New Hampshire Made | Sustainable + Local Lumber | Handmade for YOU by Justin
Softwood and Hardwood Wood Species
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Softwoods, such as Eastern White Pine, come from coniferous (cone bearing) trees, and most of them do have softer wood than hardwoods which are always from flower bearing trees.
Eastern White Pine is the only softwood we use for furniture making, but it will dent, ding, mark, etc more readily than a hardwood.
Hardwoods include our standard options of Red Oak, Quarter Sawn Red Oak, and Cherry, with the option of upgrading to most other domestic hardwoods, such as:
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According to The Wood Database on the Janka hardness scale, which is a scientific test for measuring the resistance of denting, marking and wearing on wood species by measuring the pounds of force required to embed a .444" diameter steel ball into the properly kiln dried wood up to half of the ball's diameter.
The following shows the hardness of common wood species (measured in pounds of force)
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Eastern White Pine: 380
Cherry: 950
Black Walnut: 1010
Red Oak: 1220
Birch: 1260
Ash: 1320
White Oak: 1350
Hard Maple: 1450
Hickory: 1880 ~ 2140
Eastern White Pine
Pine is one of the most common wood species in the northeast. It has a straight even grain pattern with light brown, creamy white and red tones to the wood. It takes a wide variety of stain colors from light to dark to red toned.
Pine typically has knots in it, giving a little more character and dimension to the table top. Knots naturally occur when branches die off and as the tree trunk grows larger over the years the stub of the dead branch is embedded in the trunk and show through when sawn into lumber.
Pine is a perfect wood for a rustic farmhouse, vacation home, cottage or even industrial loft style.
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The Historical Significance of Pine in New England
Here in New England the Pine tree has played an important role in rural community life since colonial times. They were used for building homes, barns, meetinghouses and many other structures as well as furniture and other wooden necessities. According to the Weare NH Historical Society in 1690 King William passed a law that prohibited the cutting down of any Pine tree over 2 feet in diameter, as the trees grew so tall and straight that they were marked as belonging to "The Crown" to be used as ship masts in the Royal British Navy.
In 1772 sawmills in Goffstown and Weare NH resisted the order and kept some of the Pine logs mark for the The Crown, the mills were fined and while the Goffstown mill paid theirs, the Weare mill did not and "The Pine Tree Riot" ensued, a precursor to the American Revolution.
So not only is Pine beautiful it is also so historical!
There were so many of these magnificent Pine trees that even today there are roads in many New England towns with the name of Mast Road, including the main street in our home town of Goffstown!
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Eastern White Pine will dent, ding, mark, etc more readily than a hardwood.
Our Pine tops are hand planed.
The photos below show Pine in a light, dark and red brown stain colors, it can be stained in many shades in between.
Upgraded Circular Sawn Eastern White Pine
LIMITED SUPPLY ONLY
Our exclusive Circular Sawn Pine is beautiful and full of character, we sand and smooth it only enough to remove all of the roughest edges, any splinters or burrs, giving the top an age old look and feel.
Our Circular Sawn Eastern White Pine is locally harvested, it is then brought to a local sawmill to be processed
and we bring it to a NH kiln where it is dried to furniture grade lumber.
Eastern White Pine is a softwood, it will dent, ding, mark more readily than hardwood.
Grain and saw patterns will vary from this picture.
Available at an additional charge.
Eastern White Pine will dent, ding, mark, etc more readily than a hardwood.
The photos below show Circular Sawn Pine in a light brown and red brown stain colors, it can be stained in many shades in between.
Red Oak
Red Oak is one of the most common wood species in the United States.
It has a straight very defined grain pattern with open pores, it is naturally light to medium brown with red tone.
It takes a wide variety of stain colors from light to dark to red toned.
Our hand planed Red Oak is a perfect wood for almost any style interior
The photos below show Oak in a light, dark and red brown stain colors, it can be stained in many shades in between.
Quarter Sawn Red Oak
The difference between plain sawn Oak and quarter sawn Oak is how it is cut at the mill.
Plain sawn is when the log is just sawn straight through the log, which how most common lumber is milled as it is quick and more lumber is available from each log, the grain of the Oak showcases the “cathedral” like annual growth rings, as seen above.
Quarter sawn is divided into 4 parts and then sawn diagonally through each quarter, this is more labor intensive and yields less lumber but with that comes the beauty of the medullary rays that appear on the face of the boards as a result of cutting along the growth rings. Quarter Sawn will give your table a unique and dramatic top. (See photos below)
The photos below show Quarter Sawn Oak as bleached and a lighter and darker brown stain, it can be stained in many shades in between.
Cherry
Cherry is one of the most traditional wood species for furniture building.
It has a straight grain pattern and smooth even texture.
