Handyman Guide > Building Materials: What Handymen Need to Know About Different Kinds of Woods

WOODS

A knowledge of the important characteristics of some of the more popular kinds of wood is advisable. The home mechanic should know what woods are easy to work and which are brittle and difficult to saw and plane. For painting and refinishing furniture he should know what woods are open grained and require a filler before varnishing and which are close grained, in which a filler may not be necessary.

Spruce. A close-grain wood that is used chiefly for framing houses. It is light in color and easy to work. While strong enough for framing purposes, spruce does not stand up very well when exposed to the weather and should not be used for exterior work. It does not absorb paint very easily, and the paint should, therefore, be thinned down before application.

Fir. There are two types of fir, the Eastern and the Douglas. Fir is used extensively for framing and for floors and trim. It is light. in weight and easy to work, and is used a great deal in the manufacture of plywood. A close-grained wood, fir takes both stain and paint well.

White Pine. Years ago, white pine was used for almost all home construction. Now that the supply has greatly diminished, this wood is only used for trim and paneling. Light in weight, white pine is easy to work and has a close grain.

Yellow Pine. This wood is also known as hard pine, as well as by other names. It is strong enough to be used for framing, and can still be had in sufficiently wide boards to be used for paneling. It is easy to work but rather difficult to paint.

Hemlock. This wood is not very suitable for the home workshop as it shrinks and splits easily. Hemlock is brown in color, holds nails very well, and can be used for framing, sheathing, and other rough construction work. Handle this wood carefully as it contains innumerable splinters. An open-grain wood, it takes paint poorly.

Cypress. Known chiefly for the pleasant effect obtained when used for paneling, cypress can be used for interior trim. It is very resistant to the weather and, consequently, is suitable for outside fittings such as gutters. The wood has a close grain and will take stain well. It absorbs paint slowly, so ample time should be allowed between coats.

Chestnut. This wood was once used extensively for building purposes, but it is very difficult to obtain today, owing to the blight which killed off most of the trees in the country. Chestnut has a natural resistance to decay, and is ideal for fence posts and in other places where the wood comes into direct contact with the ground. It is lightweight and easy to work. Chestnut is still used for interior trim and for furniture. An open-grain wood, it requires a filler before varnishing.

Oak. A heavy and a difficult wood to work, oak is used for trim, furniture, and shipbuilding. The home mechanic will encounter it often in flooring. Oak is open grained and needs a filler. It can be painted, but absorbs the paint slowly.

Birch. Frequently used for interior trim and furniture, this wood is hard and strong but does not stand outside exposure very well. Birch is easy to work and is close grained.

Walnut. Due to its high cost, walnut is used primarily for furniture and gun stocks. American walnut is easy to work and has an open grain.

Red Cedar. This wood is used for wood shingles. It has a close grain and withstands exposure very well. It cannot be painted until well seasoned.

Ash. A tough, elastic, and very hard wood, ash is sometimes used for trim but is most often found in handles for tools. It is open grained, requires a filler, and takes paint well.

Redwood. This wood can be used for all types of building work. It is a light wood and easy to work. Close-grained, it takes paint readily and can be stained and polished.

Elm. Elm is tough, hard, and damp resistant, and is used mostly for heavy timbers and framework. It is difficult to work and has an open grain.

Maple. A very hard and strong wood used for flooring and for trim. It is difficult to nail. Maple is close grained and takes paint very well.

Mahogany. Used chiefly for furniture, this wood is very strong and easy to work. It has an open grain.

Poplar. Light in weight and fairly strong, poplar is used for interior trim. It can be stained and polished to resemble more expensive kinds of wood. Poplar does not stand exposure well but is easy to paint.

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The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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