Warp in Drying Causes and cures for warpage when drying lumber. May 4, 2001
Maple Hassles Woodworkers kick Maple's reputation around on this thread — but there's plenty of good information here about how to get the best out of it. April 9, 2008
Outdoor Stair Glue-Ups with Tropical Woods Complex glued assemblies have trouble in outdoor exposures. This discussion takes a look at that, and at the difference in performance among various tropical hardwoods. January 14, 2013
Cherry Log: Quartersaw or Flatsaw? Appearance would argue for flatsawn, stability for quartersawn — but it's more complicated than that. October 1, 2010
Indoor Wood Shrinkage and Expansion A learned discussion of the way building interior humidity causes dimensional change in wood. December 1, 2005
Troubleshooting a Cracked Beechwood Countertop A good case example of the inevitable cracking that occurs when wood moisture-related movement is not allowed for — this time, in a counter of solid wood glued to plywood. February 11, 2010
Free Span Limits of Cabinet Shelving For wide cabinets with double doors and no center stile, how far is too far for the shelves to span? Here are suggestions for stiffening wide span shelving. March 27, 2012
Troubleshooting Buckled Peel-and-Stick Veneer Indoor humidity has caused adhesive-backed veneer to buckle. Here, pros discuss the limitations and vulnerabilities of the material. November 20, 2005
"Water Oak" Versus "Pin Oak" Locally common names for Oak varieties can cause confusion. Here's a discussion of some Oak tree varieties and some information on their characteristics. February 9, 2008
Is Vacuum Dried Wood Stronger? With so many variables to control, it's hard to be sure whether any particular drying system gives better results in terms of wood properties. October 29, 2012
Engineering for Tables A discussion of the stresses applied to a heavy table in use, and what they imply in terms of appropriate dimensions and construction details. March 28, 2012
Table Top Mistake/Wood Movement A craftsman gets into trouble with incorrect wood orientation in a table top. It's a learning experience. April 20, 2011
The Dimensional Effects of Wood Moisture Understanding how moisture interacts with wood can help you avoid problems from moisture-related wood movement. September 13, 2012
Fresh-Cut Pine for Rafters In theory, green softwood should perform acceptably for barn rafters. In practice, on the other hand ... well, life is full of surprises. November 28, 2006
Working with Sapelle Notes on the workability and machinability of this exotic tropical hardwood. January 8, 2007
Spanish Cedar for Furniture? Characteristics of Spanish Cedar make it problematic, even for porch furniture. January 27, 2007
Intentional Spalting Can you treat logs with fungus and humidity to create spalting on purpose? Some say "yes," but it's more art than science. June 23, 2005
Sycamore for a Post and Beam Frame? Beautiful as the wood is, Sycamore's tendency to twist makes it a questionable choice for timber framing. December 28, 2006
West Coast Live Oak Uses This discussion of Live Oak lumber characteristics includes some info about the "Sudden Oak Death" disease that is plaguing the West Coast. July 30, 2007
Characteristics of Lyptus Wood Cabinetmakers discuss the properties of this lesser-known but increasingly popular wood species. February 28, 2006
Torsion Box Shelf Ideas Concepts and examples for strong lightweight torsion-box book shelves. February 25, 2009
Cottonwood for Building Cottonwood has drawbacks, but it can be used. Here's more information. August 18, 2009
Solid Wood Octagon Table Top Failure Wood movement dooms a solid wood "sunburst" table top, and we learn why that will always happen. February 12, 2007
Is Pin Oak Useful? Widely planted as a yard landscaping tree, Pin Oak has some drawbacks as a source of lumber. June 18, 2009
Eastern Red Cedar for Outdoor Use Thoughts on drying Eastern Red Cedar, and on the wood's value for decks or outdoor furniture. December 6, 2009
Working with Jatoba ("Brazilian Cherry") This tropical hardwood is dense, heavy, and beautiful, but prone to movement and hard on tools. Yellow pieces will probably change to match the rest. May 11, 2011
Working with Ash Beautiful and easy to work, ash also ages well. Fans discuss ash and its virtues in this thread from the Architectural Woodworking forum. November 9, 2005
