Afrormosia	Afrormosia has a medium stiffness, high crushing strength and medium shock resistance. The interlocked grain can affect machining. Afrormosia glues well and takes a good finish. It is very durable and extremely resistant to preservative treatment. Afrormosia is used extensively where a very attractive, strong, stable and durable wood is required. It makes an attractive floor and is also used for boat building and marine piling.
Ash	Ash has great strength, elasticity, and stiffness qualities as well as having a relative light weight. It has an excellent shock resistance. There is a moderate blunting effect on tools. Ash is non-durable and perishable. Ash is used for sports equipment such as bats and oars. It is also used for the handles of striking instruments like hammers.
Balau	Balau is hard, heavy and very dense with high bending and crushing strengths. The wood is moderately difficult to work with machines as the interlocked grains and toughness has a blunting effect on tools. It is unsuitable for nailing or screwing and gluing results are variable. Very durable and immune to insect or fungal attack. Balau is used for bridge and wharf construction as well as sleepers and boats.
Beech	Beech possesses excellent wood bending properties. It has high crushing strength, medium stiffness and resistance to shock loads. It works readily with most hand and machine tools and has good nailing and gluing properties. Beech is used for cabinet and furniture making. It is also used for flooring, turnery and interior joinery.
Birch	Birch has high bending and crushing strength with medium stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Works readily with hand and power tools. Glues well and can be stained and polished to a good finish. Birch is used for high-class joinery, furniture drawer sides and framing and cabinet interior fitments.
Blackwood	Blackwood has medium stiffness and high crushing strength and resistance to impact. It works satisfactoily with hand and power tools, and has variable gluing properties. Stains and polishes to an excellent finish. It is a very durable wood. Blackwood is a highly decorative timber used extensively in high quality furniture, shop and office fitting. Also used for billiard tables, tool handles and boat building.
Boxwood	Boxwood is a very dense wood, has high stiffness, good crushing strength and high resistance to shock loads. It has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges, and gluing, staining and polishing give good results. Boxwood is an excellent carving and turning wood. Also used for textile rollers, skittles, tool handles and extensively used for boxwood inlay lines.
Bubinga	Bubinga exhibits slow bending properties and works easily with hand and machine tools. There is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges, but the wood stains easily and can be brought to an excellent finish. Bubinga is an excellent turnery wood, used for knife handles and brush backs. Its chief use is for sliced decorative veneers for cabinets and panelling.
Camphor	Camphor exhibits extremely good strength properties for its weight. It has low stiffness and resistance to shock loads, and medium crushing strength. The wood works easily with both hand and machine tools. It nails, screws and glues satisfactorily, stains easily and can be brought to a very good finish. A very durable wood. Camphor is used in furniture, interior and exterior joinery, flooring, panelling and cabinet work.
Cedar	Cedar exhibits low bending strength, stiffness and crushing strength. It has very little dulling effect on cutters. Glues, stains and finishes well. Cedar is suitable for joinery, construction, gates, fences and doors.
Cerejeir	Cerejeir has good strength properties relative to its weight and works well with both hand and machine tools. Glued joint hold well; stains easily and gives an excellent finish. Cerejeir is used for carpentry, joinery, domestic flooring and for boat building.
Cherry	Cherry exhibits good work bending properties, low stiffness and medium strength and resistance to shocks. Works easily with hand and power tools with only moderate blunting effects on cutting edges. It nails, glues, stains and takes an excellent polish. Cherry is used in tobacco pipes, musical instruments, and furniture and cabinetmaking. It is an excellent turnery and carving wood.
Cottonwood	Cottonwood is tough, with low bending strength and stiffness, and medium resistance to shock loads. It works easily with both hand and machine tools. The wood can be nailed, screwed, stained and polished well. Cottonwood is used in light weight food containers such as cheese boxes, furniture interiors and fitments, and utility joinery.
Cypress	Cypress is strong in relation to its weight. The wood works without difficulty with hand and machine tools with only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. It nails, screws and glues well, and gives satisfactory resluts with finishing treatments. Cypress is used in shipbuilding, furniture, and linings for cupboard doors and trunks.
Dahoma	Dahoma is a heavy density timber, has medium bending strength, low stiffness and shock resistance, but high crushing strength. There is a moderate blunting effect in sawing. It glues and finishes well. Dahoma is used in construction, heavy work benches, domestic flooring and window frames.
Danta	Danta has a high bending and crushing strength, low stiffness and a moderate resistance to shock loads. The interlocked grain causes a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. It can be polished to a good finish. Danta is used in furniture and cabinet-making, shop fittings and flooring. Also used for tool handles and turnery.
