Hardwoods: what are they? Advantages and disadvantages of different types of wood for the production of solid wood furniture.

In this article, we will talk about unique hardwoods that are rarely found in nature and even less often come across in the form of products. You will learn about the strength and hardness of these rocks and where they are used. The article also contains comparative characteristic wood properties.

Continuing the theme of exotic woods, we will talk about a material that until recently was not available in Russia. The development of trade and transport made it possible to deliver exclusive products and furniture from the wood of the tropics, Africa and Oceania. Over time, these products have gained wide popularity not only as a luxury or exotic item, but also as a practical building material with unique properties.

Hornbeam

The uniqueness of this type of wood lies in the fact that it is popular not so much as lumber, but in its living form. He is the only one of the above, which can be found on the free market.

The hornbeam grows in the Northern Hemisphere and is most common in China. Its structure resembles a bush, but it grows very slowly. It is thanks to this combination - bushiness and slow growth - that live hornbeam has become a favorite material for masters of gardening art and lovers of green hedges. The green cap of the tree keeps its shape up to 15 days after shearing, and the density of the branches allows you to create opaque living sculptures. big love hornbeam earned in Japan, where the art of bonsai is popular - decorative species are specially bred for this.

The mechanical properties of hornbeam wood are at least impressive:

1. Density - 750 kg / m 3.
2. The hardness of the cross section is 83.5 MPa.
3. Brinell hardness - 3.5 kgf / mm 2.

These figures are an order of magnitude higher than those of the average (reference) oak. However, such properties have their price, and it lies in the shortcomings of hornbeam lumber:

1. High volumetric shrinkage. The material shrinks and cracks as it dries.
2. Difficult processing. Due to the peculiarities in the structure of the fibers, the hornbeam does not lend itself well to conventional grinding.
3. It dries slowly and is difficult to process with a tool.

The undoubted advantage of such lumber is a beautiful sinuous structure, sometimes different color(dark brown and yellowish). From the hornbeam they make piece and artistic products - billiard cues, musical instruments, souvenirs and some machine parts.

boxwood

This evergreen shrub has other names - green tree, shamshit, bux, bukshpan, gevan. Such an abundance of different names is explained by the antiquity of the breed and the breadth of the habitat - Central Africa (Madagascar), Central America (Cuba, North Mexico), Eurasia.

Like the hornbeam, boxwood has a lush, dense crown that grows slowly and holds its shape perfectly. In a living form, it is used in landscaping and park architecture.

Boxwood has been used since ancient times as medicine in the preparation of decoctions and infusions. Today, this is not done due to the high toxicity and poisonousness of all parts of the plant. The leaves are especially poisonous.

Mechanical properties of wood:

1. Density from 830 kg/m 3 (dried) to 1300 kg/m 3 (freshly cut).
2. The hardness of the cross section is 115.5 MPa.
3. Brinell hardness - 3.9 kg / mm 2.

The trunk of boxwood does not have a core, so lumber is widely used in artistic cutting, decorative sculpture and woodcuts. The felling of this tree is strictly controlled throughout the world, because, due to its exceptional properties, it was so widely used in printing in the early 19th century that it was almost completely destroyed. The high cost of wood makes it unprofitable and irrelevant to produce joinery from it.

WIKIPEDIA: The range of boxwoods in Russia is constantly decreasing due to logging. Especially large areas of boxwood relic forests were damaged in the fall of 2009 during the construction of the Adler-Krasnaya Polyana Olympic road. Several thousand trunks were uprooted and buried. Colchis boxwood is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

iron tree

Under this name, several dozen species of trees are combined, which grow mainly in Asian countries, Oceania and Australia. They are distinguished from all other trees by one feature - a density of more than 1000 kg / m, i.e., more than the density of water.

Parrotia Persian(iron ore, demir-agach, ambur) - named after the naturalist Ivan Parrot. It grows in the relict forests of Azerbaijan. Beautiful appearance and resistance to frost made it popular ornamental plant in Europe. Due to its rarity, the wood has not been classified, but its exceptional strength is known for certain. Local residents have long made ax handles, floor boards and responsible carpentry from it. The cost of parrotia is several times higher than for wood with the same properties - relict forests are under the protection of the state and UNESCO.

Quebracho or mahogany- grows in the northern regions of Brazil and Argentina. Its name comes from a combination of the words quiebra-hacha (Spanish), which means "breaking an ax" in translation. Red quebracho is relatively common in Russia, so there is data on its trials:

1. Density - 1200 kg / m 3.
2. The hardness of the cross section is 81.5 MPa.
3. Brinell hardness - 3.2 kg / mm 2.

In addition to the “eternal” material for furniture in quebracho wood, tannin is of great value, which gives it a red tint. An extract is obtained from the bark and wood, which is used to treat asthma, heart and circulatory diseases.

A less common species - white quebracho - has a lower density (850 kg / m 3) and is rarely used in Eurasia due to the presence of cheaper local analogues.

Buckout or Guaiac Tree — national symbol Jamaica (flower). Grows on the islands caribbean, in South America and India. Its wood is so dense that it does not have the ability to split, and ranges from 1200 to 1450 kg / m 3. Backout resin is valuable for medicine - medicines and chemical reagents are made on its basis.

Exceptional hardness and high natural oiliness give the wood durability and good mechanical properties. Backout's "track record" is the most impressive of all:

1. Details of the oldest sailing ships which have survived to this day.
2. Detail of grandfather clock with wooden mechanism.
3. Bearings (!) in the steering and screw mechanisms of diesel submarines and the turbine of the power plant (!) Conowingo (Conowingo) on the Susquehanna River.
4. Bowling balls, croquet sticks and clubs for British policemen.

The list of applications makes it clear that in some cases, backout may well replace iron.

Acquiring materials from the trees described above is extremely difficult for two reasons. First, most of them grow in the tropics or remote (from Russia) regions of the world. The second is that almost all of them are protected because of their rarity. Therefore, purchasing this valuable material- a single task that should be planned in the long term.

However, there is a more popular and acceptable solution - the use of imitation of a given breed from a more common and cheaper material. For example, a larch parquet board can be finished with a thin layer of querbach and look like querbach after installation. This approach brings the desired result, reasonably saving money and natural resources.

