Identifying Hardwood Logs

This article is a one stop guide to provide some insights into the traditional classification of wood.

Identifying hardwood logs.

This guide features 20 of the most abundant and most often used hardwood species. The wood is extremely light for a 20 x 3 segment. In addition to the basics where they grow general description and abundance. Although variable in shape all hardwood leaves have a distinct network of fine veins.

As a resource american hardwoods are abundant renewing and sustainable and an excellent choice for eco effective design and building. Hardwoods like oak ash and walnut will weigh about twice as much as softwoods like pine and cedar. Pine it s relatively easy to identify this type of wood because of the frequent presence of dark knots and its distinct yellow color although this can sometimes lean more towards pale yellow or light brown depending on. Heft two logs the heavier one is probably a hardwood.

The guide to american hardwood species. Here s what to look for when identifying pine oak maple walnut cherry birch cedar poplar ash and douglas fir. It is in pieces at the moment and will need some repairs to restore and we d like to identify the wood in order to do those repairs with the appropriate wood. This is the third edition of this site containing nearly twice as many species higher resolution imagery and more in depth descriptions of each species.

Trees with broad flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees. When i first put this site together more than a decade ago its purpose was to exist as a resource for students in forestry who needed to learn to identify wood as part of their curriculum. A thorough understanding of how to distinguish hardwoods from softwoods is essential as you make your choices for the next project. Attached is an end grain photo from a part that attaches two table legs together.

Checking weight is one way to help identify cut firewood. Here is a quick leaf identification key of the common hardwoods in north america.