Using the right wood for a project can mean all the difference. First off, you never want to use green or wet wood or you may experience shrinkage (and no one wants that), shifting or warping…leading to things like unlevel floors or big gaps in your fencing.
Plus, different types of woods offer different structural properties. Consequently, wood that you might use to build a unique piece of furniture, you wouldn’t want to use for building trusses.
Additionally, lumber grade can be very important depending on your project. While the knottiest, battered piece of reclaimed Douglas fir may result in a beautiful piece of furniture, using higher grades of wood, which are more uniform and free of knot holes and other anomalies, can ensure less waste for building projects such as a deck or a shed.
Speaking of wood waste, here are a few tips that may be of value…Wood scraps can be used to repurpose for items such as cutting boards, decorative boxes, small carvings, toys, knobs or handles and if you’re that guy or girl who can’t stand to belly up to a table that wobbles because it doesn’t sit plumb, you may want to make yourself some shims!
Cost can come into play too. For instance, if you are a novice woodworker, you may want to steer clear of expensive woods at first and opt, instead, for something like an affordable poplar – so any mistakes are inexpensive ones.
If you have any questions about which type of wood to use for which project, feel free to ask the lumber experts at M&M Enterprises, Daytona’s local lumber yard where you can get all the lumber you need for any project you have.