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The hardness of wood depends mainly on the type of wood. In this article, we will look at different types of wood and find out which wood is harder than others.

The hardness of wood products is their ability to resist the introduction of harder bodies, for example, nails, self-tapping screws.

The hardness of wood varies in different cut directions. There are such types of hardness:

• end. This type of hardness is determined by indenting a metal rod which has a hemispherical end with a diameter of 11.28 mm. The rod is pressed to a depth of radius 5.64 mm gradually over 2 minutes. The imprint size is 1 square centimeter and therefore hardness is measured in kg/cm2
• radial
• tangential.

Lateral hardness in coniferous timber varieties, most often, is 40% lower than the end hardness, and in hardwood varieties, by about 30%. The tangential type of hardness, for example, oak, beech or elm timber is almost 5-10% higher than the end type. Most types of wood have approximately the same tangential and radial hardness.

In order to create a product from wood High Quality it is necessary to determine the hardness of the type of wood used. The most commonly used method for determining hardness is the Brinell method. The meaning of this method is to press a metal ball with a diameter of 10 mm into the surface of the workpiece with a force of 100 kg. According to the type of deformation and the diameter of the resulting depression, the value of hardness is determined.

Besides experienced craftsmen be sure to take into account changes in hardness that may occur during work with workpieces. For example, the hardness index of timber varies depending on the type of its cut.

The hardest wood is the jatoba tree, which grows in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. The hardness of the wood of this tree is 7 points on the Brinell scale. Timber is quite light, with a grayish sapwood. In this case, the core is colored red, red-brown or dark orange. The cut of the trunk becomes darker for 6-7 days, after which it acquires a brick-red color. The tree grows up to 40 meters in height. Timber is used to create furniture, parquet, as well as decorative elements of interior decoration.

The second place in the hardness rating is sucupira. She has a hardness index of 5.6 points. This tree grows exclusively in the Amazon rainforest. An adult tree has a height of about 30 meters. In the center of the trunk is red-brown "dull" wood. Towards the edges, the wood brightens and becomes whitish. When sawing, yellow stripes of parenchymal matter are clearly distinguished. The texture of such timber is quite peculiar. Due to the large amount of oily substances found in wood, the products are resistant to damage by woodworms and microorganisms. Such wood is used to make floor boards, parquet boards and furniture. Timber is very difficult to saw, but it is well ground and polished.

The hardness index of the Amazonian yarra is almost 6 points, it grows in South America. The wood is dark red or plum in the heart. The sapwood has a light yellowish or brown tint. The timber of this tree becomes darker when exposed to moisture and air. Amazonian Yarra is difficult to process, but it is perfectly polished and bends. Boats and buildings are built from such material, they create various items furniture and souvenirs.

In areas of wet rainforest West Africa a mutenia tree grows, reaching 60 m in height. Its hardness level is 5 points. Mutania wood products are brown, very similar to walnut, olive with a brownish tinge. The unique attractiveness of the wood is given by the "rays" of purple. Such wood is used for making floor boards, furniture and interior decoration elements.

European walnut or walnut grows in southern Europe and Asia Minor. The hardness of this tree is also 5 points. Walnut is an expensive wood, it is very much appreciated by lovers of natural materials. The structure of the fibers is even and parallel, sometimes there are undulating curvatures. Expensive furniture, parquet and veneer are made from wood, as well as souvenir products. Finished products are affected by the woodworm beetle.

Merbau timber has a hardness of 4.9 on the Brinell scale. This tree grows in the humid tropics of Papua and New Guinea, as well as in the forests of southeast Asia. The tree grows up to 30 meters. Timber is quite dense, one cubic meter of such material weighs about 800 kg. The core has a light orange tint or yellow color. The sapwood is light yellow in color. The wood becomes darker over time, acquires a bronze or brown hue, with a silvery overflow. Wood has an attractive texture due to the presence of straight and sinuous fibers. Merbau is not afraid of moisture, it can be used in bathrooms.

Ash has a hardness index of about 4. It is very common in Europe and Asia, as well as in America. An adult tree reaches over 35 m in height. Timber from young trunks is homogeneous, light, slightly grayish. And mature trees have a brown, brown color of the core. Several species of ash are distinguished by their reddish core. The structure of wood is similar to oak. Annual rings stand out well, they form a striped pattern. Boards of different sizes, plywood sheets, pieces of furniture, veneer are made from these timber. Several centuries ago, weapons, hunting tools, and catapults were made from ash.

The hardness of oak reaches 3.8 points. There are about 600 species of this tree. Timber does not rot when exposed to moisture. Wood white, yellowish shades. Annual rings are well defined. The sapwood has more light color than the core. Oak, which has lain for a couple of centuries at the bottom of a reservoir, does not rot and does not decompose. On the contrary, it becomes more durable and firm, acquires a dark brown hue. Oak is a fairly valuable breed. Oak barrels and vehicle parts made from this material are very popular.

Of the coniferous timber, larch is the hardest. Its hardness is 2.6 on the Brinell scale. The wood has a dark red core. The sapwood has a lighter yellowish red color. The sapwood is separated from the core by a clear boundary. Buildings made of such wood do not rot for hundreds of years. Larch wood has a high viscosity, so it is processed slowly. The action of moisture only increases the hardness of wood. Soaked timber in hardness can be compared with stone.