De-Warping Table Leaves A draw-leaf table has warped, and the maker asks for advice on fixing it. Colleagues suggest ways to quickly straighten the crooked parts. October 19, 2005
Wet Cottonwood with Wind Shake Some comments about the dubious strength and quality of lumber from Cottonwood logs having noticeable wind shake. July 28, 2006
Working with Ipe Wood Woodworkers air their objections to Ipe, which is heavy, hard, and rough on tools. The Wood Doctor adds a little technical detail to the discussion. March 12, 2014
Timber Framing with Red Oak The material needs to be kept dry. Here's info on that, and some other useful tips. November 3, 2010
African Versus Honduras Mahogany Woodworkers compare the grain characteristics, color, and machinability of different Mahogany varieties. November 19, 2005
Working with Hickory Hard, dense, and splintery, Hickory does not take finish well either. You might want to consider Butternut as an alternative. November 15, 2011
Working with Ebony Ebony is a difficult material to source, and quality varies. January 20, 2011
Catalpa: Uses and Vulnerabilities Catalpa is a beautiful wood, rot-resistant and prized by some wood turners. Standing trees may have heart rot, however. April 24, 2013
Sawn Wood Versus LVL Header Strength Sawmiller needs to verify the allowable bearing capacity of a sawn timber for code inspection purposes. February 9, 2008
Ring Deformation (Compression Wood) An odd-looking ring pattern in a cross-cut log is explained as compression wood, certain to bend after sawing. April 20, 2011
Working with Zebrawood Tips on working with this interesting (but stinky) wood species. October 25, 2006
What's Better for Framing, S-P-F or SYP? Southern Yellow Pine has a greater span capability than the mixed-species category "Spruce-Pine-Fir," according to Dr. Gene. January 11, 2007
Straightening Old Bowed Floor Joists Overloaded wood deforms over time (it's called "creep"). There's no quick way to reverse the process. December 1, 2005
Ebony Substitutes for Inlay Suggestions for softer woods to substitute for Ebony as an inlay in a table top, along with a tip on bringing Ebony flush to softer woods during sanding and finishing operations. November 15, 2011
Sweet Gum to Frame a Workshop? Construction may not be the best use for Sweet Gum: its beauty exceeds its durability. October 3, 2009
Uses for Juniper Complex knot patterns make Juniper wood beautiful, but challenging to work. September 14, 2006
Epoxy for Laying Up Ipe Stair Treads Epoxy should hold a joint for glued-up stair treads in Ipe wood at 20% MC for an exterior exposure. November 28, 2006
Tulip (Yellow Poplar) Color Fade A large slab of Tulip, freshly sawn, shows some striking and dramatic coloration. But what will happen over time? October 26, 2011
Preventing Cupping in a Wide Board Woodworkers discuss the "rip and flip" method, relief cuts, and similar methods of reducing wood movement. November 19, 2005
Paulownia Characteristics and Uses A fast-growing, light and strong semi-tropical wood, Paulownia has enough value to be worth stealing. Here's an example growing on a bathroom windowsill. September 5, 2010
Pilings to Resist Marine Borers Untreated wood is vulnerable to attack when submerged in ocean water. But CCA-treated wood is still allowed for use as salt-water pilings. November 28, 2006
Building with Green Water Oak Building with timbers that have not been dried creates some degree of risk. September 27, 2008
Beech Lumber for Siding Exterior siding exposure may not be the best use of Beech wood. June 4, 2012
Black Locust for Window Sash Black Locust wood is naturally durable, but unstable and prone to movement and cracking. April 13, 2010
Properties of Yemeri Wood Yemeri is a Central American tropical hardwood that is good for utility lumber. July 18, 2008
Acetylated Treated Lumber — What's Up with That? Here's an interesting discussion about the durability, fastener compatibility, and other properties of acetyl treated lumber, such as "Accoya," with some useful links to more. January 2, 2014
Optimal Joint Method for Making Curved Beams Woodworkers discuss the best way to fabricate a curved beam, and learn about an interesting historic example of curved laminated timber barn construction. October 19, 2013
Dining Table Stability Here's an enlightening, if confused, discussion of the forces required to tip over a table based on its mass distribution. Also, this is a cool looking table. July 16, 2012