Ebony	Ebony has very high bending and crushing strength, with high stiffness and resistance to shock loads. This is a very hard wood to work with hand or machine tools, with severe blunting effect on cutting edges. Gluing is good, and it can be polished to an excellent finish. Ebony is used in tool, cutlery and knife handles, piano and organ keys.
Elm	Elm is heavy density timber with medium bending and crushing strengths, low stiffness but very high resistance to shock loads. A relatively hard wood, Rock Elm offers moderate to severe blunting effect on cutting edges. It can be stained and polished to a good finish. Elm is suitable for boat building, submerged support and vehicle body work.
Hickory	Hickory has high bending and crushing strengths, high stiffness and very high shock resistance. It is a rather difficult wood to work, with a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutters. Stains and polishes to a good finish. Hickory is used for striking-tool handles, chairs, ladder rungs and certain sports goods ( fishing rods, drum sticks ).
Imbuia	Imbuia is not strong and is mainly used for its decorative appeal. Easy to work with both hand and machine tools, and nails, screws and glues well. It can be stained and polished to an excellent finish. Imbuia is used for high class furniture and joinery as well as high class flooring and panelling.
Iroko	Iroko is medium bending and crushing strength, very low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. The material works satisfactorily with hand and power tools but with a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. The wood nails, screws and glues well, and an excellent finish can be obtained. Iroko is used for ship and boat building, benches, furniture making and carving.
Jelutong	Jelutong is medium density, has low bending and crushing strengths and very low stiffness. Easy to work with hand or machine tools, with only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. Can be glued easily and takes stains, varnish or polish very well. Jelutong is used for pattern making as an alternative to yellow pine. Also used for carving, handicraft and matches.
Karri	Karri is high bending and crushing strengths and stiffness. Difficult to work with hand tools, and has a moderate to severe blunting effect on machine tools. It can be glued, stained and polished satisfactorily. Karri is used for structural and construction work.Also used in shipbuilding, flooring and for beams and rafters.
Kiaat	Kiaat has a medium bending strength, high crushing strength, low resistance to shock loads and very low stiffness. Works well with hand and machine tools, but there is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. It glues well and can be stained and polished to a very good finish. Kiaat is used for furniture, panelling and high-class joinery and domestic flooring.
Kingwood	Kingwood is a very strong wood in all categories, Kingwood is used mostly for decorative purposes because of the small amounts available. Works well with both hand and machine tools with a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. It provides a fine, natural waxy finish. Kingwood is extremely popular with antique restorers as the wood was widely used in 18th century France and the Georgian periods in England. Also used for making inlay bandings, turnery, and fancy goods.
Larch	Larch works readily with hand and machine tools, with moderate strength in all categories. It takes stain, paint or varnish well. Larch is used for posts, exterior work, frames and decorative veneers.
Mahogany	Mahogany has low bending strength, medium crushing strength, very low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Easy to work with hand or machine tools, with only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. Can be glued easily and takes stains, varnish or polish very well. Mahogany is used for high-class furniture and cabinetmaking, panelling, boat interiors, pianos and carving.
Maple	Maple is high in all strength properties except stiffness which is medium. A difficult wood to work with a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Takes glue well, and stains and polishes satisfactorily. Maple is used for heavy duty flooring because of its high resistance to abrasion and wear. Also used for furniture and panelling, sports goods and musical instruments. Excellent for turnery.
Meranti	Meranti is mdium bending and crushing strengths, but resistance to shock loads is low. Works well with hand and machine tools with only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. Produces a good finish when filled. Meranti is used for interior joinery, domestic flooring, drawer sides and backs, and interior framing.
Oak	Oak has medium bending strength and stiffness with high crushing strength. There is a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Nailing may require pre-boring and gluing is variable. Can be stained and polished to a good finish. Oak is used for flooring, furniture, interior joinery. Also used for wine barrels and veneers. Unsuitable for exterior work.
Obeche	Obeche is very low bending, crushing, stiffness and resistance to load classifications. However, it is very easy to work with hand or machine tools, with only a slight blunting effect on edges. An excellent finish requires only a light filling. Obeche is used extensively where durablity and strength are unimportant, such as cabinet framing, drawer sides and model making. Also used for decorative and backing veneers.
Olive	Olive has a moderate blunting effect on tools. The timber nails, screws and glues without difficulty and can be stained and polished to an excellent finish. Olive is used high-class furniture making, domestic flooring and decorative veneers.
Padauk	Padauk has excellent strength, bending and crushing properties. There is a medium resistance to shock loads. There is only a slight blunting effect on cutting edges. It nails, screws, glues and polishes well and an excellent finish is obtainable. Padauk is used in high class joinery, furniture and cabinet-making. It is also suitable for turnery, knife handles, paddles billiard table frames, domestic flooring and decorative veneers.