Breed name	Density, kg / m 3	Hardness (Brinell coefficient)	Color	Properties
Acacia			sapwood light brown, heartwood red-brown with black veins	There are many types of acacia that are used in the production of parquet, furniture, household items, musical instruments (guitars), rifle butts.
Amaranth			purple, purple-red (plain)	grows in Central and South America; amaranth is valued for its rich purple (violet) color; deliveries to Russian market extremely limited
Afromormosia			yellowish brown (brown-golden), with dark streaks	beautiful, decorative breed; aformosia is often used as an insert in mosaic floors
Balau (Bangkirai)			light brown to dark brown with a reddish tinge	grows in Southeast Asia; the drawing is barely distinguishable; wood is practically not subject to decay; used as decking, bathroom flooring, garden furniture
Bamboo			golden-straw, interspersed with darker transverse stripes at the locations of the stem nodes	lignified bamboo stalk has all the properties of high-quality hardwood
Karelian birch			light yellowish with darker wavy tints	Karelian birch - a completely unique tree with a pattern resembling marble; many wavy overflows of light yellow shades with dark stripes, in a word, this must be seen; parquet and furniture made of Karelian birch look amazing, but the material is very rare and expensive
Black birch			delicate color palette: dark rays like riverbeds cut into yellow gold textures	parquet from this type of daevesina will "strike" in the eye, which must be taken into account when choosing an interior; the mass of this tree does not have a high density and hardness, therefore it should not be used in rooms with a very high load
Bilinga			golden yellow to orange red	bilinga grows in equatorial Africa; wood is extremely resistant to moisture, decay, pests due to the high content of tannins and natural oils; bilinga furniture and parquet are highly valued for their golden color and pleasant wood texture
Bubinga			red-brown	bubinga - rare African tree, the texture is uneven fibrous; the beauty of wood is revealed after coating; deliveries to our market are very rare
			light, with a reddish tint	due to the homogeneous structure of wood, the beech floor visually looks calm, warm, even soft, although beech is a solid, durable tree; beech is well processed with a cutting tool, it is well polished
wenge				large, smooth-fibered, very decorative breed; heavy, resistant to pressure, bending; the pores of wenge wood contain many mineral and oily substances that make processing difficult, for example, varnishing
Cherry			pink-brown, sometimes pink-gray	smooth-fibered wood with a relatively uniform texture; very decorative, has a beautiful warm shade, but darkens over time; cherry is much softer than oak, lends itself well to all types of processing
			gray-brown to dark brown with red streaks	elm is widespread in North America and Europe; annual rings of wood are pronounced, due to which elm is considered one of the most beautiful European species; elm is used to make furniture, household items, paper
Goncalo (tiger tree)				very unusual, highly decorative wood with sharp transitions from light to dark tones (like the stripes of a tiger, which is why it is called a tiger tree)
Hornbeam			brilliant, pearly white (or the color of melting snow), with fine sandy filaments	hornbeam - a relative of birch, has twisted fibers (siltiness), which interferes with its processing; annual rings are weakly expressed; hard wood, sticky
Hickory (hickory, pecan)			brown, with harmoniously alternating light and dark areas	strong, resilient wood; perfectly tolerates large temperature differences; in the old days was used for the production of wheels
Pear			has a pinkish tint	the wood texture is thin, the pores and the pattern of annual rings are weakly expressed; a strong tendency to warp, so drying must be done slowly enough
Daru			golden beige or golden pink	Daru wood has a pleasant, persistent smell, especially when cut
Doussia (dussia)			red-brown or yellowish-brown	very decorative breed; doussia contains a significant amount of oily substances, which must be taken into account when choosing varnishes; well ground, polished; resistant to external influences
			from light brown to yellowish brown with a beautiful texture on the cut	wood is widely used for the manufacture of parquet and plank floors; strong, durable, resistant to external influences wood; dries relatively slowly, with accelerated drying it is prone to cracking; over time, the oak darkens a little, which gives a shade of noble antiquity to a long time in operation
Zebrano			pronounced double color: against a general background from gray-brown to yellow-brown, frequent dark brown stripes are clearly distinguished, located in the longitudinal direction	the breed is decorative; well ground, polished; the coating from this breed is bright, sunny, energetic, got its name thanks to the stripes, just like a zebra :) deliveries to Russia are made in extremely limited quantities, since the tree is on the verge of extinction
Iroko (to ambala)			yellowish brown	the breed is resistant to microclimate changes and various pests; Iroko is often used as a substitute for teak, as it is extremely resistant to moisture.
Chestnut			sapwood - light, heartwood - dark brown	chestnut is distributed throughout Europe; wood texture resembles oak, with clear thin growth rings; however, in terms of physical and mechanical properties, chestnut is significantly inferior to oak
Kekatong			pink-brown, with lilac-red streaks; pattern resembles a walnut	a rare type of wood that has high hardness and stability; is not afraid of moisture, therefore it is often used as a deck covering and decking
Kempas			bright, golden reddish to dark orange	uniform, dense wood, rather heavy, hard; low resistance to deformation when exposed to moisture
Kerangi			golden orange to red	keranzhi grows on the coast indian ocean; the texture of the wood is wavy-striped, quite pronounced, the surface is shiny, thanks to which very beautiful parquet and furniture are obtained from kerangi
Maple			white, sometimes with a slightly yellowish tint; turns yellow over time	maple - an exquisite material for interior decoration, creating an emphatically contrasting light background for dark furniture; maple is prone to cracking, so it requires careful adherence to the drying regime
cocobolo			sapwood - light, heartwood - from orange-red to red-brown	exotic wood that grows along the coast Pacific Ocean; has a unique texture - many wavy black lines on a burgundy or dark red background; used for the manufacture of furniture, parquet, musical instruments (drum, guitar), figurines, billiard cues, etc.
Coconut palm			orange-red to dark brown - the older the tree, the darker	coconut wood is all dotted with small dark veins, which gives it an original appearance (it looks like it is covered with wool); an important feature - the darker the coconut wood, the higher its quality
Kulim			red-brown to dark purple	grows in the forests of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia; the texture of kulim wood is moderately even with smooth transitions from light to darker tones; good for carpentry
Kumaru			golden brown with dark, slightly wavy longitudinal veins	finely porous, very dense wood; resistance to external influences - high; thanks to its beautiful appearance, it can be used to cover garden paths, pool areas, gazebos, etc.
Kumier (Kumier)			golden red to reddish brown	Kumier grows in Southeast Asia, is close to campas in properties, has a pronounced texture; used, as a rule, in the form of inlays in artistic parquet
Lapacho (ipe)			olive-gray, in places with alternating light and dark areas; darkens over time	heavy, durable wood, contains oily substances; lapacho is easy to dry, but has a significant susceptibility to warpage
Merbau			brown, from light to dark brown, in places interspersed with yellow streaks	very hard, moisture-resistant wood, does not dry out a little; merbau is used, for example, for decking, interior decoration on ships and yachts; in parquet floors, merbau goes well with oak
Mutania			pale coffee to olive brown with bright purple highlights	turbidity seems to be specially created in order to become parquet or furniture: shiny, spectacular
Olive			yellow-white, sometimes with a reddish tint, with characteristic irregular dark rays	fine texture; very decorative, dense, little prone to drying out breed; olive is perfectly polished, gives a beautiful smooth surface
Alder		low	golden pink	wood is slightly deformed during drying, due to which the parquet from it is stable to moisture changes; alder is not too hard, has a fine structure
Nut			brown-gray, with darker patches	the breed is very decorative, has long been widely used for interior decoration and furniture manufacturing; the nut is relatively hard, but fairly easy to process; walnut is resistant to deformation, cracking during drying
African padouk			bright coral red	paduk has aesthetic value
Rosewood			dark brown, with a purple or lilac tint, as well as separate inclusions of pink, yellow and even greenish	rosewood wood contains many oily substances; it is believed that rosewood has a special positive energy; drying rosewood is associated with significant difficulties, because. when this process is accelerated, intense cracking occurs
Panga-Panga			golden brown to very dark brown with black streaks	large, even-grained wood, very decorative; heavy, resistant to pressure, bending; the pores of the wood contain many mineral and oily substances that make it difficult to process, for example, varnishing
Pinkado			reddish brown veined dark brown to purple brown	wood is fine-fibered, intertwined, dense, as a result of which it is quite resistant to deformation; pinkado does not prick, does not exfoliate during processing
Sapele			red-brown, with a beautiful golden sheen	very decorative wood; sapele lends itself well to grinding, polishing
Sucupira			chocolate raspberry flecked with ocher yellow veins	wood is hard to process, but easy to sand, polish
Taouari (Brazilian oak)			light straw with a yellow tint	wood resistant, durable; tauari is used for the manufacture of parquet, decorative furniture parts, musical instruments; the even pattern of solid taouari boards is ideal for finishing the floor in bedrooms
Tiger tree (goncalo)			brown, dark brown irregular stripes, oblong spots on a general beige or yellowish-orange background	tiger tree wood is very decorative and spectacular
			golden brown with dark patches or patches	teak texture is well defined, the direction of the fibers is even or slightly wavy; has a high content of oily substances, therefore it practically does not rot and can be preserved under favorable conditions hundreds of years; teak lends itself well to all types of mechanical processing; teak is very resistant to loads, external influences, therefore it has long been used in shipbuilding
			dark brown with darker veins	very dense and heavy wood, wear resistance is extremely high, which is why the wood is hard to grind; but, at the same time, carpentry is not such a difficult process; usually used as inlay in art parquet
Eben			glossy black with lighter dark gray longitudinal veins	wood is very decorative and spectacular, especially when well polished
Yarra			all shades of red, predominantly from strawberry to dark red	wood is very hard, durable, resistant to all kinds of pests; jarrah is difficult to process, but it is well polished and polished; during rapid drying, the wood warps, twisting in the direction of the fibers, so the drying process of the material must be strictly monitored
Ash			light, slightly yellowish, with a well-defined characteristic texture pattern on the cut	ash is superior in hardness to oak, but at the same time it is very elastic, therefore it is often used for sports facilities; ash lends itself well to machining; wood is prone to cracking, so drying should be done slowly and thoroughly
Jatoba (curbaril)			orange-brown to purple and dark brown	wood is heavy, durable, hard, and relatively elastic; yatoba is difficult to process, but is ground and polished to almost a mirror finish; when polishing, in some cases, the color of the pores of the wood may appear from almost white to yellowish lemon; drying must be carried out slowly enough to avoid the formation of cracks

