Wood Material Index
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AFRICAN MAHOGANY
African Mahogany grows in the western and central regions of Africa. The heartwood varies from a pale pink to a dark reddish brown, which gradually darkens with age and exposure to air. The grain is frequently interlocked, creating a wavy or curvy figure. African Mahogany is rated as moderately durable, with a low shrinkage rating and moderate decay resistance. This wood takes stains well and polishes to a nice finish with the golden luster apparent in all true mahogany. With the value and scarcity of Honduran Mahogany, African Mahogany is fast becoming a suitable substitute. |
| ALDER
Alder grows along the Pacific Northwest coast and is the most abundant commercial hardwood in the region. Alder is almost white when freshly cut, but quickly changes with exposure to air to a light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge. There is no visible boundary between the sap and heartwood, making it very uniform in color and ideal for staining. The wood is also fairly straight grained and uniform in texture. When stained, it blends well with Walnut, Mahogany, and Cherry. Since the trees grow to a relatively small diameter, this type of lumber has a maximum width of 5-6”. A relative of Birch, Alder is moderately light in weight and intermediate in most strength properties but low in shock resistance. It has a fairly low shrinkage rating. Other Names: Red Alder Available in both clear and knotted material |
| CHERRY
Cherry grows throughout southeastern Canada and the eastern half of the United States. The heartwood varies from a rich red to a reddish brown and will darken with age and exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood can range from a pale yellow to a creamy white. The wood has a fine, uniform, straight grain and a satiny, smooth texture. It may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets. Cherry is moderately heavy, strong, and stiff; it has a high shock resistance and is very dimensionally stable after drying. Other Names: Black Cherry, Wild Cherry, Wild Black Cherry |
| DOUGLAS FIR
Douglas Fir grows throughout the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast and from Mexico to central British Columbia. The heartwood is a yellowish-tan to a light brown. The sapwood is a crème color, producing little color variation and a warm golden overall appearance. This wood species is moderately decay resistant, strong and stiff. Vertical Grain Douglas Fir is preferred at Summit Door because of its uniform, straight grain and superior performance rating to that of the Mixed Grain variety. |
| EASTERN HARDWOOD
Eastern Hardwood grows throughout the Eastern half of the United States and into the Southern regions of the country. The heartwood is a grayish white to light brown. The sapwood is almost white and merges gradually with the heartwood, creating a relatively consistent color. The wood is generally straight grained and contains few defects. Eastern Hardwood is light weight, moderately stiff, moderately soft, and moderately low in ability to resist shock. Due to the presence of tension wood, Eastern Hardwood experiences moderate shrinkage, but can be prone to warping. Other Names: Cottonwood, Eastern Cottonwood, Carolina Poplar, Whitewood |
| HONDURAN MAHOGANY
Honduran Mahogany grows from southern Mexico through Central America and as far into South America as Bolivia. The heartwood varies from a pale pink or salmon color to a dark reddish brown. The color deepens naturally with age. Generally, the wood has a straight, fairly uniform grain pattern. It is a strong wood, impervious to almost all types of insect damage as well as decay fungi. It also has excellent dimensional stability in various climates. This species takes finishes easily and produces a lustrous sheen when polished. Mahogany is perhaps the most valuable timber tree of Latin America. It is becoming increasingly rare and already extinct in parts of its original range. As the scarcity of this species increases, so does its value and, subsequently, price. Other Names: True Mahogany, American Mahogany |
| PINE, WESTERN
Pine is one of America’s most abundant tree species. Western Pine typically grows along the Pacific Coast and covers some parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. This wood has a relatively narrow, reddish brown heartwood and a wide, honey-toned sapwood. It is generally straight grained and has fairly low shrinkage in comparison to other softwoods. Pine is moderately light weight, moderately low in strength, moderately soft, and moderately low in shock resistance. It produces a nice finish, taking both paints and stains well. In addition, the wood seasons nicely with minimal splitting, cupping, or warping. Other Names: Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, Idaho White Pine, Lodgepole Pine This wood is only available in knotted material. |
| MDO PLYWOOD
MDO (medium density overlay) Plywood is an engineered plywood with a lauan core and a resin treated fiber applied to the face. The fiber is attached to the wood by heat and pressure, a process that fuses the molecules of the overlay with the wood to form a bond as strong as the wood itself. The resin overlay is extremely resistant to water, weather, wear, insects, and degradation. In addition, its texture allows for painted finishes that are up to three times more durable than the same finish applied to ordinary plywoods. MDO Plywood is not suitable for staining. |