It starts out a light pinkish brown and naturally patinas into a deep rich red brown, this can be accelerated by exposing the piece to air and sunlight which causes oxidization, changing the molecular structure causing it to reflect light differently. This process can take up to a year for the Cherry to fully age.
To help the color darken evenly it is best not to leave anything, such as place mats, runners, etc. on the flat surfaces (table top, bureau top, etc) for an extended period as the covered section will not darken. If you do have a spot that was covered and it is lighter, keep it exposed to air and light and it will all balance out with time.
Cherry will not stay light colored, it will darken with time.
We recommend our aged Cherry hand rubbed OIL finish for all cherry pieces
Our hand planed Cherry is a perfect wood for formal settings, antique colonial style or farmhouse. It always look stunning on a Shaker style dining table.
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In the photos below:
#1 is new Cherry
#2 is naturally aged Cherry when it is full darkened into a deep red brown
#3 is Cherry stained in a red brown with a hand rubbed OIL finish.
Ash
Ash is lighter colored wood with varying grain pattern and colors from light to medium brown with some amber tones
It has a straight grain pattern and a medium to coarse texture, somewhat similar to Oak
Ash is best left natural as the grain pattern and colors should be the focus of the table top.
Our Ash tops are hand planed.
Not available in turned legs, so farm tables would need to have a painted base, all other styles such as Shaker, Wood Trestle and Industrial trestle tables are perfect for showcasing this beautiful wood.
Birch (Natural)
Birch varies from light reddish brown to nearly creamy white.
It has a straight or slightly wavy grain pattern.
Birch is beautiful in its natural color variations or can be stained in a few select darker colors
Our Birch table tops are not hand planed as many other woods are, they will be
hand sanded smooth. You can learn more about hand planing on this section of our website.
Not available in turned legs, so farm tables would need to have a painted base, all other styles such as Shaker, Wood Trestle and Industrial trestle tables are perfect for showcasing this beautiful wood.
Hickory
Hickory is light to medium brown with paler, yellow sapwood
It has a straight or slightly wavy grain pattern and a medium texture.
Hickory is one of the hardest or most dense domestic wood species.
It is best left natural with a clear protective finish.
Maple
Hard Maple is one of the lightest woods ranging nearly creamy white to a golden tone.
It has a straight or slightly wavy grain pattern and a fine smooth texture.
Maple is one of the hardest woods, topping both Red and White Oak
Maple is best left natural or with a very light stain, it is looks beautiful with a white stain!
Natural Maple will very slightly darken with age becoming a little more golden.
As it is so finely grained and light colored our Maple tables are not hand planed as many other woods are, they will be
hand sanded smooth. You can learn more about hand planing on this section of our website.
White Oak
White Oak is light to medium brown, commonly with olive tones.
It has a straight, uneven, coarse grain texture.
White Oak is one of the hardest woods, it is resistant to weather and can be used in outdoor furniture.
It can be stained a variety of colors, including dark browns and reds.
Shown natural with a hand rubbed OIL finish
Walnut
Black Walnut has a wide range of colors in it, almost every shade of brown from light to dark chocolate, it can also have gray and/or purple/reddish tones as well as yellow or nearly white.
Walnut is the only dark colored domestic hardwood.
It has a straight or slightly wavy grain pattern and a medium texture.
Walnut is not ever stained as the beauty is always in its natural wonder, it is stunning with a hand rubbed OIL finish
Walnut will lighten slightly over the years, becoming more rich and lustrous with any golden tones becoming more pronounced.
Our Walnut tables are not hand planed as most other woods are, they will be
hand sanded smooth. You can learn more about hand planing on this section of our website.
Reclaimed Wood
We do not use reclaimed lumber
We cannot verify its safety; what it may have been contaminated with; bacteria, chemicals, insects or other unknowns, and just as importantly there could be metal (nails, staples, etc.) that may be imbedded in it which could ruin our equipment.
Also, we use only furniture grade lumber which means it has been properly graded and kiln dried, old wood may be subject to cracking, checking and warping with seasonal weather changes once it is placed within your home.
We have had clients come to us with questions about furniture they had commissioned or bought from other makers, wondering why their pieces are cracking or warping.
Or others have had their reclaimed wood infested with insect larva which after it was in their home for a while emerged and infested their home. We could not take that chance for a client's home or our studio.
All of our lumber has supported the small local economy, from the forester to the logger, the sawyer, the kiln, the truck drivers and the local lumber yards, to us that is very important and it is hard working men and women like these that help to keep our country strong...
We do have a more rustic Circular Sawn Pine top that we make, this is a beautiful look with some of the milling marks left on, we sand it down enough to remove the deepest ridges and any splinters or burrs. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.
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