A large number of tree species grow in Russia, but when using some of them, their strength must be taken into account.

Acacia

It has the hardest wood of all trees growing in Russia. It is olive green or yellow in color. Works well only when raw. But in dry form, it is practically not cut by various tools. When dry, it does not warp or crack. Possesses fine wear resistance, practically is not exposed to atmospheric influences. Over time, under the action of UV rays, it changes the color of the structure and acquires a very attractive and refined color.
Thanks to its durable and hard, but elastic wood, it is popularly used for facing work. This is an excellent material for the manufacture of finishing veneer.
Acacia wood makes excellent floor coverings. Their service life is much longer than that of larch or ash parquet. Acacia makes excellent interior doors.

Birch

The most popular finishing material. Differs in light uniform texture. Due to its fine structure, it has dense hardwood. Perfectly lends itself to various types of machining in various conditions. Responds quickly to temperature fluctuations and high humidity. Starts to warp. Mainly used for making small items. It makes a very attractive veneer. Requires the use of effective wood impregnations.

Oak

It has a fairly hard and strong wood, which has a yellow-brown color with clearly defined growth rings. Oak wood is used, which is 80-150 years old and grown in black forest. Oak has excellent water resistance. Under its action, it acquires a perfectly black color. Wood with this color is in great demand for the manufacture of luxury cabinet furniture.

Linden

It has an exquisite white texture with subtle growth rings. Perfectly handles various cutting tools. Linden is impervious to dampness, as a result of which it practically does not warp. But easily wormholeed.
Linden products practically do not stain, as they are distinguished by excellent water resistance. Mainly used to produce furniture with white texture and finishing materials, type lining for a bath.

This is the Siberian version of the common pine. Its wood is soft, has a pinkish-brown hue and a pleasant smell. Does not warp under the influence of moisture. It is in great demand for the manufacture of furniture. Larch belongs to the category of the most popular species coniferous trees used in the construction and carpentry industries. The wood is highly durable with a reddish color. It is much more durable than oak. Larch is distinguished by excellent endurance to water and adverse atmospheric factors. This is facilitated by the high content of gum in the structure of its wood. It is perfectly processed, after it a smooth, perfectly flat surface is obtained.
Due to the large amount of gum, larch perfectly resists the formation of colonies of mold, rot, and wood-destroying insects.

Conclusion

Comparing all species, we come to the conclusion that there is no other species stronger than oak and Siberian larch wood in the Russian Federation. This conclusion is confirmed by the fact that the best floor boards in the Russian Federation are made from oak wood and boards from Siberian larch.

