Our February wood of the month is curly soft maple. A highly acclaimed wood, curly soft maple delivers stunning looks for furniture and musical instruments. Curly soft maple isn’t a separate species of maple; it’s actually just regular soft maple with a unique, curly grain pattern. This pattern is also known as tiger, rippled, and fiddleback.
wood of the month
Wood of The Month: Hickory
Simply mentioning the word “Hickory” can make mouths water, thanks to its association with a BBQ, but there’s more to Hickory than a delicious flavor. It’s a prominent tree in the Southeast, and grows very large, reaching heights of 160 feet and expanding to 7 feet in diameter. It’s also a wood that’s readily available right in our North Carolina facility.
Wood of The Month: Persimmon
Persimmon is a native tree species to North America and is most commonly known for its fruit rather than its wood. Persimmon is actually part of the Ebony family and is commonly referred as White Ebony, because the tree is comprised of a lot of white sap wood with a small core of darker heartwood.
Wood of The Month: Cocobolo
Cocobolo is a stunning and unique hardwood that has become a prized material among woodworkers. Chances are you’ve seen this wood in many artisan products such as jewelry, executive pens, bowls, furniture and instruments! Cocobolo is a dense oily wood which polishes to a high gloss without any finish, a feature not many woods have. These oils present a challenge if you’re looking to glue Cocobolo, but using acetone to wipe down the joints will draw out the oils allowing you to use a two part epoxy to adhere pieces together. Cocobolo isn’t used in wind and string instruments solely because of its beauty. The wood itself has wonderful tonal qualities that help create a crisp sound.
Wood of the Month: American Cherry
Often used in furniture making, wood working, and flooring, American Cherry has become a staple in the industry because of it’s ease of handling. It has had a strong, positive reputation for many years with wood workers. Unfortunately, this beautiful wood is often stained to the point where its colors are lost. The natural tones of American Cherry range from light browns to darker reddish tones, with highlights of white from sap wood.
Wood of the Month: Cumaru (Brazilian Teak)
Cumaru, also known as Brazilian Teak, is an excellent hardwood that many have never heard of. Its botanical name is Dipteryx Odorata, and is primarily found in the Northern regions of South America. The Cumaru tree’s seeds have been used to create a vanilla extract substitute and are highly sought after. The heartwood of Cumaru is very dense and filled with silica particles making it denser and stronger than softwoods and most hardwoods . The most common use for Cumaru is in decking and outdoor furniture because of its strength, density, and lifespan.
Wood of the Month: Aromatic Cedar
Cedar wood is perhaps one of the most storied woods in history. Cedar’s amazing properties are the reason why it’s prevailed for centuries. During a recent renovation in Newport, RI the contractor needed aromatic cedar to maintain the historical accuracy of the structure. AdvantageLumber.com supplied him with high-quality aromatic cedar to provide the structural support needed.