A friend of mine asked me the other day about how I distinguish different wood types. Now, I only regularly deal with a limited selection of wood types, but there are two basic facts that you need to know.
1. The first, most important thing I could say on the subject is this: there is no such thing as a "cherry finish" (to name the most popular example). This is a misnomer invented for the convenience of cheap synthetic veneers made to look like cherry (or any other wood type), and the term has simply become so popular that it has come to incorrectly apply to real and imitation cherry alike. Finishing is the process of staining and coating applied to a wood.
2. The way to identify wood is by its grain—not by its color. There is, again, no such thing as a "cherry color." Before staining, nearly all wood simply looks, in color at least, like the normal timber you'll find at any hardware store. This is why you will find, for example, oak furniture that is very light, or orange, or even black (as when it is ebonized). Some woods, however, tend to be a certain color, like yew, which tends to be orange-ish, and all woods take differently to different stains. However, the rule still stands: you identify wood by its grain.
It is difficult to explain what each grain looks like, but it is easy to show with pictures. Just see the following. (Click on the pictures for larger sizes.)
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| This is normal oak. | The wood you see here is quartersawn oak. Some people call it "tiger" oak because of its characteristic striping. See more of the above gate leg table here. |
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| This is a great example of several wood types. The main, innermost wood that you see is cathedral mahogany. The innermost banding is ebony string inlay, which borders a thin band of rosewood. Exterior to that is satinwood string inlay, which borders a wider band of satinwood. The outermost band is flame mahogany. | This occasional table was made with flame mahogany. Note the wispy, flame-like grain. |
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| This is walnut with walnut crossbanding (notice the grain difference). | This is another variety of walnut, again with walnut crossbanding, dating from c1910. |
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| This hunt board is made from solid cherry. | Shown here is probably the most ideal example of burl elm. |
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| This small bedside chest is made of yew, and the top shown here is bordered by yew crossbanding. | The wood shown here is bird's eye maple. |
Your Thoughts
Thanks for sharing these pictures. It makes much easier to learn and compare when they are lit properly and put together, something I cannot do when in museum.
No problem, Lin. I'm glad you found them helpful.
Are there any books you can recommend for further knowledge in distinguishing the differences in wood grains?
Hi Lisa: we've gotten our knowledge of wood through years of looking at it, so I wouldn't know where to look for books on the subject. However, you can always try books about antiques that have lots of pictures. We sometimes consult Judith Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia, which has numerous high-quality photos with detailed descriptions.
This is my first time learning about differentiating wood types, and I must say your tutorial has certainly led me on the right path. Thank you so much for this post. Also, that is a fantastic walnut buffet! I love how the maker put the knot right in the middle on top. I hope I come across one of those in my picking adventures. Thanks again!
Hi Chuck, we're glad to hear it! Happy hunting!
