia but they claim the wood is from Vietnam.
April 6th, 2013 at 6:46 pm
Again the same table above. A different shot
April 8th, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Hi,
A shot took further away including one of the chairs.
Any help greatly appreciated.
April 9th, 2013 at 3:23 pm
Just a stab in the dark – teak or dark stained mahogany.
Please, need asian wood expert to chime in.
The first photo is very grainy & has flash glare in it, hard to identify wood.
The second photo is out of focus and grainy, no help at all.
The third photo is also very grainy and slightly out of focus, better, but still no positive ID
Look at William’s 2nd photo above from 3/10, clear, close, and sharp.
April 9th, 2013 at 9:17 pm
Hi Ted,
Thanks for your comment. I have used another camera hopefully this is a better shot of one of the chairs. Is there a good chance this is mahogany then?
April 10th, 2013 at 11:01 am
Eric and Ted,
Many thanks for your help and your effort!
April 11th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Rich
Great photo. I have NO idea what this is. NOT mahagony or teak.
Need expert Asian wood guy to put in several cents worth of opinion.
Beautiful wood, though.
Whatever it is, it’s name is going to be mostly vowels.
Alice
You’re very welcome.
I heard a story of a WWII vet (a violin maker as a civilian) who while in Italy during the war, removed some beams from a bombed out cathedral. He mailed himself (or his parents) some 3′ sections of 8″x16″ beams. When he returned home he used this 400 year old spruce to fashion violin fronts and backs, and when complete, they were the buzz of the violin world, as they sounded like Stratavarious violins. Most likely explanation: the spruce wood was the same in the beams (same time period, same forest, maybe same tree) as what Mr Strat. had used in his violins. So maybe NOT the maker, but the WOOD makes the difference!
April 11th, 2013 at 5:30 pm
Ted,
Thanks for the comments hopefully someone has the answer out there.
April 12th, 2013 at 9:45 am
Hi y’all, I so appreciate that you’re generously sharing your knowledge with us. That said, thoughts on this veneer? Will send a closer photo in the next post.
April 12th, 2013 at 9:46 am
Another one of the same piece
April 13th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Hi,
I live in south Florida.I do commercial and residential remodeling.Because of this my passion is to recreate my home into a 50′s-60′s style home,much with reclaimed materials.I recently acquired 2 sets of matching french doors,and a very unique one of a kind functional louvered door.The style tells me that they were made 40,to early 60′s.They don’t appear to have any finish applied,yet they were on the exterior of a home on the water.They are rather heavy,very dense and look almost like redwood or possibly cedar-cypress.They sat outside under the overhang at an angle for a couple months before I located the owner and acquired them.They showed absolutely no signs of staining,warping or separation.I want to use them in a new addition at my home,but don’t know how or if they should be treated or finished.The functioning louver has a full louver panel inside that slides up and down to open and close with just a small thumb turn slider in the center.I do no want to do any thing that will interfere with it’s function,as I am going to use it for the master bath.The french doors will be exposed to the elements and I do not want to risk damaging their appearance or water damage at hinges.Is there any way I can identify the wood and preserve the look?
April 15th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Carrie – you (and others) haven’t quite gotten the idea on submitting a photo that shows the GRAIN of the wood. You’ve got a lot of glare on the 2nd photo, the 1st photo is too far away, but good to show overall appearance. You asked for ID on veneer then show a closeup of a fluted column on corner, yet the veneer is nearly unrecognizable – being out of focus on the small panel and large drawer. There is a hint in the edge of the top, the fluted column and the rosette – because they are so plain (grain-wise), that lends themselves to being maple.
Overcoming the deficiencies of the photo, I’m going to say you have a maple burl bookend-matched veneer just from the overall appearance in Photo 1.
The original chunk of wood came from the part of the tree where the trunk diverged off into many branches. As these branches grew in diameter, they grew into each other, and the bark was absorbed by the tree at those junctures, causing the darker areas of the wood. All of those limbs joining into the trunk made wild swirls of grain with few knots where other limbs may have started. There could be tiny knots from shoots that never formed into a limb (those are called bird’s eyes) because they got absorbed by the merger of the bigger main limbs.
