Chapter 2: Understanding Wood
Wood is the most important material in woodworking and it is important that you know how to choose the right kinds of wood to start your project. This chapter will discuss all there is that you need to know about wood used in wood working.
Wood Structure Types
Wood is essential in woodworking and although most hobbyists start off with plywood, it is important that you know about hardwood if you are going into fine woodworking. It is important to take note that all hardwoods have vessels that are used in producing sap. However, the size and distribution of the vessels can affect the porosity of the wood. This section will discuss about the different structural types of hardwood.
Ring Porous
This type of structure is characterized with the largest pores in the early wood while the smaller pores are more distributed near the center of the tree.  This type of wood is also termed as open-grained wood. Because it has large pores at the earlywood than in latewood, there is an uneven uptake of stain in the wood. Species with this type of wood structure include oak and ash.
Semi-ring porous
Also called semi-diffuse porous, this type of wood structure is characterized with large pores in the earlywood and smaller ones in the latewood. It does not come with the distinct zone as often seen in ring-porous woods.  Examples of species that have this type of wood structure include black walnut, cottonwood and butternut.
Diffuse Porous
The pores are distributed evenly across the early wood as well as latewood. It does not have any distinction. The pores have smaller diameters and since the distribution is even, the uptake of stain is also even. This type of wood structure is also called closed-grain wood. Examples of diffuse porous woods include cherry, maple and yellow poplar.
Non-porous
Non-porous woods do not have vessel cells but water is transported in the living tree called the tracheid cells. This is the reason why wood with this type of structure appears to be compact. Examples of non-porous woods include different types of pine trees.
How to Check the Quality of Wood
There are different types of woods that you can use to start woodworking. If you are a beginner, then finding the right type of wood can be a daunting task. This section will discuss about how to choose lumber for woodworking.
Determine If There Are Any Defects
When choosing woods, it is important that you inspect if they come with defects. Defects are caused by the imperfection in the log itself and too much presence of it can affect your woodworking project. The defects are caused by insects, fungus and even lightning strikes.  Although this does not mean that you should try to stay away from wood with defects, you should at least start working with good quality wood so that you will not experience a lot of problems while starting out with woodworking .
Determine If the Wood Has a Bow
A bow is the curving of the length of the wood when you press it down at a vertical position. A single bow is acceptable but if the wood has several bows, you need to avoid it.
Check for Twists
Aside from checking for bows, it is important to look for twists. A twist is considered a type of warping on the wood. It is when the wood becomes twisted thus making it difficult to work with.
Look For Cupping
Cupping is a type of warping wherein the wood has a curve along the thickness of the wood. It is commonly occurring in stocks with one inch thickness. Cupping can be minimized by using a surface planer but if the degree of cupping is severe, then using a planer will not fix the problem.
Avoid Wood with Crooks
A crook is a natural anomaly caused by the growth of the tree itself.  Crooks only occur on one side of the stock and if it happens to occur on the edges, you can easily cut it off.
Check for Cracks
Small cracks are acceptable. However, this usually indicates a presence of stress within the wood fibers due to drying. Avoid buying stocks with small cracks that has not completely dried as the cracks will eventually get larger through time.
Types of Woods for Your Woodworking Project
Another thing that you need to consider when doing a woodworking project is the types of woods that you need to use. Remember that you are not restricted to using plywood. This section will discuss about the different types of woods that you can use for woodworking.
Softwood
Softwoods are named as such not because they are weaker than hardwoods but they come from coniferous trees like fir, pine and cedar. The wood appears yellow or reddish. Since coniferous trees grow straight and fast, they are less expensive than other types of wood thus making them more sustainable when used.  Below are the types of softwood varieties that you can use.
Hardwood
Most woodworkers love to use hardwood because they come in variety of textures, patterns and colors.  Although hardwoods are very expensive compared to softwoods, they last long and also add exotic appeal on the finished woodwork. Below are the different types of hardwoods that you can use in woodworking.