DOMESTIC HARDWOODS

Aromatic Cedar has a very fine even texture, with straight grain and minimal knots and is regarded as excellent in resistance to both decay and insect attack. Aromatic Red Cedar is easy to work with and glues and finishes well.

White Ash from eastern North America has a medium to coarse texture similar to that of oak wood. It has a straight and regular grain pattern and is only slightly durable in regard to decay. Ash is also not resistant to insect attacks so make sure you treat it for any outdoor applications.

Basswood is a pale white to light brown coloured wood with its sapwood and heartwood sections not easily identifiable. Its growth rings tend to be subtle, and its colour is mostly uniform throughout the face grain of the wood.

Birch wood has somewhat of a dull, low natural luster appearance with a straight or slightly wavy fine grain pattern. Birch is not very durable, and will readily rot and decay if exposed to the outdoor elements.

Butternut wood’s heartwood is usually a light to medium tan, sometimes with a reddish tint, where its sapwood is a pale yellowish white. Its grain is typically straight, with a medium to coarse texture and a natural silky luster.

Natural cherry wood is perhaps the most sought after furniture hardwood by woodworkers in North America for its color and aging process. It is a smooth-grained, reddish-brown hardwood with moderate natural luster that comes from the American Black Cherry fruit tree.

Hard Maple hails from Northeastern North America and is available here at Century Mill Lumber. Hard maple is also known as rock maple or sugar maple, and is the same tree which is tapped to get maple syrup.

Spalting is a common effect seen in Maple lumber, as the light colored sapwood provides good contrast for the spalting. Spalting is a fungal discoloration in Hard Maple caused by the initial decaying of the wood. It is then subsequently dried, which prevents further decay.

Hickory is a strong, long-lasting wood species in the true-hickory category native to North America and specifically southern Ontario. Its heartwood tends to be light to medium brown, with a reddish hue and its sapwood is a paler yellowish brown.

Birds Eye Maple is not a distinct species of maple, rather a result of a growth/grain anomaly caused by unfavorable growing conditions in the hard maple species. It is called birdseye maple because the tiny knots in the grain resemble small bird’s eyes. 

Poplar is one of the most common utility hardwoods in North America. It is considered a utility wood in nearly every sense. It’s used for pallets, crates, upholstered furniture frames, paper (pulpwood), and plywood and a variety of other useful applications.

Poplar D4S Lumber is a very common material used to build solid wood furniture. The main difference between D4S lumber and non-D4S lumber is that D4S lumber has been dressed on all 4 sides, hence where the name comes from. Poplar is one of the most common utility hardwoods in North America.

Red Oak, also known by its scientific name Quercus rubra, is native to Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada, and is arguably the most popular domestic hardwood.

White Oak Wood is a type of hardwood that is typically used in the construction of furniture, cabinets and other woodwork. White Oak is known for its durability and resistance to rot, making it an ideal choice for pieces that will see heavy use, such as floors and staircases.