Wood Species Guide
A comprehensive reference for every wood species we carry — from Janka hardness and grain patterns to workability, common reclaimed sources, and best applications.
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Species Profiles
Each profile below includes the properties, characteristics, and practical information you need to make confident material selections for your project.
Heart Pine
Pinus palustris / Pinus echinata
Durability
Excellent
Availability
Good — steady supply from regional demolitions
Janka Hardness
1,225 lbf
Color
Rich amber to deep reddish-brown heartwood. The sapwood is a pale cream-yellow, but in reclaimed stock the heartwood dominates because the original old-growth trees produced minimal sapwood.
Grain Pattern
Tight, straight grain with very narrow growth rings — often 15 to 30 rings per inch in old-growth specimens. This density is what gives heart pine its exceptional hardness for a softwood.
Workability
Machines well with sharp tooling. The high resin content can gum up saw blades if feed rates are too slow. Pre-drilling is recommended for nail and screw fastening near board ends. Sands to a beautiful satin finish.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Southern textile mills, warehouses, and factory buildings (1850s–1940s). Joists, beams, flooring, and roof decking in Philadelphia-area industrial structures. Occasionally found in residential row house framing.
Best Uses
Flooring, ceiling planking, wall paneling, bar tops, stair treads, and exposed beams. Its hardness and beauty make it our most requested reclaimed species.
White Oak
Quercus alba
Durability
Excellent — naturally rot-resistant
Availability
Good — consistent supply from barn deconstructions
Janka Hardness
1,360 lbf
Color
Light tan to medium brown with an olive or grayish cast. Reclaimed white oak often develops a warm, honey-gold patina from decades of oxidation. Sapwood is nearly white but is rarely present in reclaimed stock.
Grain Pattern
Straight to slightly irregular grain with prominent ray fleck visible on quartersawn faces. Medium to coarse texture. Growth rings are clearly defined with a ring-porous structure.
Workability
Excellent workability across all operations — saws cleanly, planes smoothly, and holds fasteners securely without splitting. The tyloses in white oak cell structure make it naturally waterproof, which is why it has been used for centuries in barrel-making and boat construction.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Barn frames and timbers throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and Bucks County. Also found in warehouse flooring, railroad ties, and as structural beams in commercial buildings built between 1870 and 1950.
Best Uses
Flooring, furniture, cabinetry, structural beams, exterior applications (high natural decay resistance), bar tops, and table tops. The gold standard for versatility.
Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Durability
Moderate — interior use only
Availability
Very good — abundant in regional demolitions
Janka Hardness
1,290 lbf
Color
Light pinkish-red to medium reddish-brown. The heartwood has a distinctly warmer, more reddish tone than white oak. Sapwood is white to light brown.
Grain Pattern
Straight grain with a coarse, uneven texture. Strong ring-porous structure with very prominent growth rings. Lacks the tyloses of white oak, making the pores appear open and porous on end grain.
Workability
Machines well in all operations. Takes stain readily, which can be an advantage or disadvantage — red oak absorbs finish unevenly if not properly sanded. Nails and screws hold well, but pre-drilling is advised near edges.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Residential and light commercial framing, stair components, and interior trim from Philadelphia row homes and suburban houses built from the 1920s through the 1970s.
Best Uses
Interior flooring, stair components, cabinetry, trim work, and paneling. Not recommended for exterior or moisture-exposed applications due to lack of natural decay resistance.
American Chestnut
Castanea dentata
Durability
Good — naturally resistant to decay
Availability
Limited — finite supply, no new harvest possible
Janka Hardness
540 lbf
Color
Warm light to medium brown, darkening with age to a rich chestnut-brown. Often features dramatic color variation within a single board. Sapwood is very narrow and nearly white.
Grain Pattern
Straight, coarse grain with a visible ring-porous structure similar to oak but with a softer, more rustic appearance. Pronounced growth rings. Wormy chestnut — featuring galleries left by boring insects — is a sought-after decorative variant.
Workability
Easy to work despite its relatively low hardness. Saws, planes, and sands cleanly. Naturally high tannin content can cause blue-black staining when in contact with iron fasteners in the presence of moisture — use stainless steel or bronze nails.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Exclusively reclaimed. The American chestnut was functionally eliminated by chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) in the early 1900s. Our stock comes from barn siding and structural timbers in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Appalachian cabin framing, and occasional warehouse finds.
Best Uses
Accent walls, wainscoting, furniture, picture frames, and decorative paneling. Its rarity and story make it the most prized species we carry, but its softness limits structural applications.
Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Durability
Moderate — heartwood has fair decay resistance
Availability
Good — common in industrial demolitions
Janka Hardness
660 lbf
Color
Light yellowish-tan to reddish-brown. Old-growth reclaimed Doug fir is typically darker and more richly colored than modern plantation-grown stock, with tighter grain patterns and deeper amber hues.
Grain Pattern
Straight, pronounced grain with a marked contrast between earlywood (lighter) and latewood (darker) bands. Old-growth specimens have exceptionally tight rings — 20 or more per inch — producing a fine, even texture.