Panga Panga	Panga Panga is very heavy, dense wood has a high bending strength and resistance to shock loads, with a medium crushing and stiffness strength. It has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges. Nailing requires pre-boring and the grain requires filling to be brought to a good finish. Panga Panga is perfect for flooring strips, interior and exterior joinery and general construction work.
Pau Marfim	Pau Marfim has high rating across all strength categories, and works well with both hand and machine tools. There is a moderate to severe blunting effect on cutting edges. It nails, screws and glues easily, and can be stained and polished to an excellent smooth finish. Pau Marfim is excellent for turnery and domestic flooring. Also used for veneers for panelling and cabinets.
Pine	Pine has medium bending and crushing strength and very low resistance to shock loads. It works easily with hand and machine tools with little or no blunting effect on cutting edges. It can be glued, stained, painted or polished to a good finish. Pine is used for widely in construction, joinery, furniture and cabinet-making. Higher grades are used for internal joinery in doors and staircases. Logs are peeled for plywood manufacture and some are used for decorative veneers.
Pink Ivory	Pink Ivory is a very hard, heavy timber with all-round high strength categories. It is difficult to work with hand or machine tools, and has a medium to severe blunting effect on tools. It holds screws well and glues satisfactorily. Stains easily and can be brought to a high polish. Pink Ivory is used for furniture and ligh flooring. Also used for vehicle bodies.
Poplar	Poplar has low bending strength and resistance to shock. Its stiffness and crushing strengths is also low. The wood is easy to work with hand and machine tools. Nailed, screwed and glued joints hold perfectly, and it can be stained and polished to an excellent finish. Poplar is used for carving, interior fittings, interior joinery and doors. When treated, it can be used for external joinery.
Purpleheart	Purpleheart has high bending, stiffness and crushing strength categories. It is rather difficult to work, with a severe blunting effect on tools. Pre-boring for nails and screws is needed, and stains and waxes well. Spirit finishes remove the purple colour, while lacquer finishes preserve it. Purpleheart is used for vats, flooring, tools handles and turnery.
Redwood - Sequoia	Redwood has a low bending strength, crushing strength and resistance to shock loads. It works readily with hand and machine tools. Liable to stain with alkaline adhesives but can be glued easily. Finishes well with the usual treatment. Redwood is used in exterior joinery, cladding and pipes. Also used for decorative veneers and panelling.
Rosewood	Rosewood has high strength in all categories except stiffness. The timber offers moderate difficulty with hand and tool working, and has a severe blunting effect on cutting edges. Gluing can be difficult and because of the oiliness of the wood, polishing is troublesome. However, with care, a smooth, beauitiful finish can be obtained. Rosewood is used in both solid and veneer form for very high quality furniture and cabinet-making, piano cases, parquet flooring, carving and turnery.
Sapele	Sapele has high crushing and medium bending strength and resistance to shock loads. Works without difficulty with both hand and machine tools, but the interlocked grain affects machining properties. Care is required when staining, but it provides an excellent polished finish. Sapele is used quality furniture and cabinet-making, musical instruments, sports goods and flooring. Also used for decorative face veneers.
Stinkwood	Stinkwood is hard and strong wood, has a very high density, medium crushing and bending strengths and medium stiffness. Easy to work with hand or machine tools. It can be stained, and takes on an excellent polished finish. Stinkwood is used in high-class furniture and cabinet making, light flooring, turnery and decorative veneers.
Sycamore	Sycamore has medium bending, density and crushing strength properties, low resistance to shock loads and very low stiffness. Works easily with hand and machine tools, and provides a fine, smooth finish. Nails, glues, stains and polishes excellently. Sycamore is used for turnery, brush handles, flooring, food containers and decorative veneers.
Teak	Teak has a medium bending strength, high crushing strength and low stiffness and resistance to shock loads. Teak offers a medium resistance to tools and has a severe blunting effect on cutting edges. Stains well and takes on an excellent finish, especially when polished. Teak is used for furniture and cabinet-making, interior and exterior joinery, and plywood and veneer decoration.
Walnut	Walnut has a medium density, with medium bending and crushing strengths. Works readily with hand and machine tools. Holds nails and screws well, and polishes to an excellent finish. Walnut is used for high-quality furniture and cabinet-making, turnery and carvery.
Yellowwood	Yellowwood has a medium bending and crushing strength, very low stiffness and low resistance to shock loads. Works easily with hand and machine tools, with little effect on cutting edges. Gluing and nailing are satisfactory, and the surface will take polish and paint well. Yellowwood is used for furniture making, joinery and fittings. Also for decorative veneers and for panelling.