Characteristics of Beech Wood Woodworkers admire Beech for its machineability, stability, and good looks. January 14, 2009
What Causes Ring Shake? Speculations and discussion on science relating to ring shake. April 10, 2005
Lumber Grading, Quality, and Small Mills Here's an extended discussion of the public policy issues involved in lumber grading, and construction using un-graded lumber, as seen from the point of view of the small sawmill operator. May 18, 2010
Troubleshooting Cupping in a Bar Top A solid Ipe bar top starts to show cupping. Furniture-makers chime in on wood movement and the nature of the problem. January 13, 2006
Poplar in Exterior Conditions Although some people have noted 100-year-old poplar porch posts that are still sound, poplar generally seems to rot quickly in exterior use. November 10, 2005
Ipe For Cabinet Construction Ipe's coloration, oiliness, irritating dust, and density are disadvantages when it comes to building cabinets. October 27, 2009
Holly and Teak for Boat Decking This thread answers the question of why Holly and Teak are paired in boat decking (below decks only), and continues with a folkloric and historic discussion of Teak for boatbuilding — including on nuclear submarines.October 19, 2013
Mahogany Varieties for Countertops A discussion of the practicality of mahogany for a countertop, and thoughts about similar alternatives. November 7, 2007
Floating Shelf Installation Methods Ideas and an example for successfully installing heavy "floating" shelves using rods driven into the wall studs. October 27, 2009
Stabilizing Details for a Mahogany Island Top Concerned about wood movement, pros consider options including threaded rod reinforcement, sliding dovetails, or thin-sawing the wood. December 10, 2008
What Does "Old Growth" Mean The sawing and drying forum discusses what "old growth" means when used to describe lumber, and what qualities "old growth" wood may or may not have. May 14, 2006
Durable Wood for a Screen Door A craftsman's question about screen door materials kicks off a long discussion about the qualities of various wood species, old growth and second growth. October 4, 2005
Ripping and Re-Gluing to Limit Cupping The Wood Doc weighs in on the old-timer technique of ripping and re-gluing boards in order to lessen moisture-related cupping. February 19, 2008
Checking Concerns with Massive Wood Posts A custom home project calls for 15-inch-wide solid timber posts. Here's a discussion of the inevitable checking that will occur, and how to minimize it. November 13, 2005
Durability of Eastern Red Cedar Short answer: it's the heartwood that is rot-resistant. But you'll learn more than that from this discussion. April 11, 2008
Steambending How much time to allow based on thickness and proposed radius of wood. September 23, 2003
Green barn siding Making board and batten siding from freshly sawn lumber. June 19, 2003
Eliminating springback problems Determining the radius to aim for when creating a curve with vac-laminated plywood. September 23, 2003
Alternatives to Honduran Mahogany A discussion of the qualities of some of the woods used as substitutes for Mahogany, plus an attempt to clear up some of the confusion around the much-misused "Mahogany" label. February 5, 2007
What the Heck is "Honduran Black Walnut"? Woodweb pros discuss the opportunities, risks, and unknowns inherent in buying lumber from foreign sources at arm's length. September 7, 2013
Alternatives to Cumaru for Cabinet Work A client want cabinets made with Cumaru, a Brazilian hardwood. But the cabinetmaker is looking for a more practical species to substitute. Here are a few ideas. December 31, 2012
Sawing Dawn Redwood A discussion of the characteristics of lumber sawn from Dawn Redwood. March 28, 2010
Staining MDF Products and techniques for best results. July 28, 2004
Determining MC by weight Tools and techniques for measuring moisture content by weighing lumber cuttings. January 4, 2001
Yellow Cedar Characteristics Not a true Cedar, Yellow Cedar grows mainly on the northern Pacific coast of North America. Here is some info about its useful properties. April 2, 2013
Sawing An Old Elm Tree Tension wood from growth stress may call for a modified technique. April 10, 2005
Understanding Drying Stress in Wood A complaint about cupping in mahogany door stiles after machining leads to a discussion of what causes drying stress and related movement in kiln-dried wood. June 23, 2006
