Learn the basics of wood, and I won't be afraid of others' tricks.

I don’t know if you have ever had this feeling: when you go to a store to choose a door, people will always talk about how good our door is, what material it is made of, and what advantages this material has... At this time, if you are an knowledgeable person, it’s okay, but if you meet someone who doesn’t know, you will just think, "Yeah, it must be like this, what he said is right..." In order to avoid being deceived, the editor of China Wood Business Network has specially compiled a simple and easy-to-understand basic knowledge about wood for everyone, hoping that it will be helpful to everyone.

1. Keywords that must be referred to when selecting wooden doors

1. Density

Density is determined when wood is dried to a standard moisture content. It is also related to hardness, strength, and ease of application.

(The moisture content of wood is generally 60%, and it is used after drying. The moisture content in the north is generally 12%, and in the south it is about 15%). Experts usually use their faces to measure the moisture content, and the upper limit error is 2%.

2. Durability

The durability of wood, or its resistance to decay, is very important for outdoor use. Some woods are particularly susceptible to insect infestation (while others are insect-resistant).

3. Pattern

The pattern is the wood color, annual rings, texture, scars, flaws and other natural details that form distinct stripes on the surface of the wood, which is equivalent to the macro texture.

4. Texture

Grain is used to describe the direction of the wood fibers in a tree. There are straight grain, cross grain, spiral grain, wavy grain, and some woods have irregular grain.

5. Texture

The size of the wood's cell pores and rays. Usually, rough textures have larger cell pores, which need to be filled during surface treatment.

Keywords that must be referred to when selecting wooden doors

6. Heartwood

The non-functional wood in the middle of the trunk is called heartwood. It is darker in color than the sapwood, more durable and insect-resistant.

7. Sapwood

The outer, relatively soft part of a tree's trunk. While the tree is alive, these tissues transport water, minerals, and store food. The thickness of the sapwood varies greatly between species.

8. Wood Rays

These strips of cells are arranged at 90 degrees to the growth rings. They are clearly visible in some woods, such as oak, but barely visible in others.

These strips of cells are arranged at a 90-degree angle to the growth rings.

2. Characteristics of commonly used wood

1. Pine

Color: White with yellow wood grain

Features: unique pine fragrance, low density, good toughness, long wood fiber, easy to plan, rich in resin, cheap

Application: children's furniture, building materials

2. Whitewood (Sterculiaceae)

Color: White with a slight hint of warm yellow (related to the wood wax oil)

Features: The raw material has a rotten egg smell, the texture is staggered, the material is light and soft, not wear-resistant, but does not crack.

Uses: making plywood, making musical instruments, light furniture, and is a good substitute for poplar and spruce

Common wood characteristics

3. Birch (Betulaceae)

Color: Light color, slightly powdery white

Features: rich in elasticity, not wear-resistant, birch is juicy, and has good gluing properties. It is easy to deform after timber is formed. It is rare to see tables and chairs made entirely of birch, and fast-growing tree species.

Application: furniture, musical instruments

4. Manchurian ash (Oleaceae)

Color: white or a little bit yellowish, strong luster

Features: Tangential section has water-like ripples, slightly waxy texture, coarse structure, high strength, water-resistant, slightly rot-resistant, good material for steam bending, very similar to white wax, mostly domestically produced

Application: window sills, door frames, furniture, flooring, shipbuilding

5. Fraxinus chinensis (Oleaceae)

Color: Creamy white or slightly pink

Characteristics: The Wang Baoqiang of woods, balanced and practical, a highly cost-effective wood with high production volume, featuring a slightly wild pattern and a light-colored base. Furniture created with this wood is refreshingly natural. Tough and resilient, it's very similar to Manchurian ash, and easily bends using steam. Most wood is imported from North America and Russia.

Application: Flooring and joinery

Note: Fraxinus chinensis and Manchurian ash belong to the same genus, but different species with slightly different textures. Manchurian ash is mostly produced in North America and Russia, while Manchurian ash is mostly produced in Northeast my country. Fraxinus chinensis is whiter and has better material properties.

6. Rubberwood (Euphorbiaceae)

Color: white slightly yellow

Features: good toughness, not easy to crack, easy to maintain, artistic carving and dyeing, wear-resistant, beautiful texture; not easy to dry, high in sugar, easy to be eaten by insects, easy to bend and deform; some unscrupulous vendors use it to impersonate oak, making furniture with high cost performance, but the difference is still quite large.

Application: Furniture

rubber wood

7. White Oak (Quercus, Fagaceae)

Color: Light Brown

Features: Mountain wood grain, medium to rough texture, good texture

Key points for identification: The wood rays are longer than those of red oak, the wood grain of white oak is more obvious than that of red oak, and the wood cavities of white oak are blocked by minerals, which has excellent anti-corrosion and insect-proof properties, and good water resistance.

Uses: Often used to make wine barrels, floors, and shipbuilding.

8. Red Oak (Quercus, Fagaceae)

Color: White to light brown, pink to brown heartwood

Features: Mountain wood grain, less grain than white oak

Key points for identification: The wood rays are smaller than those of white oak. The wood rays of white oak are more than 2cm, while those of red oak are around 1cm.

Application: Furniture

9. African walnut (Meliaceae)

Color: Narrow, light brown sapwood, chocolate to purplish red to black heartwood

Features: glossy and rosin-scented, vertical or staggered wood grain, moderate hardness, moderate toughness and strength of the wood

Application: furniture, gun stocks, musical instruments. Color: white with a slight pink

Features: It has short sesame-sized grooves, high hardness, and impact resistance. The grain is straight and clear, the texture is uniform, the color is soft and shiny, and it is easy to bend under the steamer and can be used as bentwood.