Bookend matching means when the panels making up the front of your piece were shaved into veneers from the original block of wood, the carpenter took two pieces that were facing each other (like pages in a book) and joined their edges together in the middle of the drawer, so that left and right sides are mirror images of each other. You should be able to find a tiny hairline joint where this was accomplished in the exact center of each drawer. The top two drawers may have even been double matched – side to side on each drawer, and top to bottom matched between the drawers.
Take a close-up photo perpendicular to the middle of a drawer, and post that for confirmation by me or others on wood species. Take a drawer out of the dresser. Take it outside – but not necessarily in full sun. Eliminate glare. Put a dollar bill on the middle of the drawer. Turn your camera’s flash function OFF. Focus your camera (not your phone) on the dollar bill so that it fills your viewfinder (if your camera has a “closefocus” setting – use that). Remove the dollar bill. Take the photo. That should get you close enough. For a good ID, a person needs to see the WOOD in perfect detail – not the drawer pulls & rosettes – and not with the grain of the wood obscured by glare or out of focus.
All that being said, it’s a beautiful piece of furniture. I want it.
April 15th, 2013 at 10:08 am
Bruce, I can’t be much help with no photo.
Whatever the species, you can use a clear wood preservative, Olympic, Cabot, Thompson’s Water Seal (overpriced for 95% mineral spirits & 5% silicone).
Sounds like (you said it’s heavy) it could be Epi, or Lignum Vitae.
Cedar (white to brownish red), Cypress (light brown to grey), Redwood (white to reddish brown and dark brown) are all relatively light woods, very soft, you can leave a mark in them with your fingernail.
Ipe (pronounced “EE-pay”, and also known as Brazilian Walnut) is used thruout the Caribbean without any preservative as furniture, louvers, and deck, dock, and boat parts. It doesn’t float, so throw a door in your pool, if it sinks, its Ipe.
Ipe doesn’t really like to absorb wood preservatives, it is so dense. Reapply wood sealer before the rainy season yearly.
April 15th, 2013 at 10:22 am
Rich, you could have a cypress (if it’s lightweight) or an ebony (if it’s heavy).
I found this photo of hardwood flooring that looks like your wood, but the website wasn’t much help as it has a made-up name -Kazaar, and I couldn’t determine the real species of it. The site listed Brazilian Koa, Walnut, Cherry, and other species as being this photo.
April 17th, 2013 at 3:16 am
Hi, I got this corner unit. Can you tell me what kind of wood this is and where does it come from? I am from South Africa
April 17th, 2013 at 3:21 am
This is a close up on the wood. Thanks
April 17th, 2013 at 3:23 am
motive
April 17th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
Hi,
Someone is offering to sell this table claiming it is Brazilian Rosewood. I really don’t buy that though….looks like walnut to me. Can anyone confirm this?
Thank in advance!
B
April 17th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
A closer view of the grain…
April 18th, 2013 at 10:09 pm
@ Benny: I agree with your assessment of walnut. It’s still a very nice table, but stating that it’s Brazilian Rosewood seems a bit… optimistic?
I remember buying some wood (sight unseen) salvaged from a chair that was supposedly Brazilian Rosewood. It turned out to be Jatoba.
April 20th, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Benny- the bookend matched pieces around the moulding under the top may be rosewood, but the top itself looks like mahogany to me, without the cherry red stain most pieces have, mahogany is a middle brown color like what you have. Walnut doesn’t have the zig-zaggy stripes your piece shows in the 2nd photo bottom center & right. Mahogany does.
Pieter – I can’t even guess from the photos you’ve posted. Neat little corner unit, looks like someone has used it hard from the dings on the top surface in the 2nd photo. Maybe a refinisher could tell you what wood it is when you take it there for restoration. Lots of odd woods in Africa we don’t see over here on this side of the puddle.
April 20th, 2013 at 5:08 pm
Hi Ted,
The table is very heavy and so are the chairs. Thanks for your comments I guess I will label it as ebony.
April 26th, 2013 at 10:11 am
Fisrt of all great site!
I live in Texas and recently received some old wood from my wife’s grandfather. I am unsure as to the species, and aside from the attached pictures it has a musty smell and contains sap. Any help is greatly appreciated.
April 26th, 2013 at 10:12 am
Here is a shot of the endgrain.
April 29th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
Mark,
Mahogany
April 29th, 2013 at 12:51 pm
Mark,
I don’t think it’s Mahogany — the pores on the endgrain seem to be too numerous and packed together, and the parencyhma appears too thick in relation to the pore diameter.