Working with Balau Wood A dense, durable tropical hardwood that is rough on blades, Balau is good for outdoor features such as decks. April 4, 2011
Ring Shake in Hemlock Hemlock makes good boards or framing lumber, but wood from trees exposed to grazing animals may be have structural flaws. July 12, 2005
Aspen Wood for Cabinets It's soft, it's fuzzy, and it takes finish unevenly. Hmm... August 29, 2006
"False Acacia" (a.k.a. Black Locust) Black Locust is known in Europe as "False Acacia." Here's some info about the species and the lumber. October 15, 2010
Working with Silver Maple Like Red Maple, it's a type of Soft Maple. Machines easily, but with a tendency to fuzz. August 29, 2006
Slope of grain How to process lumber to achieve a given slope of grain. March 28, 2001
Iroko Wood Tearout This tropical hardwood (a good substitute for teak) can be tough on saw blades and moulder knives. December 1, 2005
Poplar for a Storm Door: Movement Issues An extended discussion of the behavior of Poplar in an exterior exposure. Science says Poplar is suitable for exterior woodwork, but experience may indicate the contrary. June 3, 2007
Bowing in a Panel Glue-Up Woodworkers consider why a one-inch thick shelf made up of a 3/4-inch wood layer glued to a 1/4-inch MDF layer came out of the vacuum bag bowed. October 13, 2012
Black Locust as a Utility Pole Thoughts on whether to dry a Black Locust pole before burying the end, and related issues. March 28, 2010
Building a steamer Homemade steamers for bending wood in your shop. January 21, 2002
Burmese Versus Plantation Teak A quick discussion of Asian and South American varieties of wood marketed as "Teak" July 13, 2010
Pecan Wood for Use as Ties A little info (and some unanswered questions) about the usefulness of Pecan wood for railroad ties.June 14, 2014
Properties of Tamarack Tamarack dries nice and straight, but it's splintery and may have some shake. August 8, 2010
Poplar Is a Hardwood, but Is It Hard? As a deciduous tree, Poplar is classified as a hardwood. Here's some hard info about just how hard it is (or isn't).November 15, 2011
Laminating a Curved Exterior Beam Here's a detailed discussion of adhesive selection and clamping methods for a large, curved, laminated beam for an outdoor structure. March 12, 2014
Plywood Shelf Deflection Thoughts on plywood shelf thickness, ways of reinforcing shelves, and othe ideas. February 26, 2007
Building Cabinets with Lyptus Cabinetmakers discuss the machining qualities and other characteristics of Lyptus (Eucalyptus) wood, and its suitability for cabinet construction. April 6, 2007
- Wood species Information on tree species and their uses. March 20, 2001
Using Lyptus Here's a detailed thread on woodworker experiences using Lyptus wood. April 20, 2008
Travailler le bois d'Iroko On l'appelle parfois « teck africain », mais l'iroko n'est pas du teck et ne se comporte pas comme du teck. 7 mai 2007
Rx For Bending Wood Dr. Gene Wengert offers advice on bending solid lumber in production applications. 1998.
WOODPRO - Species Selection Made Easy A free complete working computer program (that can be downloaded at WOODWEB), allowing woodworkers to select the most suitable wood species for any particular application - 1997
Uses for shavings and sawdust A discussion of uses for and the marketablility of waste from the primary processing of lumber. July 18, 2000
Drying Rewetted Kiln-Dried Lumber How to render kiln-dried lumber, which has been rewetted due to flooding or excessive humidity, useful once again. 1998.
20 Steps to Drying Hard White Maple The Wood Doctor's 100 percent guaranteed, sure-fire, no-snake-oil method for successfully drying hard white maple. 1998.
Working with hickory How to get around the difficult machining characteristics of hickory. July 24, 2001
Wood weight and highway transport How to accurately estimate the weight of a truckload of air-dried lumber to assure compliance with trucking regulations. Includes access info for resources. August 1, 2000
Aromatic cedar for closet lining A discussion of drying and machining, aromatic red cedar for closet lining. Includes ideas on marketing the finished product. March 4, 2000
Market for persimmon? Once popular in the manufacture of golf clubs, the demand for persimmon has slowed. March 2, 2000
Steaming beech for veneer production Questions and answers on various technical aspects of steaming beech lumber, preparatory to producing veneer. Includes ideas for further reading.