Workability
Good overall workability. Can be prone to splintering along the grain if cutting tools are dull. Holds fasteners well but can split near edges without pre-drilling. Finishes well with oil-based products; water-based finishes may raise the grain.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Structural timbers in large commercial and industrial buildings throughout the Northeast. Doug fir was shipped east by rail from Pacific Northwest forests during the late 1800s and early 1900s for heavy timber construction. Found as beams, columns, and roof trusses.
Best Uses
Exposed ceiling beams, mantels, shelving, furniture, and structural timbers. The large dimensions available from reclaimed sources (6x6 and larger) make it ideal for timber frame and post-and-beam construction.
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
Durability
Low — not recommended for ground contact
Availability
Very good — large volumes available
Janka Hardness
500 lbf
Color
Light reddish-brown heartwood with a slightly purplish cast. Sapwood is lighter but not strikingly different from heartwood. Overall a subdued, warm tone.
Grain Pattern
Straight grain with an even, medium texture. Growth rings are visible but less pronounced than in Douglas fir. The wood has a somewhat woolly feel when freshly sawn.
Workability
Moderately easy to work. The soft, fibrous nature can produce fuzzy surfaces during planing — sharp tooling and a slow feed rate help. Not ideal for intricate profiles or fine joinery due to its tendency to crush rather than cut cleanly at corners.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Barn framing and siding throughout eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Also found in bridge formwork, railroad trestle timbers, and mine shoring. One of the most common species in rural demolition stock.
Best Uses
Ceiling planking, accent walls, rustic shelving, crate and pallet construction, and garden structures. An affordable alternative to premium softwoods for non-structural decorative applications.
Poplar (Tulipwood)
Liriodendron tulipifera
Durability
Low — interior use only, no decay resistance
Availability
Very good — extremely common in regional demolitions
Janka Hardness
540 lbf
Color
Highly variable — ranges from creamy white to yellowish-green, often with streaks of purple, gray, or mineral-stained olive. The color variation, which some consider a defect, is increasingly prized for decorative use.
Grain Pattern
Straight, uniform grain with a fine, even texture. Growth rings are diffuse-porous and not prominently visible, giving the wood a smooth, consistent appearance.
Workability
Exceptional workability. Poplar is one of the easiest hardwoods to machine — it saws, planes, routs, and sands without drama. Takes paint exceptionally well, which is why it has been the go-to species for painted trim and millwork for centuries.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Interior trim, window casings, baseboard, and painted millwork from residential structures throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Poplar was the utility hardwood of Philadelphia home construction from the 1800s through the mid-1900s.
Best Uses
Painted trim and millwork, drawer sides, secondary wood in furniture, utility shelving, and as a substrate for painted paneling. When left natural, the rainbow coloring makes stunning accent pieces.
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
Durability
Good — heartwood is moderately decay-resistant
Availability
Fair — intermittent supply, high demand
Janka Hardness
1,010 lbf
Color
Rich chocolate brown to dark purplish-brown heartwood — one of the darkest domestic species. Sapwood is pale cream to grayish-white and very distinct from the heartwood.
Grain Pattern
Straight to slightly wavy grain with a medium to coarse texture. Occasional figure including crotch swirl, burl, and fiddleback. The most visually dramatic of our common hardwood species.
Workability
Excellent. Walnut is widely regarded as one of the finest woodworking species — it machines cleanly, sands to a silk-smooth surface, holds fine detail in carving and routing, and finishes beautifully with virtually any product. It also glues well.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Furniture-grade walnut reclaimed from mid-century cabinetry, architectural paneling, and gunstock blanks. Structural walnut is occasionally recovered from older barns in Chester and Lancaster Counties. Supply is intermittent.
Best Uses
Fine furniture, conference tables, reception desks, cabinetry, turned objects, and architectural feature walls. The combination of beauty, workability, and hardness makes walnut a premium choice for high-visibility applications.
Cherry
Prunus serotina
Durability
Moderate — not decay-resistant, interior use only
Availability
Fair — supply depends on estate and renovation demolitions
Janka Hardness
950 lbf
Color
Starts as a light pinkish-brown when freshly milled, then darkens dramatically with light exposure to a warm, rich reddish-brown. This photosensitive darkening is the signature characteristic of cherry — reclaimed stock is often already beautifully patinated.
Grain Pattern
Fine, straight, close grain with a smooth, satiny texture. Occasionally exhibits subtle figure or small pin knots. The even, uniform grain is a hallmark of the species and makes it immediately recognizable.
Workability
Outstanding. Cherry machines like butter, producing fine shavings and glassy surfaces straight off the planer. It sands quickly, takes stain evenly (though the natural color rarely needs enhancement), and accepts all finish types. One of the best species for detailed profiles.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Fine furniture, cabinetry, and architectural millwork from residential demolitions and estate clearances. Cherry was the prestige wood of Philadelphia furniture-making from the colonial era through the 20th century. Occasionally found as stair rail components and interior doors.
Best Uses
Fine furniture, cabinetry, interior doors, stair components, turned objects, and decorative boxes. Its warm color and silky surface make it a perennial favorite for heirloom-quality work.
