Woods
At Burford Woodcraft, a variety of different woods are used in our products and if you are purchasing an item from our online shop or planning on commissioning a piece, you may find the following information useful in identifying and choosing a wood.
Ash
This native wood ranges in colour from cream to tan with straight to wavy open grain.
Brown Oak
This is oak that has been changed in colour ranging from golden to dark brown. It's caused by the tree being attacked by the Beef-steak fungus through an open wound.
Burr Elm
A rich brown with an open grain and attractive burr figuring.
Cherry
Shades range from pale orange brown to a rich red with a straight grain and fairly fine even texture. It darkens with age.
Ebony
This is mainly black with lighter shades, speckles or stripes of grey or dark brown.
Elm
A dull to rich brown with an open grain and sometimes with small burrs (pin knots).
Laburnum
Golden brown in colour going through to dark green with well marked figuring.
Maple
A creamy white wood with little figure.
Oak
A rich honey brown colour - strong and durable with a distinctive grain pattern.
Spalted Ash
Pale cream through to honey brown, sometimes with a fine tracery of black lines. It is caused by fungal growth adding extra interest to the grain pattern.
Spalted Beech
Pale cream through to brown with a fine tracery of black lines caused by fungal growth.
Sycamore
A white to creamy white wood with a natural lustre and a fine close even texture.
Walnut
This is a rich dark brown to purplish black with greyish sapwood.
Wenge
A dark chocolate brown wood with almost black veins. It is straight grained and very dense.
Yew
A very dense, soft wood, light tan to dark brown orange, sometimes streaked with cream sapwood or purple tints and knots. It darkens with age.
About the information above
Please bear in mind that the descriptions and images above are intended for use as a guide only. Timber can vary in colour and grain pattern from tree to tree within the same species.
Wood care
For tips and advice on caring for your woodcraft, please see our wood care page.