Faking mahogany What species are closest to mahogany in grain structure, so, when stained, will look like the real thing? March 20, 2000
Keeping solid doors flat Techniques for preventing warpage of solid wood cabinet doors. June 14, 2000
Calculating Springback Simple formula for determining amount of springback in bent solid wood. April 18, 2004
Mist systems and relative humidity Mist systems, what they do, and some general information about relative humidty and its effect on wood. 1998.
Door stiles bow after assembly Possible causes and solutions for door stiles that bow after the door is assembled. September 26, 2000
Spots revealed in dry, planed lumber Dr. Gene attempts to find the causes of discolored spots on dried lumber, revealed only when the stock has been planed. 1998.
Working with Zebra Wood Zebra wood is splintery, twisty, smelly, and irritating — but beautiful, woodworkers say. January 25, 2013
Red cedar vs. white cedar siding The differences between the two woods, specifically, their suitability for use as siding. October 17, 2000
Sticker stain solutions A look at potential causes and solutions for sticker stain. July 11, 2000
Quartersawn mahogany, or is it? An architectural woodworker seeks specifications and industry guidelines for what constitutes truly quartersawn mahogany. March 5, 2000.
Raised glue lines after curing A glue line that is raised days after parts are assembled and the glue has cured is a sure sign of wet lumber. 1998.
Cures for sticker stain Drying lumber can suffer from sticker stain for a variety of reasons. June 20, 2000
Moisture content of walnut -- and measuring it A woodworker seeks information about acceptable moisture contents for walnut used in furniture, and wonders what makes moisture meters tick. 1998.
Woods for outdoor furniture A manufacturer of outdoor furniture consults the Wood Doctor for help with choosing a species to replace beech. 1998.
Gluing white oak panels Because of its density, white oak lumber must be machined carefully for panel glue-up, and assembled within an hour of preparation. 1998.
A good, cheap end sealant? A discussion of the pros and cons of various sealants used on ends of boards in primary lumber processing. April 22, 2000
Air-dried oak for casework? Air-dried lumber needs to live in the environment it will inhabit prior to fabrication. 1998.
Calculating longitudinal shrinkage There's no firm factor for calculating longitudinal shrinkage in maple, but here's a place to begin. 1998.
Working with casehardened lumber Casehardened lumber should be returned to the processor, or planed to the desired thickness; resawing is not an option. 1998.
Laminating different species In a triple lamination, it's OK to use two species of lumber, given a few conditions. 1998.
Rotted siding Gene Wengert helps a homeowner with a question about decaying siding. 1998.
Workbench end caps: Bad idea? Though European workbenches commonly feature caps over the ends of the worktop material, these may hinder natural movement of the wood on this side of the Atlantic.
Wood dust a carcinogen? The Wood Doctor points to two sources of information on the carcinogenic properties of wood dust. 1998.
Relative densities of various birches The Wood Doctor offers resources for information on the relative densities of birch lumbers, and offers an opinion on plastic laminate. 1998.
Controlled spalting Is it possible to control spalting to produce unique turning stock? June 20, 2000
Darkening wood with steam Saturated steam can be an effective way to darken some species of wood, while still green. 1998.
Smelly lauan The Wood Doctor is quizzed about bad-smelling lauan in a commercial bar. Diagnosis: anaerobic bacteria. Prognosis: terminal. Prescription: replacement. 1998.
A rubberwood primer Rubberwood's machinability and comparability to teak. January 31, 2001
Moisture transfer in humid climes Do tropical and sub-tropical species re-absorb moisture when left in their humid, native lands? September 6, 2000
Know your maples A primer on different types of maple lumber. August 23, 2000
Wet bulb, dry bulb An explanation of the terms "wet bulb" and "dry bulb" in reference to temperature measurement, and their particular usefulness. March 6, 2000
Teak Finish on Kitchen Cabinets Teak may be naturally water resistant, but in a kitchen environment, even this tough lumber needs some help. February 26, 2005