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
Durability
Excellent — one of the most naturally rot-resistant North American species
Availability
Fair — sourced primarily from coastal and waterfront demolitions
Janka Hardness
510 lbf
Color
Variable from pale yellowish-brown to warm reddish-brown. Old-growth heartwood tends toward deeper amber and red tones. The wood often develops a distinctive silvery-gray patina when left unfinished in exterior applications.
Grain Pattern
Straight grain with a medium to coarse texture. Growth rings are clearly defined. Old-growth cypress has tighter rings and higher extractive content than plantation-grown stock, contributing to superior decay resistance.
Workability
Good workability overall. The wood is soft and machines easily, but the oily extractives that make it rot-resistant can also interfere with adhesive bonding and water-based finishes. Oil-based finishes perform best. The wood holds fasteners adequately but may require pre-drilling.
Common Reclaimed Sources
Porch decking, exterior siding, and dock structures along the Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay coasts. Also found in water tank staves and cooling tower lumber from early 20th-century industrial facilities. Cypress was the traditional choice for any application where wood meets water.
Best Uses
Exterior siding, porch decking, garden beds, dock construction, outdoor furniture, and any application requiring natural rot resistance without chemical treatment. Increasingly popular for interior accent walls due to its unique grain pattern.
Hardwood vs. Softwood: What's the Difference?
The terms “hardwood” and “softwood” are botanical classifications, not descriptions of actual hardness. Understanding the distinction helps you choose the right material for your application.
Hardwoods
Hardwoods come from deciduous (leaf-shedding) trees, also called angiosperms. They reproduce through flowers and enclosed seeds. In our inventory, white oak, red oak, chestnut, poplar, walnut, and cherry are all hardwoods.
- Generally denser and harder (but not always — poplar and chestnut are soft hardwoods)
- More complex cellular structure with vessels for water transport
- Typically slower-growing, producing denser wood
- Higher cost per board foot on average
- Best for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and high-wear surfaces
Softwoods
Softwoods come from coniferous (cone-bearing) trees, also called gymnosperms. They typically have needles instead of broad leaves and remain evergreen. In our stock, heart pine, Douglas fir, Eastern hemlock, and bald cypress are softwoods.
- Generally lighter and softer (but old-growth heart pine is harder than many hardwoods)
- Simpler cellular structure with tracheids for water transport
- Typically faster-growing in modern plantation forestry
- Lower cost per board foot on average
- Best for structural framing, beams, ceiling planking, and exterior applications (cypress)
The Reclaimed Exception
In reclaimed lumber, the hardwood/softwood distinction matters less than in new stock because old-growth trees of both types are denser and harder than their modern counterparts. Reclaimed heart pine (a softwood) has a Janka rating of 1,225 lbf — harder than new-growth red oak (a hardwood). When working with reclaimed material, focus on the specific properties of the actual stock rather than making assumptions based on botanical classification.
Identifying Unknown Species
Found some old wood and want to know what it is? Here are the field identification techniques our team uses every day. No microscope required.
1. Check the End Grain
Cut or sand a clean cross-section and examine the end grain, ideally with a 10x hand lens. Ring-porous species (oak, chestnut, ash) show large pores in the earlywood that are visible to the naked eye. Diffuse-porous species (poplar, cherry, maple) have small pores evenly distributed. Softwoods (pine, fir, hemlock) have no visible pores at all — only smooth growth rings. This single test eliminates half of all possible identifications.
2. Smell a Fresh Cut
Many species have distinctive aromas when freshly sawn. White oak smells sharply tannic, almost like vinegar. Cherry has a mild, sweet fragrance. Walnut has a rich, earthy scent. Heart pine smells strongly of resin. Douglas fir has a clean, slightly spicy aroma. Even in reclaimed wood, a fresh saw cut or aggressive sanding will release enough volatile compounds for identification by smell.
3. Test the Weight
Pick up a board and gauge its heft relative to its size. At comparable moisture content, white oak and heart pine feel noticeably heavy. Poplar, hemlock, and chestnut feel surprisingly light. Walnut falls in the middle. Weight won't identify a species definitively, but it quickly narrows the field.
4. Look for Ray Fleck
If you see broad, shiny streaks on the flat face of a quartersawn board, you are almost certainly looking at oak. White oak has the most prominent ray fleck of any North American species. Red oak rays are visible but smaller. No other common species in our region produces comparable ray fleck visible to the unaided eye.
5. Apply the Water Test
Place a drop of water on the end grain. If the water sits on the surface without absorbing, the wood likely has tyloses — a defining feature of white oak (and a few other species). If it absorbs quickly, the wood is porous and could be red oak, chestnut, or ash. This test is the fastest way to distinguish white oak from red oak, which can otherwise look nearly identical.
6. When in Doubt, Bring It In
If field identification doesn't give you a definitive answer, bring a sample to our yard. Our team has collectively identified tens of thousands of boards and can usually make a positive ID in minutes. We're happy to look at samples free of charge — just stop by during business hours.
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Need Help Choosing a Species?
Tell us about your project — the application, the look you want, and your budget — and we'll recommend the species and grade that will perform best.