The tree contains unlimited possibilities for creating forms designed for relief, silhouette, movement, spatial composition. When making wood products or woodcarving, it is important to choose the right type of wood to better convey the nature of the craft. The following are properties and characteristics of various types of wood.

CONIFEROUS SPECIES OF TREES

Pine. Belonging to soft woods, the wood is straight-grained with a yellowish tint, dense and durable, medium drying out. It is easy to work, if not very resinous, glues relatively well, but is poorly finished and stained. Not suitable for fine carving. Often used for carved decorations of houses.
Spruce. The wood is soft, light, shiny, has an exceptionally uniform distribution of fibers, and it splits well. It is lighter than pine, not so resinous and inferior to it in strength. Spruce wood is used to make violins and other stringed instruments, because no other tree gives such resonance as spruce.

Larch. Its wood is second to none. It is very heavy, strong, difficult to process, but durable. In Germany, Poland, and other European countries, buildings made of larch logs have been standing for more than 500 years. A valuable quality of larch is that it does not rot from dampness. The buildings of the city on the water were erected on piles of larch in the Middle Ages and still stand today. Larch also goes to the parquet - durable, beautiful, naturally reddish, it does not need to be painted.
Tiss. Heartwood with narrow yellowish-white sapwood sharply demarcated from brownish-red heartwood; annual layers are sinuous, clearly visible in all sections. The wood is dense, hard, heavy, almost does not rot. Well processed, painted and polished. This is one of the best materials for carpentry, finishing and turning. The yew wood is surprisingly beautiful in color - pink, red, crimson-violet to deep black. Due to the color and waviness of the annual layers, it has a beautiful texture on tangential sections. Tiss is in that hundred tree species what is called "redwood". Large burls are often formed on yew trunks, the wood of which is highly valued as a finishing material and for the manufacture of small plastics.
Common juniper (shrub). A heartwood rock without resin ducts, having a narrow pinkish-white sapwood and a light yellowish-brown heartwood, often delimited from the sapwood. The annual layers are wavy, noticeable on all sections: early wood passes into late wood gradually. Heart-shaped rays are not visible. The wood is heavy, durable, hard, dries out little, is resistant to decay, retains a pleasant smell for a long time, is well processed with a cutting tool, and is easily tinted and polished. The cuts are clean and glossy, with a very beautiful texture. Dried juniper - trunk, branches, roots - an excellent material for carving, turning and carpentry. Such wood is much more beautiful in the cut than that of a living tree. It does not need to be specially dried, as it has already been aged for years in the forest. Juniper wood is successfully used for very thin and various art products and jewelry.
Wood cedar, fir its structure is close to pine wood and is widely used for carving. The striped texture of coniferous wood looks good on smooth polished surfaces: panels, background boards and panels in the form of an oblique cut, vases, plates, lamps from boards with, in other products with contour carving, when not the relief, but the silhouette is decisive in the form.

DIFFICULAR SPECIES OF TREES (ring-vascular)

Oak. The wood is strong, dense, has an expressive texture, dries out moderately, cracks and warps a little, and practically does not rot. Aged for a long time in water, the oak turns black and becomes very hard. In the past, expensive furniture was made from stained oak wood. Oak lends itself easily to dyeing and tinting in mordant, finishing with mastics. Processing oak wood requires great strength and well-sharpened tools. Oak is widely used for carving, turning, facing, mosaic work.
Ash. Wood is characterized by high strength and toughness, low tendency to cracking, good bending ability. It is easily processed, slightly changes in volume when dried, and is perfectly polished. The wide sapwood has a beautiful light yellow color, a beautiful grain pattern. In combination with a dark brown core, it looks very impressive. Ash wood is valued on a par with mahogany. Furniture, musical instruments are trimmed with ash plywood. The outgrowths on the ash tree - burls - are used to make small but valuable handicrafts.
Elm. Its wood with yellowish-white sapwood and dark brown heartwood has a beautiful structure, is strong, hard, resilient, lends itself well to bending, is viscous and durable. Used in carpentry. Highly valued for turning handicrafts are influxes on elms - burls.
Acacia white. Heartwood with very narrow yellowish sapwood, sharply separated from the green-gray or yellowish-gray heartwood. The zone of early wood is occupied by a ring of large vessels; small vessels in late wood form groups in the form of dots, dashes or short winding lines. Wood with a beautiful texture and color. In terms of physical and mechanical properties, it significantly surpasses oak and ash. Rot resistant.
Mulberry. Wood with very narrow and yellowish-white sapwood, sharply separated from the reddish-brown heartwood; in the light darkens and becomes dark brown. Vessels form groups of light dots on the cut, core rays are narrow, but clearly visible. The wood is hard, heavy, with a beautiful texture, color and luster.
Apple tree. The wood is hard, heavy, homogeneous structure, quite viscous, has high strength and wear resistance. It is not easy to dry it, as it dries out a lot, but then the product then never cracks or warps. The wood is well painted, perfectly polished, polished and can be burnished. impregnated linseed oil or drying oil, acquires greater strength and deep dark brown. The wood of apple trees growing in a helical shape, the butt part of the trunk and roots is distinguished by its original texture. Cutting tools leave a smooth, glossy cut on the wood. Apple wood is especially good for fine carving of miniature sculpture.
Rowan. The wood is reddish-brown in color, difficult to process, but has high strength, heavy, hard. Freshly cut mountain ash should be dried carefully, in a gentle mode, as it dries out a lot. Rowan products are well stained, pickled, ground and polished, acquiring a beautiful silky sheen. Dense and uniform rowan wood is an excellent material for turning and carving. Strong, with an expressive swirling texture, rowan wood was previously widely used for carved and slotted products (loom parts, bowls, spoons, ladles). The root of the rowan is an excellent material for sculpture, the branches are flexible enough for weaving.
Bird cherry. The wood is heavy, strong, dense and flexible, it is afraid of moisture and does not warp or crack when dried. It is well etched, painted, polished. young wood white color, old - red-brown, has the smell of almonds. Although bird cherry wood dries out a little, it should be dried carefully, then it will not crack and warp. Due to the homogeneity of the structure, it is perfectly cut in all directions, and when polished, it acquires a vitreous luster. Always enjoyed success with carpenters, turners, wood carvers.
Hazel. It has long been used for small turning, carpentry, carving work. Chess, pencil cases, pencils, shuttles, pipe shanks, tool handles were turned and cut out of it. Thin, flexible coils were used for weaving, hoops, and rods.
Lilac. Wood with a beautiful texture, when stained with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid, becomes purple.
Wood buckthorn, honeysuckle, hawthorn hard, bone-like, does not crack, polishes well.