Do you by chance know if the wood was collected locally, or if it was salvaged, or bought, or any other like details? Is the musty smell from possible mold or anything ON the wood, or is it when the wood is being worked — i.e., the wood ITSELF. Also, do you mean that the wood is still exuding sap? Lastly, knowing the approximate weight would help a lot too.
(It’s nice to see an ID request that’s not from a finished piece, so there’s quite a bit more flexibility and a much better chance of at least getting closer to a positive ID.)
April 29th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
I think the weight just gave it away. I was thinking it was African Mahogany after looking through your database, but I think the weight just confirmed it, at least I hope. I had to find an online density calculator and put the measurements of a piece that measured 3″x38″x1.125″ with a weight of 3.23 lbs. The resulting calculation is 43.54 lbs/ft3.
The wood to my knowledge has been stored for years in an old garage workshop in Houston which may be the cause of the smell, but it is certianly more prominate once I cleaned it up on the miter saw and jointer. I only noticed the sap once the wood had been cleaned up, and it is very light.
I am glad I was able to provide a good picture of the wood. Helps having a professional DSLR with studio lighting
April 29th, 2013 at 4:30 pm
I asked about the weight to get a rough idea of how heavy the wood was — density really should not be used too precisely for ID’ing. The coefficient of variation for wood density is +/- 10%, and with the middle ground of 44 lbs/ft that you measured, it could be almost anything.
Basically, all that’s known at this point is that it’s brown, and it’s of medium weight.
I suppose you could *suspect* African Mahogany, but I really haven’t seen a sample with the densely-packed of pores on the endgrain before. If you look at the attached file, you can see a piece of African Mahogany in a higher resolution, which shows the pore density better.
April 29th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
One more request if I may.
Can someone confirm if this is sassafras wood. I salvaged this wood from an old dresser that looks like it was built in the 70-80s. I think its sassafras because it has a sweet smell when I cut it and the pores in the endgrain appear to match with your database example.
April 29th, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Endgrain shot
April 29th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Eric, I see what you mean. The pores are less packed on your example, which is an awesome high resolution scan.
May 1st, 2013 at 5:06 pm
I found this 3″ x 9″ x 18″ piece of wood in a dumpster when i was collecting firewood. I would like to know what it is so that i can get more because this wood is absolutelly fantastic to work with! It sands to an almost shiny surface so there’s almost no open pores. It darkens quite a bit when I apply Liberon finishing oil, wich it soaks up fast, especially at the end grain. It’s quite heavy even though it’s been dried inside for over 2 years now. The sawdust has a orange colour and the cut surface is almost shiny when cut with a good blade. Living in Norway I’m used to work with arctic pine and birch but this is something completely different. Could it be walnut? It doessent look as dark as most walnut gunstocks I’ve oiled and it feels like it’s harder. You have to try hard to scratch it with your fingernail. Dont know what it’s been used for or where it comes from but one side of the end grain had this wierd cutpattern, like it had been worked on with a very small v-shaped chisel all over the endgrain. Hope someone can tell what this is as I really hope to get more of this beautiful wood. More pictures here: http://s1337.photobucket.com/u.....brary/Wood
May 2nd, 2013 at 10:07 am
Johan,
Thank you for those excellent pictures and thorough description.
From your photobucket pictures, it appears to be a fruitwood (Rosaceae family). Based on your location, I think the most likely suspect would be Pear.
http://www.wood-database.com/l.....oods/pear/
It could also possibly be Wild Cherry.
http://www.wood-database.com/l.....ld-cherry/
Perhaps someone that is familiar with the bark of these trees could help shed further light…
May 2nd, 2013 at 10:51 am
Mark,
That second sample might be Sassafras, but the arrangement of the latewood pores in bands is more indicative of Elm than anything. Or it might be Hackberry, which has a similar pattern, and can have a mild scent too.
May 2nd, 2013 at 10:57 am
Johan, color and bark, looks like cherry wood. The knot makes it prettier, but it looks like cherry…
May 2nd, 2013 at 1:24 pm
I’ve been out sanding the end grain and taken some new pictures. I put a math on the endgrain to help determine size. I’ve also read up on different woods types here on the database and managed to rule out some that I had suspected. I wish I could weigh the piece but I don’t have a scale nor a moisture meter.
