Red Oak
Red Oak is the standard wood we use for most of our products. Unfinished red oak comes as a light to medium brown colour with a pinkish red-brown cast. The heartwood is a light to medium brown and the sapwood is a paler variation but the distinction may not be very obvious. The “red” in red oak may cause people to believe that it will be difficult to stain it a light color but red oak can be stained in a large variety of colour from light to dark. If it’s desired to remove the red out of the unfinished product, a chemical can be used to bleach the red out of the wood. This isn’t a service we provide. This wood is extremely porous and can take stain well which gives it a beautiful finish. (Check oil/water based stain). The grain is straight with an uneven and coarse texture. Red oak produces good results with hand and machine tools and responds well to steam-bending. It is not listed in the CITES appendices which makes it a good choice for sustainability. Red oak rays are typicall ⅛” to ½” long, rarely longer than ¾”.
White Oak
White oak is considered a more luxurious alternative to red oak. Unfinished white oak comes as light to grey coloured tones and has a distinct variation from light to dark brown commonly with an olive cast. It’s easier to stain white oak a light color than a red oak. When clients have white oak floor they prefer to match the grain to the white oak stairs but it isn;t necessary as we can get the stain to match very closely at a lower price. The grain is coarse and straight. It is longer, and more open and wavy and uniform than red oak. It stains well with a smooth and even finish. It can feature some black flecks throughout when quartersawn. It is rated very durable, more so than red oak and is rot-resistant due to its pores being plugged with tyloses in it’s heartwood section. Tyloses prevent water from getting into the wood. White oak rays are usually longer than ¾”.
Hard Maple
Maple is considered high-quality and is in the mid-price range falling between red and white oak. It has a bright and creamy colour which ranges from nearly white to off-white. The sapwood is more commonly used than the heartwood with the heartwood being a darker reddish brown. The grain has a fine even texture and is generally straight but can be wavy. Maple is easy to work with hand and machine tools but must be careful working with high-speed cutters such as routers as it tends to burn. Blotching can occur when staining so a primer pre conditioner, gel stain, or toner may be required to get an even color. When clear-coated it has a clean and sleek look and when stained dark it has a deep and rich appearance. Maple is also great as a paint grade wood such as for risers. It features both narrow and wide rays with normal spacing. Wi
Poplar
Poplar is similar in price to red oak but is recommended for use with painting over staining. It is considered a utility wood. Poplar has diverse colours from yellow to cream in its sapwood to greyish-brown to olive green in its heartwood. There isn’t always a clear distinction between the two. Poplar has a straight uniform medium grain with large rays. It’s very easy to work with however it’s softer than other woods. It can leave fuzzy surfaces and edges when sanding. May need finer grits of sandpaper to get a smooth surface. It can stain well with darker colours and is the wood of choice for painting.