Wenaha Woodcraft | Woods Page

Since ancient times woods have been used for tools, weapons, furniture and home constructions. Wood, in simple terms, is structural tissue found in the stems, roots, and trunks of trees. However, not all wood is created equally; some woods are better suited for some types of construction, while some woods are better suited for firewood. The uses of woods depends on many factors including their physical properties such as density, texture, strength, hardness, stiffness, moisture, shrinkage, and flammability.

Wood is classified into two primary classes: hardwood and softwood. The differences are not based on actual hardness of the wood, but on their reproduction methods. Hardwoods are from seed barring deciduous trees like maple, oak, and walnut trees, and softwoods are from gymnosperm trees, those that produce cones like pine, fir and spruce trees.

Lightest Woods	Pounds per cubic foot	Description
Balsa	7 lbs. – 9 lbs.
Paulownia	14 lbs. – 21 lbs.
Bamboo	19 lbs. – 25 lbs.
Basswood	20 lbs. – 37 lbs.
Poplar	22 lbs. – 31 lbs.
Cedar, western red	23 lbs.
Woods	Pounds per cubic foot	Description
Alder	26 lbs. – 42 lbs.	Alder is a popular choice for Fender guitar bodies, known for its balanced tonal qualities, making it versatile for various musical styles.
Apple	41 lbs. – 52 lbs.
Ash, white	40 lbs. – 53 lbs.	tool handles, bats, hockey sticks, oars
Ash, black	33 lbs.	Ash has a bright tone with great sustain and guitar bodies are often crafted with translucent finishes to highlight the wood’s attractive wood grain.
Balsa	7 lbs. – 9 lbs.
Bamboo	19 lbs. – 25 lbs.
Basswood	20 lbs. – 37 lbs.	Basswood is a softer wood than Alder, Ash, Mahogany, and Maple and is known for its warm, growl tone and is often used in lightweight guitar construction.
Beech	32 lbs. – 56 lbs.
Birch, British	42 lbs.
Butternut	24 lbs.
Cedar, western red	23 lbs.
Cherry, European	43 lbs. – 56 lbs.	beautiful color and workability
Chestnut, sweet	30 lbs.
Cottonwood	25 lbs.
Cypress	32 lbs.
Dogwood	47 lbs.
Douglas Fir	33 lbs.
Ebony	69 lbs. – 83 lbs.	Ebony is a supreme tonewood used for guitar fretboards because of the wood’s hardness, denseness, and fast playing feel and responsiveness. Ebony was widely used as fretboards as early as the 15th century for it’s snap and sustain.
Elm, American	35 lbs.
Elm, English	34 lbs. – 37 lbs.
Elm, Rock	50 lbs.
Gum, Black	36 lbs.
Gum, Blue	50 lbs.
Gum, Red	35 lbs.
Hackberry	38 lbs.
Hemlock, western	25 lbs. – 29 lbs.
Hickory	37 lbs. – 58 lbs.
Holly	47 lbs.
Indian Laurel	54 lbs.	Indian Laurel is often used as a replacement for rosewood fretboards and many Fender guitars. It has a responsive, delicate playing feel.
Juniper	35 lbs.
Larch	31 lbs. – 35 lbs.
Locust	42 lbs. – 44 lbs.
Logwood	57 lbs.
Madrone	45 lbs.
Magnolia	35 lbs.
Mahogany, African	31 lbs. – 53 lbs.	Mahogany has a warm, full tone and great sustain. The wood is a favorite in the construction of both electric and acoustic guitars. Durable and often used for furniture.
Mahogany, Cuban	40 lbs.
Mahogany, Honduras	41 lbs.
Mahogany, Spanish	53 lbs.
Maple	39 lbs. – 47 lbs.	Maple is popular choice for fretboards for its biting response and sharp attack which helps cut through a muddy mix. Maple has a quick and slick playability. Maple wood is also used for guitar bodies imparting a bright tone and great projection. Maple is also a hard and strong wood used for flooring and cabinets.
Myrtle	40 lbs.
Oak	37 lbs. – 56 lbs.	strength and durability
Oak, American Red	45 lbs.
Oak, American White	47 lbs.
Oak, English Brown	45 lbs.
Oregon Pine	33 lbs.
Ovangkol	51 lbs.	Ovangkol shares many of the sames traits as its relative rosewood and tonally falls somewhere between rosewood and maple.
Padauk	46 lbs.	Padauk is a newcomer as a replacement for rosewood in guitar fretboards. It offers a punchy tone with a fast note decay.
Pau Ferro	54 lbs.	Pau Ferro is similar to rosewood with a denser grain and faster attack.
Paulownia	14 lbs. – 21 lbs.
Pear	38 lbs. – 45 lbs.
Pecan	47 lbs.
Persimmon	55 lbs.
Philippine Red Luan	36 lbs.
Pine, pitch	52 lbs. – 53 lbs.
Pine, white	22 lbs. – 31 lbs.
Pine, yellow	23 lbs. – 37 lbs.
Plum	41 lbs. – 49 lbs.
Poplar	22 lbs. – 31 lbs.
Redwood, American	28 lbs.
Redwood, European	32 lbs.
Rosewood, Bolivian	50 lbs.
Rosewood, East Indian	55 lbs.	Rosewood is a popular fretboard material, which is soft under the fingers despite being a hardwood, and tends to even out a treble-heavy body tone and gives warm and sweet overtones.
Satinwood	59 lbs.
Spruce	25 lbs. – 44 lbs.
Spruce, Canadian	28 lbs.
Spruce, Sitka	28 lbs.
Sycamore	24 lbs. – 37 lbs.
Tanguile	39 lbs.
Teak, Indian	41 lbs. – 55 lbs.
Teak, African	61 lbs.
Teak, Burma	45 lbs.
Walnut	40 lbs. – 43 lbs.
Walnut, Amer Black	38 lbs.	Walnut fretboards offer a crisper tone with a resilience similar to rosewood but a differing grain pattern. Walnut is a strong and aesthetically pleasing wood.
Walnut, Claro	30 lbs.
Walnut, European	35 lbs.
Water gum	62 lbs.
Willow	24 lbs. – 37 lbs.

Wenaha Woodcraft - Real Wood - Crafted in the USA