Conclusions so far: The wood is heavy although very dry. It has dense grain. It sands to a almost gloss finish, endgrain sands to gloss. Doessen’t smell. Has some wavy patterning and dark streaks. Colour is medium reddish brown and gets darker towards the centre. Just under the bark, about 1/2 inch has much lighter yellowish or pinkish colour. My best guess so far is that it’s Maple. I’ve learned today that Sycamore Maple is infact known to grow north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. So it could be a tree that has grown here locally. The other possibility is that it was shipped here and then it could be anything. “Wild Cherry” would be my next best bet. I dont think any of the other woods mentioned by Eric and Bill grow in Norway but then again, that doessen’t rule them out. Thank you very much for your response to this by the way! I’ll go tree hunting this weekend and see what (if any) trees I can find here other than the arctic birch, spruce assorted bushes and the odd pinetree.
May 2nd, 2013 at 6:52 pm
Johan,
The v-grooves in the ends of your logs are chainsaw marks.
I’d say cherry also, based on the graining, and the colors you’re experiencing.
Definitely a fruit or nut wood.
It is NOT maple. Maple is very light.
Maybe walnut or pecan, we need a bark expert to chime in.
Cherry darkens over time, but starts out medium brown to dark brown with red hints.
The really RED cherry that we see in the US is a stain used habitually by furniture manufacturers so that the public perception is that a species of wood looks that red, when it really doesn’t. (The same has been done with mahogany for 100 years or more – red stain, not the real color of the wood.) Now cabinet mfgs stain birch with that same “red cherry” stain and pass the cabinets off as “Hardwood” cabinetry – which they are, technically, but call it “Cranberry” or something as idiotic so that they’re not really lying. The unsuspecting (homeowner) customers will glowingly tell you they have “real” Cherry cabinets. (shake of head – NOT)
May 2nd, 2013 at 8:51 pm
Johan,
That’s an excellent endgrain shot. It’s almost certainly a fruitwood in the Rosaceae family.
That lighter colored wood you mention under the bark is called sapwood. It’s not maple, as then the sapwood would comprise about 2/3s of the wood. Also, the pores are too small and of a uniform size — ruling out walnut or pecan.
The thing is, it’s not really possible (to my knowledge) to reliably separate between the various fruitwoods. It may be Pear, or Cherry, or even Apple.
I’m guessing that most woodworkers that have chimed in are located in the United States, and are very familiar with Cherry. I agree it bears a striking resemblance. However, in Europe, Cherry isn’t nearly as big as it is here, and as far as I understand, Pear is pretty much the European equivalent to North America’s Black Cherry. Given your location in Europe, and your subset of “common” woods near your country, I still put out my best guess of PEAR.
Just my .02
May 3rd, 2013 at 1:40 pm
Thank you all for great expertise.
The thing I liked so much about this small piece of wood I found, apart from it’s beauty, was how well and how easy it was to get a really high finish to it. I mostly use oil such as “minwax antique oil finish” or “liberon finishing oil” (both are oils mixed with varnish). The wood is also easy to shape with a sander at the same time as it’s quite hard and will withstand both use and abuse. Is this also the caracteristics of pear, cherry and apple wood? What other woods have these great caracteristics? I’ve heard people speak of open grained and closed grained wood. Is this just a frase for explaining if a wood has large pores (open grained) or very small pores (closed grain)?
May 9th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
To all who’ve tried to post pictures of their stuff for ID recently:
For whatever reason, the photo uploads haven’t worked, so your post wasn’t listed. I’m considering moving this feature (posting wood pics to be identified) to my new Wood Database facebook page.
I think this would be a better forum to post pictures and have discussion than here in the comments section. What do you think?
May 11th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
Eric:
That sounds like a good idea. I’ll repost my last post at the FB page.
May 12th, 2013 at 6:03 am
my freind took these peices out of a boat house/dancehall built i think in the early 1900′s near alexandrea bay new york.
May 13th, 2013 at 8:34 pm
If the rest of you vote to kick me off of here, I’ll understand, and my mother used to say, “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything” – but I can’t resist.
Mike – Hey, what’s with the blurry photo of firewood?
May 14th, 2013 at 10:43 am
LOL, Ted, you are definitely NOT kicked off…
May 17th, 2013 at 8:15 am
Anyone know what type of wood this is its a dark very hard type of wood.