DIFFICULAR TREES (scattered vascular)

Linden. The wood is soft, light, quite viscous. Due to the homogeneity of the structure, it is perfectly processed in all directions by hand and on lathe keeps its shape well. It is widely used for the manufacture of objects decorated with embossed openwork and sculptural carvings (however, they try not to make fine carvings from linden). Linden does not crack, sticks together well, is painted, polished satisfactorily.
Aspen. The wood is soft, light-colored, not straight-grained, but it is easily processed, it bulges when planed. It is well cut with a chisel, easily polished across the fibers. Wet wood is difficult to cut along the grain. The color of aspen is pure white or greenish, which is important when making mosaics (marquetry) and inlays (intarsia). It is not afraid of moisture, does not warp and does not crack. Does not prick from impact, peels off well, sticks together securely. They make light toys, dishes, other small items from it and decorate them with carvings. Aged for several years, aspen is perfectly ground and polished.
Alder. The wood is light, soft, moderately drying, gives slight warpage during drying, is well cut, glued, painted and polished. It is used for carvings, as well as for imitation of black and mahogany, walnut. The natural color of alder is from white to pale brown, quickly changing to red-brown in air.
Poplar. The wood is light, soft and dimensionally stable, well processed and glued, and finished satisfactorily. Low resistance to decay. Color - from whitish, yellowish-brown to red-brown. The texture is beautiful, thick. Of all the varieties of poplar, silver poplar is valued.
Willow. Heartwood with a wide white sapwood, not sharply demarcated from a brownish-pink heartwood. The wood is loose and therefore light, fresh, very soft, used for small outbuildings. Willow is good for weaving baskets, furniture, mats. Talnik, krasnotal, belotal, blacktalk, willow, willow, willow, sheluga - this is not a complete list of folk names various kinds and you.
Birch ordinary. Wood of medium density and hardness, uniform in structure, strong, fairly tough, easy to cut in all directions, very well drilled, glued, polished and painted. Disadvantages - susceptibility to cracking, warping, severe shrinkage, wormhole damage and decay. The wood of the warty and fluffy birch is characterized by high strength, in terms of hardness it stands on the border between soft and hard rocks.
Karelian birch. In appearance, it does not differ from ordinary wood, but its wood is completely different: light ocher in color, it is densely “painted” with small dark inclusions, which create a moire overflow on a mother-of-pearl background. The combination of broken heart-shaped rays and wavy annual layers gives a beautiful mottled surface in section. The wood is viscous, well cut, almost does not crumble.
Beech. Nuclear-free breed. The wood is white with a yellowish-red tint; annual layers are clearly visible in all sections; heart-shaped rays are wide and narrow. Differs in high durability, beautiful texture on a radial section, but low resistance to rotting. By mechanical properties - density, strength, hardness - beech is close to oak. In the steamed state, it lends itself well to bending. Due to its beautiful texture, it is used for the production of sliced ​​veneer, parquet frieze, musical instruments, in mosaic work, carving, imitation of rosewood and mahogany, walnut.
Walnut. One of the few breeds that has a rich color and tonal range and a variety of textures. Color - from light brownish-grayish tones to gray-brown, almost black. The wood is moderately hard, does not dry out much, holds its shape, is easy to process, perfectly cut in all directions, glues and finishes well. It is used for various carvings, in mosaic, for facing.
Hornbeam. The wood is white with a grayish tinge, shiny, heavy, strong, viscous, often curly, difficult to prick, cut, poorly polished, but easily stained, imitating ebony. It is used for the manufacture of musical instruments and for various crafts.
Sycamore. The wood is light, moderately hard, but its heterogeneous structure makes it difficult to process. It is one of the most decorative. Wide and fairly frequent rays on the cut of wood form an unusually beautiful texture, so well-polished products look very elegant. It is used for the manufacture of parquet, furniture, valuable crafts.
Pear. The wood is dense, durable and hard, practically does not warp or crack, it is well processed, glued, painted and finished. After tinting imitates ebony. A pear is used mainly for fine and medium carving with complex relief, for overhead and openwork carving, and mosaic work.
Maple. The wood is not only dense, durable and hard, but also beautiful. Its structure is thin, and white heart-shaped rays shine, especially on a longitudinal section. It is difficult, but evenly pricked, well processed, glued, painted. It is mainly used for carving work (especially for applied carving). Maple "bird's eye" is good for typesetting decor in marquetry and for veneering. "Striated" maple wood with a wavy arrangement of fibers and burls are also highly valued.
The Red tree. A number of tropical tree species (mahogany, sang tree, etc.). The wood is red, red-brown, light cherry or light pink in color, with a red texture, very durable, well polished. It has long been used for the manufacture of high-quality furniture. Sometimes mahogany is called the wood of yew, black alder, sequoia.
Ebony. Several types tropical trees, mainly of the ebony family. The wood is dark or black in color, very dense, heavy, durable, easy to work with. It is made from valuable furniture, carved and turned products, musical instruments. Hornbeam, boxwood, yew, plum, birch wood is easily finished under ebony. Black wood has bog oak.

The choice of wood is a very crucial moment, since the quality of the finished product will depend on its quality.

What to look for when choosing a tree:

• If you want to make a suburi bokken, you need a heavy wood.
• If you intend to use a sword for kumitachi (work in pairs), then you will also need a very dense tree that allows you to withstand blows.

The same requirements apply to jo.

Below you can see the characteristics of the different types of wood that can be used to make training weapons.

Oak

The most common tree in terms of accessibility.

