These guides teach the method of identifying wood in furniture by understanding grain, wood cuts, end grain, sapwood and heartwood, and wood figure. Together they form the foundation needed to confidently recognise wood species in real furniture pieces.
End grain is one of the clearest clues when you’re trying to figure out what type of wood you’re working with. Unlike surface grain, which can trick the eye, end grain reveals the wood’s structure. Pores, rings, and texture all show up more clearly, making it the most reliable place to start. When I first…
Ever looked at a piece of furniture and thought, “I’ve no idea what kind of wood this is”? One of the first clues you can check is whether the grain is open or closed. It sounds complicated, but really it just means: does the surface look rough with visible pores, or does it look smooth…
Trying to figure out what kind of wood you’re working with can be frustrating. Whether it’s a vintage dresser or a modern table, knowing how to identify wood types in furniture is the key for successful refinishing. It affects how you sand, stain, and even repair a piece. I used to feel completely lost when…
When refinishing furniture and identifying wood, a critical step is learning the key difference between hardwood vs softwood. Furniture frequently uses both types of wood, so you will come across both types in your refinishing career. Determining hardwood from softwood will help your wood identification process, a critical step in your refinishing plan. While you…
Understanding the difference between sapwood and heartwood is essential for anyone refinishing furniture. Whether you’re restoring a vintage sideboard or selecting wood veneer for a new project, recognising these two parts of the tree can impact your sanding, staining, and sealing decisions. But sapwood and heartwood aren’t the only things that can make wood identification…
When you first start refinishing, it can feel like wood is playing tricks on you. One table shows bold, wavy grain lines across the surface. While the grain on a piece of the same type of wood looks calm and straight. This isn’t a mistake: the types of wood cuts change how grain appears on…
I love wood grain patterns, but when I first started refinishing furniture, I had no idea that there are common types of grain patterns. I understood what the grain in the wood was but not the names of the patterns created by the grains. As my knowledge grew, I understood the common figures, like Bird’s…