Hardwood Information you Should Know

Poplar is easy to cut and generally develops a smooth surface during most machining operations. Tests conducted by the Forest Products Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture evaluate poplar for basic machining properties and workability . The results rate poplar fairly high in most woodworking operations.

Poplar is used mostly for furniture, musical instruments, veneers, general cabinet work (for interior trim) and siding. In veneer form, poplar is generally used for cross-bands in plywood. Lower grade poplar is often used for boxes, pallets and crates.

Poplar does a good job of “imitating” the more expensive hardwoods (most notably, walnut, maple and cherry) when the right stain is applied. Most woodworkers would agree that Poplar is a joy to work with and easy on the wallet.

Hard Maple -- genus: Acer ---- principal lumber species: Saccharum
It's a common tendency for people to associate Maple trees with America; after all, they line our main streets, shade our lawns and forest much of the United States. Yet, of the 150 species of maple trees, only about a dozen of them are actually native to the U.S. and Canada...and the rest are most abundant in Eastern Asia.

The Sugar Maple is by far the most popular Maple species grown for lumber. The tree itself is referred to by a few other names, including rock Maple, hard Maple, sugar tree and black Maple. The wood of sugar Maple is called hard Maple and the principal lumber regions range from the Great Lakes through the Atlantic states.

Sugar Maples grow 75 to 100 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet in diameter. The best lumber from sugar Maples comes from those grown in dense woods, because the trunk is longer and grows fewer branches in its stretch toward the sunshine. The heartwood is light tan to reddish brown and the sapwood is thin and nearly white. The wood is known for its strength, even texture and straight grain.

Because of its high density, hard Maple is easy to work with and ideal for turning, boring, and mortising. Hard Maple offers superior resistance to abrasion and indentation, making it an excellent choice for a project that will receive a lot of wear. evaluates hard Maple for basic machining properties with results showing that it rates well for most operations.

Hard Maple's unmatched durability makes it ideal for a number of uses. It is the leading wood for flooring in homes, schools, skating rinks, and bowling alleys because of its superior wearing properties.. Since hard Maple is both odorless and tasteless, it is also superb for cutting boards and food preparation surfaces. Well-made hard Maple furniture always outlasts its owners, while imparting beauty and practicality, as well.

With all of its obvious benefits to humans, hard Maple is surprisingly inexpensive and readily available in lumber and veneer form. Its easy workability and incredible durability make it a popular choice for a variety of projects.

Hardwood - The Best Choice
William Penn knew exactly what he was talking about when he said: “Wood is a substance with Soul”. His statement is evident in the sheer beauty of a finely crafted family heirloom, or the warmth and feel of an old oaken beam. Wood is gentle to the touch, yet stronger by weight than iron.

A finely-crafted project deserves the very best wood, and there's nothing better than premium-quality hardwood. The superior quality of these woods and their lifelong beauty have made them the most popular choices of generations of woodworkers...and you can bet that in generations to come, hardwoods will still be the first choice.

Continue to Part Two...