What wood should you use for interior projects

The number of wood species best suited for interior use is as varied as the number of projects you can make. Selecting the right product for your woodworking project will ensure success and results that will last.

Here are a few options to consider when selecting a wood species for an indoor application.

Basswood
Pros	Uses	Cons
Soft, straight grain	Wood carving	Very little grain pattern

Red oak
Pros	Uses	Cons
Many grades depending on number of defects	Moudlings	Course grain
	Furniture	Turns black when it becomes wet
	Flooring

Maple
Pros	Uses	Cons
Close grain	Flooring	Hard and difficult to machine
Finishes to smooth surface	Furniture

Birch
Pros	Uses	Cons
Straign grain	Cabinets	Can be difficult to machine
Fine texture	Flooring
Available white or yellow	Furniture

White pine
Pros	Uses	Cons
Soft, paints well	Mouldings	Too soft for hard usage
	Doors

Yellow poplar
Pros	Uses	Cons
Does not split easily	Mouldings	Will turn brown if exposed to light
Straight grained
Fine texture
Paints well

Mahogany
Pros	Uses	Cons
Fine grain	Furniture	Low bending and strength
Dark colour	Mouldings
Stable

Ash
Pros	Uses	Cons
Straight grain	Furniture	Does not bend well
Finishes well	Cabinets
	Doors

Content courtesy of Tarpin Lumber and Truss.