Oak is a hard and strong tree with a brownish yellow color with strongly pronounced annual stratifications. A particularly characteristic feature of oak are frequent and thick core rays. The wood of young trees is hard, flexible and greyish-brown in color. In older trees, the wood is more yellow and brittle. Belle (sapwood) is quite thick and is sharpened by worms.

There are many varieties of oak.

Let's look at two groups:

• the first includes varieties growing in the south and differing externally in that their acorns hang directly on the branches, and also in that their leaves turn yellow in autumn, but fall from the tree only in winter or even in spring when young ones appear. This variety is called winter oak, its wood is valued more. Oak gives the best wood at the age of 80 - 150 years, grown in the black forest, that is, in dense mixed forests. Pure oak forests do not produce good trees, as their trunks are squat, thick and gnarled.
• another variety of oak is known as the spring oak, and differs mainly in that the acorns hang on long petioles, which the winter oak does not have. The wood of the spring oak is somewhat more viscous, knotty and grayer - in general, in terms of its qualities, it is lower than the wood of the previous group.

There is also a red oak for sale, which has pink wood.

Treatment

Planed and sawn oak is quite difficult, it is pricked easily, it does not take polishing well due to porosity.

Stand in the water.

oak tree quality

Of course, you don't have to fell a whole oak tree to make one knife or bokken :) One small board is enough.

It is quite difficult to determine the quality of a tree by eye. From many years of experience of the craftsmen, it is known that trees growing on the south side of the forest, as well as on stronger and more nutritious soil, produce wood much worse than trees exposed to north winds and growing on poor soil. To test the qualities of an oak tree, there is one proven way: you need to take a small piece from each of the boards (it is desirable that all the pieces are of the same shape and size), weigh them and put them in water for several hours. The one that absorbs the least water will be the best in its qualities, since the density of its fibers will be the greatest.

conclusions

Oak is not an unambiguous wood, and many do not like it as a material for weapons.

Keep in mind that jo or bokken made from wood as close to the core of the tree as possible (determined by the rings) will perform very well. With such weapons, you can safely work in pairs. If the wood was located closer to the bark (the rings look like parallel lines), then such a weapon will not last long - it will crack. Upon impact, the wood fibers are first dented and then flaked off.

Beech

It has several varieties:

red beech

In some cases, it is not much inferior in strength to oak, but nevertheless it is subject to a wormhole and strongly warps.

To prevent the attack of worms, the finished product is smoked or steamed. (You can also saturate it with wax). To make the tree less warped in the future, it is cut down in the middle of summer, and then, after a year, it is sawn into boards, which are placed in water and kept in it for several months.

The color of the wood is reddish-brown, with many large and darker sparkles; with age, the color darkens and turns almost brown. When steamed, the beech bends into the most bizarre shapes and after drying (in a fixed position) it retains them for a very long time.

White beech or hornbeam

It has a whitish-gray wood, very hard and strong, with lighter sheen on a smoothly finished surface. It is rather difficult to prick because of the oblique layer. Annual layers in cross section have an irregular wavy line. Sapwood is as hard as the wood itself. While the wood is damp, it is strongly warped, but after thorough drying, it almost does not change its shape under the influence of atmospheric influences; as it dries, the hardness of the hornbeam increases so much that its processing requires the sharpest tools.

Treatment

The rawer the wood, the easier it is processed. In general, it is easily sawn and planed. Polishing takes very bad.

conclusions

A very pleasant tree. It is well processed and withstands impacts (it dents and does not split like oak).

The only small negative is that the wood is quite light (for suburi-bokken) and warps (bokken and jo making articles will tell you how to try to avoid this).

Although it is worth noting that if you take the so-called French beech (very similar to red in description), you can get a good suburi bokken, both in weight and quality.

And one more thing: when processing weapons, wood can break off in small squares, like dust. Although this may depend on the quality of a particular instance.

Ash

Its wood is not particularly beautiful, yellowish in color with lighter and darker stripes. If not carefully finished, the annual layers protrude strongly outward with a mass of pores clogged during grinding and polishing (this is what forces us to abandon its use).

It is quite hard, dense and heavy, and most importantly elastic; when dry, it is strong enough, especially if dried over steam. In its raw form, it easily wormholes and is very sensitive to atmospheric changes.

conclusions

Mostly suitable for making tanto.

pear tree

It is obtained mainly from wild animals. The garden pear has good wood, but it never reaches such a size that it can be sawn into boards.

The color of young trees is yellowish-white, while old trees are brownish. The structure of the wood is dense, without noticeable pores and annual layers. Practically does not warp. Having a striking resemblance to the structure of ebony, pear is much stronger than it!

Treatment

Planed, cut and sawn pear in all directions equally well. From soaking in water, and then slow drying, the pear tree noticeably hardens and turns brown.

conclusions

Working with pear is a pleasure! It is perfectly processed and polished, holds a blow well (is pressed in). When choosing a board, you should examine it very carefully, since the pear is prone to a wormhole.

The Red tree

The most common and best known of the trees sold by us. Under the name of mahogany, various and heterogeneous species are sold that have a common color and partly the structure of wood. When freshly cut, the tree has a yellowish-red color, but over time, under the influence of air and light, it darkens and gradually takes on a brown-red or crimson-red color.

mahogany quality

The wood is mostly soft and very weather resistant. It has a completely unchangeable shape.

Treatment

Processing (with rare exceptions) is easy.

Sapeli

A variety of mahogany with a not very dense wood of a red-brown heterogeneous color.

Treatment

This type of mahogany is difficult to process and polish.

conclusions

If you make weapons from it, then only for working out suburi.

Mahogany

It has four varieties:

• homogeneous
• wavy
• mottled
• knotty.

The color of the uniform mahogany species is brown-red. Pretty dense wood.

conclusions

Easy to handle. Holds up well.

Acacia White

It is considered the hardest of hardwoods in our country. This breed was brought to Europe from North America. It grows in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Crimea and Central Asia. White locust is a heartwood with a very narrow yellowish sapwood, sharply demarcated from a greenish-gray or yellowish-gray heartwood. The early zone of annual layers is occupied by a ring of large vessels. Small vessels in the late zone form groups in the form of dots, dashes or short winding lines; vessels clogged with tills. Annual layers are clearly visible in all sections. The medullary rays are narrow but noticeable.

