..........THE WOOD REPORT.......... from www.wall-gun-racks.com If you have worked with wood before you may already know a lot about wood types and may have in mind what you will use for this project. However, if this is your first project this information will be vitally important to you! Just a note before we start. The softer or lighter the wood is the easier it may be to work with but you are more likely to have cracks or splits in it while cutting. With care though, these make fine woods to use for your gun rack. You may choose to use another of these woods that have a more distinct grain or different coloration. The information below will help you choose the wood that is right for your project. Pine Pine is a soft lightweight wood that is probably the least expensive to purchase in most areas as there are more than 100 species worldwide. It comes in a white or pale yellow and has a straight grain that is attractive. The knotty pine can add a distinct look to your furniture. This wood resists shrinkage or swelling and takes a stain, paint or oil finish well. This wood is one of the lightest and may be considered if the wall you will be hanging your finished piece on is not able to withstand much weight. Walnut Walnut has a soft grain that is generally straight. Found growing in America, Asia and Europe, there are many different varieties and it is well suited for woodworking. This wood is strong, durable and hard but not excessively heavy. The color can range from light to dark brown. Walnut can be used with a variety of finishes and is therefore one of the most versatile of woods. Maple Maple is a very hard, strong and resistant wood and one of the most popular. This wood has a fine texture and a straight even grain with some pieces exhibiting more of a curly grain. This wood somewhat resembles cherry wood and a cherry stain can be used to simulate it. When choosing maple for your project look at several samples because the look of this wood can vary greatly from one piece to another. There are 115 different species of Maple worldwide, each with a different look and feel. Oak Oak is the most widely used hardwood used in furniture making today. There are more than 60 species grown in the U.S. alone. This wood is very hard, strong and tough with a coarse texture and prominent grain and can take a fair amount of abuse. The two types of this wood, white and red, have a reputation of being a bit more difficult to work with when carving but you may find this heavy light colored wood attractive. Mahogany Mahogany is a tropical hardwood from Central and South America as well as Africa. It is a wood with a reddish brown color that is an excellent carving wood. This wood finishes well, is strong, with a uniform pore structure. The best quality Mahogany which is thought to be the hardest and strongest comes from the Caribbean, while the African wood though highly figured, are of a slightly lesser quality. Cherry Cherry wood, sometimes referred to as fruitwood, is moderately hard and strong with a light to red brown coloration. It is grown in the eastern United States and is a wood that has a closed grain that is easy to carve and polish. This wood has a wide range of colors to choose from and resists warping. The small pits you will see in Cherry wood are a natural characteristic of this wood and give this wood it's own unique look. Ash Ash is a hard, heavy and very strong wood. It is a ring porous hardwood that has prominent grain that resembles oak with a white to light brown color. White ash is the most common variety with Black ash being a lighter and softer wood. There are 16 species of ash which are grown in the eastern United States. This wood also resembles hickory somewhat and is often less expensive than comparable hardwoods. Hickory Hickory is one of the heaviest and hardest woods available and is used in cases when a especially strong wood is needed. It has a close grain without much figure. There are 15 species of Hickory grown in the United States of which Pecan, a species of Hickory, is sometimes used in furniture. This wood is used commonly for structural strength when thinness is required. Beech Beech is a hard, strong and heavy wood that is grown in the eastern half of the United States. It has tiny pores and large conspicuous medullar rays, similar in appearance to maple. The heartwood is reddish brown while the sapwood is a lighter color. This is a relatively inexpensive wood. Birch Birch is a hard, heavy, close grained hardwood with a light brown or reddish colored heartwood and cream or light sapwood. Birch may have straight, wavy or curly grain patterns and can be stained to resemble mahogany or walnut. This is a tough, hard and durable wood that takes a finish well. Cedar Several species of Cedar grow in the southern United States, Central and South America. It is a light and durable softwood with a reddish brown color and a knotty appearance. It has a pleasant and aromatic fragrance that has been used for it's ability to repel moths. This wood is known also for it's brittle qualities. Redwood Indigenous to the Pacific United States, Redwood is lightweight and strong. These trees are most famously known for their longevity and size. Redwood trees grow to more than 300 feet tall and are known to be as much as 2500 years old. Not surprisingly, Redwood is quite resistant to weather, decay, sunlight, moisture and insects, and is used mostly for outdoor furniture. Teak Teak is a yellow to dark brown hardwood which is extremely heavy, strong and durable. It has a straight grain primarily but may be mottled. This is an expensive wood and many times is just used as a veneer even though it is well suited for woodworking. This species grows in Southeast Asia with similar species in Africa.