Wood like any others materials has come up in so many types. But we need to know their characteristic so we know how to use them for the wood carving. As each of the woods has different texture and color, we will need some guidance on which woods that we have to use for our purpose. In this article we will learn some tips of woods which we can use.



Honduras Mahogany (43 lb.)

There are various species of mahogany, but from the carver's point of view the characteristics are similar. It is a good carving wood and of a beautiful rich red color. The grain is usually fairly straight. It does split rather easily and care must be taken in carving when this tendency is apparent. Mahogany glues well and takes a fine polish.

Red Maple (38 lb.)

A wood with easy workability, red maple is used in woodenware, cabinetwork, and furniture.

Silver Maple (35 lb.)

This soft maple is employed a great deal in trim and paneling.

Sugar Maple (42 lb.)

This wood has a fine natural luster and is quite stable when properly dried.

Oak (43 lb.)

For hundreds of years oak has been esteemed as one of America's finest woods. Although it is not eminently suited for small detail, it lends itself well to bold carving. It resembles ash and sweet chestnut in grain character.

Northern White Pine (25 lb.)

Finely textured and of the usual yellow-white color of pine, this is an excellent wood for carving, because it is both easily worked and inexpensive.

Ponderosa Pine (28 lb.)

This wood has a fine grain and finishes well. It is quite soft and of easy workability. It is a preferred material in paneling.

Sugar Pine (25 lb.)

Like that of most pines, the wood of the sugar pine is a yellowish white in color, straight grained, and durable. A soft wood, it is easily carved by hand and will present no difficulties to the beginner. The grain of this pine is particularly stable and even.

Indian Rosewood (54 lb.)

Rosewood is a rich, dark brown with dusky blackish markings and sometimes has a purplish tinge. It is hard and heavy and takes a very fine polish. It is excellent for carving but not inexpensive to buy. It is often used in the manufacture of musical instruments, billiard cues and fine inlay.

Eastern Spruce (28 lb.)

A soft wood, with fair workability, it is especially favored for its soft and satiny texture. Although it is a strong wood, this spruce is not decay resistant. It is used particularly for making patterns and musical instruments.

Sycamore (40 lb.)

Sycamore is white but turns light brown in the open air. It is very easy to carve. The grain is straight and indistinct. If used out of doors it should be protected against the weather as it rots very easily. It is fairly hard and is used for rollers, table tops, and textile machinery.

Teak (41 lb.)

Teak is a rich golden brown. It carves readily but has a rather coarse and uneven texture. It is durable under almost any climatic conditions. The wood contains aromatic oils which act as a preservative. Its tough nature tends to blunt tools. The grain is straight but undulating a quality peculiar to trees grown in dry soils. Teak is grown in India, Burma, and other countries of the Far East.

Black (American) Walnut (38 lb.)

This wood of rich color and distinctive figure makes beautiful carvings for fine furniture, veneers, and cabinetwork. It is a hardwood.

Willow (30 lb.)

Willow is straight grained, soft but tough. The wood is whitish to pale brown in the center. It seasons without difficulty and is suitable for carved toys.

Yew (46 lb.)

Perhaps the most beautiful of the conifer woods. It is hard, with a fine decorative grain, excellent for wood carving, cabinetwork and turnery.

Choose the wood according to their type. From this article we have learned that each of the wood have their own characteristics and typical. Before you start the wood carving, recognize the wood which you have so you will know how to carve it in the proper way for a better result.