| Type of wood |
Description/Uses |
Density kg/m3 |
| Alder - Common |
From Europe and UK. Similar to poplar. Imported as plywood and used for turning. Light reddish brown colour. Not very durable. |
530 |
| Balsa |
From Ecuador. A low density wood used for model-making and insulation. |
40-320 |
| Beech |
From UK, Europe and America. Used for furniture, flooring, musical instruments. Often used for woodstrip and woodblock flooring. |
720 |
| Birch |
From UK, Europe and America. General purpose timber, plywood. |
660 |
| European Boxwood |
Turnery, craftwork, sports goods, musical instruments. |
910 |
| American Cedar |
From South and Central America. This wood is used for Cabinet making, boatbuilding, and light construction. |
480 |
| Cedar, Western Red |
From North America. Reddish brown, non-resinous lightweight softwood with good durability under all conditions. Used for roofing shingles and for interior furniture. Can cause corrosion of contact metal. |
370 |
| Sweet Chestnut |
A European tree used for furniture, fencing and often used for beams. Stains when in contact with damp iron. |
560 |
| European Cherry |
European/ American tree. Used for specialised crafted furniture, decorative work, musical instruments. |
430 |
| Ebony |
An African /Asian tree. Dark wood used for cutlery handles, musical instruments, craftwork. This is an endangered wood. |
1000 |
| Elm |
English. Cross grained with high tendency to warp. High temperature steaming reduces this tendency. Used for furniture, joinery, flooring, external cladding. Durable under water and excellent for piles and dock construction. |
550 |
| Elm Rock |
North American. Tough dense and resistant to abrasion. Durable under water and mainly used for piles and dock construction. |
700 |
| Fir, Douglas (softwood) |
From UK, Europe and North America. Straight grained softwood. Higher than average strength. Used extensively for plywood, heavy construction work, sea defences. |
530 |
| Silver Fir (softwood) |
Cultivated in European Plantations.Marketed as whitewood. Used for building, joinery, packaging. |
480 |
| Hemlock |
UK, European and N. America. Non resinous softwood with straight even grain. Not very durable. Used in construction industry for interior work, crates and boxes. |
480 |
| Hickory |
North American. Tough, hard smooth and straight grained. Used for spokes and rims of wheels, tool handles and machine parts. |
820 |
| Horse Chestnut |
A European tree sometimes used for handles and utensils and often used in beams. |
510 |
| Holly |
Grown in UK and Europe. Difficult to dry and will easily distort and split. Used for Craft work and inlays. |
800 |
| Larch |
Grown in UK softwood plantations and across Europe. Good strength and durability. A general purpose timber for outdoor use used for gates and fencing and mining timbers. |
590 |
| Lime |
Europe.Fine textured soft and compact and cuts cleanly. Not durable. Excellent for carving and is used for musical instrument construction. Brush backs and turning. |
550 |
| Mahogany |
From West Africa. Courser texture than other types of Mahogany Dark wood and not as stable. Used for utility and decorative work, indoors and outdoors, from boatbuilding to furniture and joinery. |
530 |
| Spanish/Cuban Mahogany |
Used in joinery, high quality furniture, plywood. |
720 |
| Maple |
From North America.Even texture hard and strong. Very good timber for flooring. Used for interior timbers and a wide range of industrial applications. |
740 |
| Oak |
UK, Europe and North America.Best wood for construction purposes demanding strength and durability. Wide range of applications, including joinery, furniture, fittings, flooring wood strip and woodblock flooring. |
720 |
| Pine (Redwood) |
Found UK, Europe and North America. Wide range of applications, including, furniture and flooring. |
510 |
| Rubberwood |
Grown in plantations in Malaysia. Often used in furniture production. |
600 |
| Rosewood |
Africa, South America, India. Sometimes used for furniture and musical Instruments. |
850 |
| Sapele |
From West Africa. Often used in furniture, joinery, decorative applications. |
620 |
Spruce
White Wood |
From UK, Europe and North America. Near white straight grained softwood. Not durable in exposed locations. Generally used for boxes packing cases and construction work. |
420 |
| Sycamore |
Found in the UK and much of Europe. Used mainly for veneers. |
610 |
| Teak |
Mainly from S.E Asia. High quality furniture, joinery, garden furniture. Sometimes used for beams. |
900 |
| Walnut, European |
Native to UK and Europe.Greyish brown finely figured. Used for furniture cabinets, gun handles and rifle stocks. |
640 |
| Willow |
Native to UK and Europe. Lightweight, soft, perishable wood. Used to make cricket bats, basket work, toys and other items. |
440 |
| Yew |
Native to UK and Europe. Used for decorative veneers ornaments. - Historically used for bows. |
670 |