When you’re planning your next DIY project, choosing the right wood is essential, whether you’re building a porch swing or a kitchen table. The best type of wood for your project will depend on whether your final project will live indoors or outdoors, whether you need it to be durable, what color you want it to be, and more. Here’s a quick guide to how to choose the best kind of wood for your next project.
Hickory
Hickory is a very durable (yet well-priced) wood, which makes it perfect for objects that get worn out (such as tool handles, flooring, ladders, and even hockey sticks). Maple, meanwhile, comes in hard or soft varieties. Hard maple has natural durability and is ideal for floors, while soft maple takes stain well and is often used in contemporary designs.
Oak
Oak is one of the most popular woods for American and English country-style designs since it’s a classic hardwood that ages beautifully; it’s best for indoor furniture and flooring. Birch is relatively hard and durable, but it’s a little susceptible to cracking when shrinkage occurs. Since birch has a wide range of colors, it’s used in a wide variety of design schemes, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
Walnut
Walnut is an especially versatile wood, as it works with many different colored stains and designs, or even when contrasted with a lighter wood. Cherry wood is somewhat bendable and easy to carve, and it’s used in contemporary, Shaker, and colonial designs. Finally, elm has interlocking grain that makes it difficult to split and crack. A relatively inexpensive and versatile wood, elm is naturally resistant to decay and moisture and has no odor or taste, making it perfect for kitchens.