White acacia wood has beautiful color and texture, high hardness, strength and rot resistance. In terms of physical and mechanical properties, it is significantly higher than oak and ash. The wood does not crack or warp, has high friction resistance, is very elastic and polishes well. In the air and under the influence of light, it darkens noticeably over time, which makes the texture more expressive and brighter. At home, white locust wood is of great use; in our country, it is used in mechanical engineering (wooden screws), for the manufacture of parquet, furniture, blocks for planing tools.

Cayenne tree (or amaranth)

Scientists cannot decide in any way whether this is a separate type of tree or it is part of redwoods.

The surface of the tree has a dark gray color, but then it gradually changes and turns into a brownish-purple or wine-red. May acquire the color of murasaki. It is worth noting - a very, very beautiful color!

The tree has hard wood, well polished.

conclusions

Excellent material! It can easily be used to make suburi-bokken weighing almost 1 kg, while it will look like a regular bokken. You can fight with amaranth weapons (the tree holds a blow perfectly), work out suburi. The only thing is that the tree warps a little.

Merbau

The color is brown-black with yellow and light brown streaks. Easy to handle. It has a dense but porous wood.

conclusions

If weapons are made from it, then only tanto and suburi-bokken, since the tree, although heavy, warps a lot.

American hornbeam

A variety of white beech, has wood even denser and fine-grained than ordinary hornbeam. It cracks with great difficulty, withstands very heavy loads (impacts).

backcoat

Possibly a variety of ironwood, to that extent their properties are similar. The difference lies only in the strong cross-layering of the backcoat, which does not allow splitting. Finds the greatest application at production of the products which are exposed to blows and friction. It has remarkable durability.

Brazilian Tree (Fernambuque)

The tree is dense and heavy, yellowish-orange in color; under the influence of light it becomes cherry, and then almost completely blackens. When dry, it almost does not warp and is not at all sensitive to atmospheric influences. The sapwood of the tree is white, it is not used.

Elm

The most common species is the common broad-leaved elm, which is characterized by heavy, light-colored wood that darkens with age. The wood of old trees is dirty pink in color, dotted with many veins and dashes. Despite the distinctness of annual layers, the tree is very dense and low-porous. It does not crack at all and warps very little.

The resilience and flexibility is amazing. In ancient times, it was used for the manufacture of parts that were subject to increased requirements for strength during shocks and shocks. The trees of this breed, due to their viscosity and fine fiber, are split, planed and polished extremely poorly.

Elm

Has reddish, mottled and veined wood; hard, dense, warps a little and is processed with difficulty, but completely smoothly, taking on a beautiful wavy surface pattern.

Guaiac (holy tree)

Grows in America and India. It is very dense, resinous, finely fibrous, and remarkably hard, almost like a metal.

Works hard and crumbles (like ebony and ironwood) if the tools are not sharp enough. It polishes beautifully, but it must be polished without oil, with water alone.

iron tree

Derived from different types tropical trees, but the botanical name of the breed that gives the best material has not yet been determined. The color is mostly dark brown with brown-green or brown-red streaks, although there are varieties of olive-brown with almost black streaks. The wood of the iron tree has straight grains, but is completely devoid of flexibility. It is the strongest and heaviest tree of all known tree species.

green ebony

Or green Tree, differs from ebony in olive-green or greenish-brown color with light and yellowish veins. Density, hardness and heaviness are in no way inferior to real ebony.

Elm

Its properties are very similar to elm, but much harder than it. The color of the wood is grayish, with red oblong spots. In many cases elm is preferable to oak.

Italian pear

The tree is white or greenish in color, very hard, strong and dense.

Cotoneaster

It grows mainly in the Caucasus and Crimea. The wood comes in various shades of brown and yellow, with brown layers. In terms of hardness, cotoneaster is not much inferior to backcoat. It is difficult to process, but polished very easily.

Lemon Tree

This tree does not bear fruit. It got its name from the color and lemon smell. Grows in South America. The tree is very dense, heavy, easily pricked and processed. Perfectly polished. Many tropical trees are known under this name, for example:

Hispanil,

antillean rose,

Candle etc.

All these trees share the characteristics of a lemon tree and differ only in specks and streaks of more yellow flowers.

Holly (holly)

According to its characteristics, it is similar to boxwood. This tree is remarkable for its whiteness, reminiscent of ivory; over time it turns yellow. It is dense and uniform in structure. Old holly trees produce wood that is even denser, only slightly brown in color.

Rosewood

It is sometimes called violet tree or jacaranda. Its wood is very hard and dense. The color is difficult to determine, mostly dark brown with a purple tint.

Palm tree (boxwood, boxwood)

Buxus grows in the south of Europe and in the Caucasus, from where it is brought under the name of palm trees. This is the hardest of all European trees, it is distinguished by its density and uniformity of structure; color yellowish with gray layers, excellently processed by all tools; polishes well, but soon tarnishes; warps a little if it has not been dried well beforehand. The best axle box comes from the Caucasus.

edible chestnut

Has a firm and very durable wood which does not warp or crack. Polishing takes very well.

Sapan

It is often called red sandalwood, but this is incorrect. Young wood is pinkish-white, turning red with age. The density and heaviness of this tree is somewhat greater than that of fernambuco. The best Sapan is brought from Siam (Thailand).

Ebony (Eben)

There are several tree species known collectively as ebony, but very different in their qualities and properties.

Hereby ebony tree specimens brought from the islands of Ceylon, St. Mauritius and Madagascar should be counted. It has a thick black color and a very pleasant smell emitted by the chips during combustion. Very often white interlayers (double sapwood) come across in the tree, reducing the dignity of ebony. Thick white sapwood is not used. The ebony of this species, like many others, is distinguished by the density of fibers and the density of the structure; annual layers are almost invisible; it is polished well, but it should not be polished to avoid damage appearance. The big disadvantages of ebony include the ability to crack and crumble.

All other varieties of ebony, brought from East India, South America, Africa, etc., are significantly inferior both in purity of color and in strength and hardness.