Wood

It's a beautiful thing.  Each timber has its own character.  Each board is different and varies in color and texture.  As a result, stain application may appear inconsistent and non-uniform.  

Hickory is one of the heaviest and hardest woods available.  Wood from hickory is used for structural parts, especially where strength is required.   

Pine is a soft, white or pale-yellow wood which is light weight, straight grained and lacks figure. It resists shrinking and swelling. Knotty pine is often used for decorative effect. 

Cherry is sometimes called fruitwood and is a moderately hard, strong, closed grain, light to red-brown wood, cherry resists warping and checking. It is easy to carve and polish.

Soft Maple is very similar to hard maple.  Generally, the sapwood is greyish white, sometimes with darker colored pith flecks.  It is usually straight-grained.

Oak is a heavy, strong, light colored hardwood. It is ring porous, due to the fact that more and larger conductive vessels are laid down early in the summer, rather than later. Prominent rings and large pores give oak a course texture and prominent grain. Oak also has conspicuous medullary rays which can be seen as "flakes" in quarter sawed oak lumber.

Walnut is one of the most versatile and popular cabinet making woods. There are many different varieties.  It is strong, hard and durable, without being excessively heavy. It has excellent woodworking qualities, and takes finishes well. The wood is light to dark chocolate brown in color with a straight grain in the trunk. Wavy grain is present toward the roots, and walnut stumps are often dug out and used as a source of highly figured veneer. Large burls are common.