The wood I work with

The workshop classic. Hard, durable, with a pronounced grain and ray figure. Usually oiled, to keep the texture under your fingers.

Hardness

Colour

honey, darkens with age

Best for

table tops, stairs, doors, desks

Oak that lay in water or peat. Tannins and iron stain it dark through and through. Rare, temperamental to work, one of a kind.

Hardness

Colour

graphite, grey, black — all the way through

Best for

wall panels, tops, details

Springy and light. Takes bending well and brushes beautifully — the grain comes out like a relief.

Hardness

Colour

light, creamy, pronounced grain

Best for

tops, serving boards, chairs

Boards from barns and sheds. A soft wood, but with old, dense growth rings and a patina that cannot be faked.

Hardness

Colour

silver patina outside, honey inside

Best for

walls, herringbone, frames, upcycled furniture

A noble, dark wood for interiors where oak would be too light.

Hardness

Colour

dark brown with a purple tint

Best for

side tables, fronts, details

Naturally moisture-resistant. Left untreated it turns silver with time — gracefully.

Hardness

Colour

reddish, resinous; greys outdoors

Best for

decks, façades, fences

A light structural timber — for where the cross-section matters more than the figure.

Hardness

Colour

light, almost white

Best for

pergolas, structures, slats