MarkAW
Established Member
I'm not talking about a specific piece of timber. In general how do you go about identifying wood?
How do you identify wood?
- Thread starter MarkAW
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Not sure I understand fully, do you mean how do you know if it is wood or some other material if it is painted or something like that? When it comes to identifying different types of hardwood I don't have a clue lol Most of what I buy is from a local sawmill, I buy it as slices & each one has what it is written on it, I just make sure if I use the end with the name on I write it on again lol
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Dee J
Established Member
Experience? Personally OK(ish) with common European species. But when it comes to more exotic hardwoods then I'm lost. Context can be helpful for antique stuff, but for new material it's beyond complicated. Even if you ask, can you trust the answer?
MarkAW
Established Member
Haha, I mean which types of wood, rather than if it is wood.
I've seen that database. It's useful for the different properties.
It would be useful to be able to look at a piece of unknown timber and know "that's Ash", or "that's larch"
I've seen that database. It's useful for the different properties.
It would be useful to be able to look at a piece of unknown timber and know "that's Ash", or "that's larch"
Keith 66
Established Member
Back when i was a small child my Dad showed me a book, What wood is that by Alfred Schwankl, published in 1956.
It is extremely thorough & backed up with plates with samples of veneer, 40 different species.
I still have Dads copy & still refer to it occasionally.
It is extremely thorough & backed up with plates with samples of veneer, 40 different species.
I still have Dads copy & still refer to it occasionally.
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Ash is a good one to start with, as its a similar colour to a lot of common species.
It has deep pores on the surface compared to a most woods I've encountered, "surface" as in face grain that you are looking at, and those pores which are sliced in half with say a handplane, so you are effectively looking at gutters.
So not talking about looking at the end grain, which is used for differentiating one from another similar timber.
I don't look at end grain often, and have only noticed one timber which I might be able to identify by end grain, well maybe brown walnut with creamy sapwood would be fairly clear before your eyes even got as far as the end of the board.
Thats keruing as it has tighter pores, heavy, hard, darker than most common African species, very interlocked, which all gives it away before I would see the end grain which can leach resin.
Colour and smell are also good indications, as are hardness and weight.
Some other factors are if the colour changes like cherry for instance goes dark with the sun/time.
Going back to the ash again, you might notice pinks which might be a giveaway, and coupled with the clear striping of the face grain, especially when quartersawn would likely be enough to tell you if it were a piece of ash.
Compare it with oak, which could look similar quartersawn in narrow sticks, with rough grain but darker (unless it's olive ash) so if unsure, one might look for the cross grain feature of Q/S oak
(medullary rays)to easily tell apart.
Its just a matter of familiarity, if you keep looking at the what wood is this threads, you will get accustomed to the appearance of many species.
Tom
It has deep pores on the surface compared to a most woods I've encountered, "surface" as in face grain that you are looking at, and those pores which are sliced in half with say a handplane, so you are effectively looking at gutters.
So not talking about looking at the end grain, which is used for differentiating one from another similar timber.
I don't look at end grain often, and have only noticed one timber which I might be able to identify by end grain, well maybe brown walnut with creamy sapwood would be fairly clear before your eyes even got as far as the end of the board.
Thats keruing as it has tighter pores, heavy, hard, darker than most common African species, very interlocked, which all gives it away before I would see the end grain which can leach resin.
Colour and smell are also good indications, as are hardness and weight.
Some other factors are if the colour changes like cherry for instance goes dark with the sun/time.
Going back to the ash again, you might notice pinks which might be a giveaway, and coupled with the clear striping of the face grain, especially when quartersawn would likely be enough to tell you if it were a piece of ash.
Compare it with oak, which could look similar quartersawn in narrow sticks, with rough grain but darker (unless it's olive ash) so if unsure, one might look for the cross grain feature of Q/S oak
(medullary rays)to easily tell apart.
Its just a matter of familiarity, if you keep looking at the what wood is this threads, you will get accustomed to the appearance of many species.
Tom
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Woodernhift
Established Member
If I cannot identify a wood I go to my World Woods in Colour by William Lincoln and Identifying Wood by R. Bruce Hoadley. The Hoadley I think is out of print, cannot say if the Lincoln is still available but they may be available from used book dealership.
Anybody can be caught out on occasion, as wood from the same tree will often look so different. This is the pleasure in working with wood, perhaps more so on the lathe, when the inside grain patterns can be revealed.
I can recall at the woodturning club, where lumps of wood were passed around for opinions from experienced old guys on the species of tree and rarely was there a unanimous agreement.
I can recall at the woodturning club, where lumps of wood were passed around for opinions from experienced old guys on the species of tree and rarely was there a unanimous agreement.
My local timber merchant has a 'Periodic Table of Wood' poster in a frame on the wall.
Every time I see it I think how nice it would be to have a poster like that on my workshop wall,,,, and then by the time I've paid the bill, loaded the timber, said goodbye to everyone and journeyed back to my workshop... I've forgotten all about it again.
Here it is, I really should get my act together.
https://poster.wood-database.com
Every time I see it I think how nice it would be to have a poster like that on my workshop wall,,,, and then by the time I've paid the bill, loaded the timber, said goodbye to everyone and journeyed back to my workshop... I've forgotten all about it again.
Here it is, I really should get my act together.
https://poster.wood-database.com
Ttrees
Iroko loco!
Richard Jones, an author and member here Sgian dubh, has a lot of info on the subject of timbers, and likely a lot more palatable than Mr Hoadley's publications.
Still likely heavy reading regardless, if looking for a specific publication on the subject.
World woods in colour and a few more might be handy, but maybe more so for an American audience.
Still likely heavy reading regardless, if looking for a specific publication on the subject.
World woods in colour and a few more might be handy, but maybe more so for an American audience.
Sgian Dubh
Established Member
Can't go too far wrong with World Woods in Colour by William A Lincoln. Having said that Wood identification & Use by Terry Porter might also be an option, although it's not a book I've had any real reason to even open, let alone use, the reason for that being I have World Woods in Colour. I'm just repeating a couple of suggestions from others, but included a link to a possible source to purchase. Slainte.
I'm sure it helps if you have an eclectic taste in furniture There are likely to be more samples to refer to in the house 
World Woods In Colour for me too. And there's an A2 ish sized poster that either came in a book or was included in one of the monthly magazines many years ago. I had one and have seen it in other people's sheds too.
The online resources are invaluable for identifying something difficult and include lots of detail.
World Woods In Colour for me too. And there's an A2 ish sized poster that either came in a book or was included in one of the monthly magazines many years ago. I had one and have seen it in other people's sheds too.
The online resources are invaluable for identifying something difficult and include lots of detail.
MARK.B.
Established Member
The fun bit comes when after several goes at guessing what species you finally get it right
I like to gnaw at it.
As there are approximately 60 thousand species of wood I wish you the best of luck!
Yer I did wonder. just put it down to the fact that I have a lot of mental health issues lol
Like I said in the other post, the sawmill I buy my wood from write the name on each slice & I just make sure the name stays on it, I can guess larch & get it right 50% of the time but that's because they only normally have Larch & Douglas Fir so it has to be one or the other lol
I have no idea but I learned early on not to ask an "expert". When I was at school they got some new planes. I asked the woodwork teacher what the handle was made of. He confidently identified it as rosewood. I then took the handle off and showed him the underside where the plastic mold lines could clearly be seen. I was not the most popular pupil that day.
