Picking the right wood species has gotten complicated with all the exotic imports and boutique lumber dealers flying around. As someone who walked into the lumber yard knowing absolutely nothing my first time, bought the wrong stuff, paid too much, and ended up with warped boards, I learned everything there is to know about matching wood to projects through years of trial, error, and a lot of wasted material. Today, I will share it all with you.
Hardwood Versus Softwood — The Real Difference
Softwoods — pine, cedar, fir — grow fast, sell cheap, and ding easily. A dropped hammer will leave a dent in pine that would barely scuff oak. Softwood is perfectly fine for painted projects, construction framing, and shop furniture where durability is not the priority. But stained softwood usually looks like exactly what it is — cheap wood trying to be something it is not.
Hardwoods — oak, maple, walnut, cherry — cost more for good reason. They last decades or longer, take finishes beautifully, and resist everyday wear. For anything you want to keep, sell to clients, or pass down to family, hardwood is worth the investment. That’s what makes species selection endearing to us woodworkers who care about the finished product — the right wood elevates everything about a piece.
Common Species and What They Do Best
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Here is the species guide I wish someone had handed me before my first lumber yard trip.
Poplar is the utility player. Cheap hardwood that paints beautifully and machines without complaint. I use it for every painted project — cabinet interiors, painted shelving, children’s furniture. The grain is ugly though, with green and purple streaks that look bizarre under a clear finish. Never stain poplar. Paint it and move on.
Red oak is classic for a reason. Available everywhere, strong, with a bold open grain that gives furniture a traditional American look. White oak is its more refined cousin — tighter grain, naturally water resistant thanks to structures called tyloses that block the pores, and better suited for outdoor applications and modern furniture aesthetics. I have not bought red oak in years because white oak does everything red oak does and more.
Walnut is gorgeous brown with incredible character. It darkens and mellows over time, which some people hate but I love. The chatoyance in a well-finished walnut panel is breathtaking. Not cheap, but for special projects it is the wood I reach for without hesitation.
Cherry starts out pinkish and transforms to a deep reddish-brown with sunlight exposure over months. The color change is dramatic and beautiful. It is softer than oak, which means it dings more easily, but the patina it develops over years is absolutely worth it. I built my wife a cherry jewelry cabinet ten years ago and the color now is nothing like it was when I finished it — in the best possible way.
Maple is hard as nails. Literally harder than most other domestic species, which means it dulls tools faster but stands up to abuse like nothing else. Workbenches, cutting boards, butcher blocks, shop fixtures — anywhere you need brute durability. Standard maple has a clean, subtle grain that some people find boring. But find a board with curly figure or bird’s-eye and suddenly it is the most exciting wood in the shop.
Buying Lumber Without Getting Burned
Skip big box stores for anything nicer than a shop project. Their lumber is typically construction grade, often wet, and sorted by someone who does not know the difference between flat-sawn and quarter-sawn. Find a real hardwood lumber yard. Better selection, drier stock, and actually knowledgeable people who can help you pick boards for your specific project.
Learn board feet. That is how real lumber is sold — width in inches times length in feet times thickness in quarters, divided by twelve. Or just ask the yard to calculate it for you. Nobody judges you for that.
Moisture Content — The Invisible Project Killer
Target eight to ten percent moisture content for indoor furniture. Kiln-dried stock from a reputable dealer falls in this range. Build with wet wood and you will watch your project warp, crack, and self-destruct as it dries. I have seen it happen to my own early work and to plenty of other woodworkers who skipped the moisture check.
Even properly dried lumber needs to acclimate to your shop environment. Let it sit in your workspace for at least a week before milling, especially during dry winters or humid summers. The wood will equalize with your shop’s ambient humidity, and any movement happens before you invest hours of work instead of after. Patience here saves heartache later.
