How to Identify Wood
Determine if your wood is a solid piece of wood., Decide if it has been weathered or stained., Sand the sample down so that bare wood is exposed., Determine if your wood sample is oak., Decide if it’s cherry., Determine if it is walnut., Decide if a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine if your wood is a solid piece of wood.
Look at an end piece.
If it doesn’t exhibit rings or grain, it is likely a piece of plywood and it won’t be able to be identified. -
Step 2: Decide if it has been weathered or stained.
Most woods take on a blue or grayish color as they weather in wind, sun and rain.
Stained woods may be made to look like another type of wood, and you can tell if the color is very uneven or there is a varnish on it, that it may be stained.
If either of these colorations describes your wood, you may need to move on to the third method, since visual identification is extremely hard.
A laboratory can look at the wood under a microscope and determine what it is. , This is essential to identifying it based on color and grain. , This is an extremely common furniture wood.
It is usually a light brown, but can look slightly red or blonde.
Slightly dark lines, or "grain," run through the wood. , If the wood is reddish in appearance but has a darker, browner grain, it is likely cherry.
Keep in mind that stained poplar can be virtually impossible to distinguish from cherry. , This is the most common of the darker woods.
It tends to have larger rays in the grain and take on a rich, chocolate brown. , This is the most common of the blond colored woods and is often used in trim, flooring and in countertops.
It has a wide grain.
Keep in mind that a blond colored wood can also be pine.
However, pine is characterized by a more distinctive grain.
It is also much lighter and softer than maple.
A yellow type of light-colored wood is poplar.
It is a common, inexpensive hardwood that can be stained to look like cherry, walnut or other colors. -
Step 3: Sand the sample down so that bare wood is exposed.
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Step 4: Determine if your wood sample is oak.
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Step 5: Decide if it’s cherry.
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Step 6: Determine if it is walnut.
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Step 7: Decide if a light-colored wood is maple.
Detailed Guide
Look at an end piece.
If it doesn’t exhibit rings or grain, it is likely a piece of plywood and it won’t be able to be identified.
Most woods take on a blue or grayish color as they weather in wind, sun and rain.
Stained woods may be made to look like another type of wood, and you can tell if the color is very uneven or there is a varnish on it, that it may be stained.
If either of these colorations describes your wood, you may need to move on to the third method, since visual identification is extremely hard.
A laboratory can look at the wood under a microscope and determine what it is. , This is essential to identifying it based on color and grain. , This is an extremely common furniture wood.
It is usually a light brown, but can look slightly red or blonde.
Slightly dark lines, or "grain," run through the wood. , If the wood is reddish in appearance but has a darker, browner grain, it is likely cherry.
Keep in mind that stained poplar can be virtually impossible to distinguish from cherry. , This is the most common of the darker woods.
It tends to have larger rays in the grain and take on a rich, chocolate brown. , This is the most common of the blond colored woods and is often used in trim, flooring and in countertops.
It has a wide grain.
Keep in mind that a blond colored wood can also be pine.
However, pine is characterized by a more distinctive grain.
It is also much lighter and softer than maple.
A yellow type of light-colored wood is poplar.
It is a common, inexpensive hardwood that can be stained to look like cherry, walnut or other colors.
About the Author
Joan Nguyen
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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