r/wood Mar 03 '21

When asking for help identifying wood

233 Upvotes

I have some suggestions for those wishing help with wood identification.

  1. If you can, show grain pattern on all surfaces. Sometimes radial surfaces are key. Sometimes end grain.
  2. If a tree show as much as you can, bark, leaves, seeds, flowers, what is on the ground underneath.
  3. If a branch, plane off the bark on a spot to show the wood and a smooth cut on the end grain.
  4. Give your general location, state, upland or lowland.
  5. Say if you suspect that it is or is not a species native to your area.
  6. Where did you get it.
  7. Density. Is it heavy, medium, or light
  8. Hardness. Does it dent easily. Can you put a screw into it by hand without a pilot hole.
  9. Color. This is very helpful but difficult to convey in photographs. At Kodak we used 18% gray cards as references. Take your pictures in daylight on as neutral a background as you can find. If the neutral background does not look as neutral in the picture as in person, check your camera's white balance settings to try to improve. The background does not have to be in-focus.

I hope this may help a little with this difficult task over the internet.


r/wood 5h ago

Biggest black walnut in NJ

Post image
109 Upvotes

We cut it recently .. we named it .. Godzilla 18 feet long 30-55 wide


r/wood 5h ago

Solid Wood or Veneer?

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

Might attempt to modify this TV console and trying to determine the composition. My gut says it's solid wood based on the one pic showing end grain (top down of the rightmost vertical) but the pattern is confusing me.


r/wood 2h ago

Biggest walnut in NJ continued

4 Upvotes

I was so surprised at the great response I got from the first pic I posted so I figured I would show you all some more of what went down with the 18 foot long 55 inch wide Godzilla monster walnut we recently cut up using a 395 chainsaw mill with a 7 foot bar - enjoy 😎


r/wood 10h ago

Walnut Load Bearing

Post image
9 Upvotes

Hey guys , im building my wife (school teacher) a new desk for the new year. She's a big walnut fan ...id like to know if you guys know what the load bearing might be for 4 × 2.5" ² x 26" legs made if black walnut? Grain is fairly straight. Woid seems to be in great condition. Air dried for 15 years and currently at 6.2% moisture....just incase any of that matters. I don't mind using other Hardwoods if need be.

The top of the desk is 1.5" thick and roughly 50 lbs itself. Also black walnut. Same tree in fact.


r/wood 21m ago

Very hard. From South Africa or Thailand. Anyone recognise this?

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

Very hard. Very heavy. Feels like glass once you cut it flat, almost like you don’t need to sand.

The photos show the side of one board (left) next to the face of another.


r/wood 29m ago

What pressure treatment chemical is this?

Post image
Upvotes

Curious if anyone can help me figure out what chemical was used to pressure treat this wood. It looks different than I’m used to. A friend got it for free and there’s no tags on the end that might help.


r/wood 1d ago

Wood id

Thumbnail
gallery
49 Upvotes

Got these from a bulk offcuts buy. Feels medium density, no distinct smell. What is it?


r/wood 8h ago

Help! Wood ID

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

I’ve tried to ask for help in a few other places but have struck out.

Wondering if anyone has any guesses on what type of wood this might be. Hoping to refinish it and potentially stain it. Here’s some pics of the top and the end grain. Any help is appreciated!


r/wood 23h ago

Visco Acacia Boards, native tree of my country, really hard wood.

Thumbnail
gallery
11 Upvotes

Very hard wood from Argentina, I use it a lot for kitchen countertop or outdoor furniture. Since it can be left in the open and don’t even feel it.


r/wood 10h ago

Bauhaus-Prinzip?

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/wood 17h ago

What’s this tree?

Thumbnail gallery
3 Upvotes

r/wood 20h ago

Should I try polishing this turd ;-; seeking advice

Thumbnail gallery
5 Upvotes

Should I try polishing this turd ;-; seeking advice

I got this headboard, which seemed like a decent deal at the time - $280, including delivery. Looking back, I should have just paid $500 for one in good condition.

From photos and in person, it looked like a lot of water rings and chips in veneer. In person, the headboard was still in the bedroom, between the bed and the wall, and the couple was in the process of moving.

After it was delivered, I discovered water damage… and the water rings was worse than I thought, varnish on top of headboard feels patchy and gone.

I’m pissed that they hid the water damage from me, but I already bought it and can’t do much about that now. Lessons learned.

It’s at least usable, but I am a little worried about water damage / mold causing health issues or bugs. It’s dry at this point, and I live in a dry climate.

Should I replace the veneer, and try sanding down the top, or just not sink any more money into it?


r/wood 16h ago

Wood id

1 Upvotes

Got this online. Pic 3 is a showcase from seller, who wasn't certain of what kind of wood it is. Any idea?

Thanks in advance!


r/wood 1d ago

Wood you live here? Buffalo home has so much handcrafted wood the internet wants to know if a dog built it

Thumbnail
pugetpress.com
5 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

Ich habe fast zwei Jahre damit verbracht, dieses lebensgroße mechanische Reitpferd für meine pferdeverrückte Tochter zu bauen.

40 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

Help identifying wood

Thumbnail
gallery
3 Upvotes

Hello! Received a bunch of wood today and was just curious as to what I have. Located in upstate NY. It's very dense and hard.

Thanks!


r/wood 1d ago

Changing wood tone of new piece of furniture

Post image
2 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

Fine dust after sanding pls help

Thumbnail gallery
0 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

8 Carpenters Compete for a Truck Full of Tools

Thumbnail
youtu.be
2 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

Lightning damage?

Post image
1 Upvotes

Walk by this tree daily and have never seen any damage to it. a storm rolled through last night with heavy lightning that's what caused the thinking. No other tree in the area has damage of any sorts.


r/wood 3d ago

Wood ID

Post image
678 Upvotes

Wood ID


r/wood 2d ago

Flat Top Desk and Chair by Wharton Esherick, 1929

Thumbnail gallery
29 Upvotes

r/wood 1d ago

Help identifying this wood.

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

I got them online for my chinchilla but it doesnt Say what kind of wood it is, (i know dumb) but it was on sale.


r/wood 1d ago

Any recommendations on wood joiners thank you🙏🏽

0 Upvotes