| MEDEX
Medex is an exterior-grade, formaldehyde-free member of the Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) family. Its unique blend of western softwoods combined with an exterior resin produces a consistent core and smooth surface. This composite material is dense, strong, and takes paint well. Extremely weather resistant, Medex is ideal for exterior applications. Medex is a product of the Medilite Corporation and not suitable for staining. |
| MERANTI MAHOGANY
Meranti Mahogany is actually not a mahogany at all. It is a name applied commercially to four groups of species of Shorea from Southeast Asia, most commonly Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. As a whole this species has extremely variable coloring, ranging from pale pink and dark red to a pale brown and chocolate brown. The grain is generally interlocked and rarely forms a uniform pattern as in some genuine mahogany. The strength and shrinkage properties of this species are favorable, making the wood quite durable. The denser, dark red merantis have better decay resistance and are relatively stable. When finished, this species produces a nice aesthetic look, similar to the mahogany species. Other Names: Philippine Mahogany, Lauan |
| NORTHERN RED OAK
Most Red Oak comes from the Eastern United States. The sapwood is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish reddish brown. The wood has a distinct, relatively straight grain and a coarse texture. It is hard and heavy with medium bending strength and stiffness. Red Oak can be stained with a wide range of finish tones. Although it dries slowly, once dry, it is the most dimensionally stable of the domestic woods. Other Names: Red Oak, Scarlet Oak, Black Oak, Willow Oak |
| REDWOOD
Redwood grows along the coast of California. This wood is generally straight grained and has a very low shrinkage rate. It is moderately lightweight, strong, and hard. Its performance characteristics include resistance to shrinking, warping, and checking. It also has a natural resistance to decay. The heartwood has little color variation, ranging from a light cherry red to a dark mahogany. The sapwood is almost white. All Heart Redwood contains only the heartwood of the redwood tree and therefore produces a consistent red color. Grade “A” Redwood contains both the heartwood and sapwood and will vary from a reddish color to a creamy white. Other Names: Coast Redwood, California Redwood |
| TEAK
Teak grows throughout the East – India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, North and South Vietnam, and the East Indies. In addition, it can be found in the tropical regions of Latin America and Africa. The heartwood varies from a yellow-brown to a dark golden brown. The color darkens and turns into a rich chocolate brown upon exposure to air. Teakwood is usually straight grained, has a medium luster and a distinct oily feel. The heartwood has excellent dimensional stability and a very high degree of natural durability. Teak is one of the most valuable woods, but its use is limited by scarcity and high cost. Other Names: Burma Teak, Sak, Rosawa |
| WALNUT
About three-quarters of Walnut wood is grown in the Central States, starting in Vermont and covering the Great Plains and moving south into Louisiana and Texas. The sapwood is a creamy white, while the heartwood is light to dark chocolate brown, occasionally with a purplish tint and dark streaks. The wood develops a rich patina that grows more lustrous with age. Walnut is generally straight grained, but can contain a wavy or curly grain pattern creating a decorative figure. It is heavy, hard, strong, and stiff, and has a good resistance to shock. The wood holds paint and stains very well for an exceptional finish and is readily polished. Walnut is well suited for natural finishes. Other Names: Black Walnut |
| WESTERN RED CEDAR
Western Red Cedar grows in the Pacific Northwest and along the Pacific Coast to Alaska. The heartwood ranges from a pinkish to dark chocolate brown, with the sapwood contrasting in a crème hue. The wood is generally straight grained and has a uniform rather coarse texture. It has very low shrinkage and is superior to all other softwoods in its resistance to warping, twisting, and checking. This species is lightweight and moderately soft. It is free from pitch and the heartwood is very resistant to decay. In addition, Western Red Cedar’s low density gives it an insulation value superior to most other species as well as brick, concrete and steel. With its high dimensional stability, this species is the best of the softwoods at accepting paints, stains, oils, and other coatings. Other Names: Canoe-Cedar, Shinglewood, and Pacific Redcedar. Available in both clear and knotted material (STK – Select Tight Knot – Cedar). |
| WHITE OAK
White Oak lumber comes primarily from the South, South Atlantic, and Central States. The heartwood is a grayish brown and the sapwood is nearly white. Heartwood pores are usually plugged with tyloses, which tend to make wood impenetrable by liquids. White Oak is mostly straight grained with medium to coarse texture. It is a hard and heavy wood, averaging somewhat greater in weight than Red Oak. The heartwood has good decay resistance. Other Names: Blue Oak, Chestnut Oak, Live Oak, etc. |
