Hardwoods are types of wood that come from angiosperm trees, which have broad leaves that usually shed annually. They are typically slower growing and denser than softwoods, which come from gymnosperm trees like conifers. There are hundreds of hardwood species, each with their own unique characteristics and uses. Some of the most common light brown hardwoods include oak, maple, birch, beech, ash, cherry, and hickory. Determining the specific name depends on examining the wood’s grain patterns, texture, hardness, and other properties.
Common Light Brown Hardwoods
Here are some details on common light brown hardwood tree species:
Oak
Oaks are very common hardwoods found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. There are over 600 species in the genus Quercus. They are characterized by distinctive grain patterns like stripes, flecks, and waves. Red oak is a lighter brown species used for furniture, flooring, and barrel making. White oak is slightly darker and more water-resistant, used for boats, whiskey barrels, and outdoor projects.
Maple
Maples are hardy trees with over 125 species in the Acer genus. They have a fine, straight grain and are pale brown to reddish brown in color. The sapwood is usually lighter than the heartwood. Maple is easy to work with and takes stain very well. It’s often used for furniture, cabinets, flooring, musical instruments, and turning. Common species include sugar maple, red maple, silver maple, and bigleaf maple.
Birch
Birches are fast-growing but short-lived hardwoods. There are around 60 species in the Betula genus. The wood is fine-grained and ranges from pale yellow to light reddish brown. Birch is used for furniture, cabinets, flooring, toothpicks, and paper pulp. The most common species are paper birch, yellow birch, and sweet birch.
Beech
Beech trees are part of the Fagus genus. The wood has an attractive figuring and is reddish brown in color. It’s very strong for its weight. Beech is excellent for furniture, floors, musical instruments like guitars, and kitchen utensils like cutting boards and wooden spoons. It also makes good firewood. The primary species are European beech and American beech.
Ash
Ashes belong to the Fraxinus genus. There are around 65 species. The wood varies from creamy white to light brown. It has a straight, coarse grain with an open pore structure. Ash is elastic and shock-resistant. It’s commonly used for furniture, flooring, baseball bats, tool handles, and electric guitar bodies. Some key species are white ash, black ash, and blue ash.
Cherry
Cherry trees are in the Prunus genus. There are over 430 species, though many do not produce commercial lumber. The heartwood of most is reddish brown with fairly straight grain. Cherry is valued for its color and ability to take a brilliant polish. It’s used for fine furniture, cabinets, veneers, and musical instruments. Black cherry is the most important commercial species in North America.
Hickory
Hickories are tough, dense hardwoods in the Carya genus. There are around 20 species native to North America and Asia. Hickory wood is heavy, hard, and stiff with straight, ring-porous grain. It varies from reddish brown to almost white. Hickory is ideal for tool handles, sports equipment, flooring, and furniture. The most common species are shagbark, shellbark, and pignut hickory.
Identifying Specific Species
While the broad species gives you a starting point, examining some specific wood properties and characteristics can help narrow down the exact species:
Grain Patterns
The grain patterns result from the tree’s growth rings. Some patterns to look for include:
– Stripes – Distinct variations between earlywood and latewood growth rings
– Flecks – Small clusters of pores grouped together
– Waves – Undulations across the growth rings
– Burls – Distorted grain from limb growths or injuries
Certain patterns are associated with specific species. For example, curly or quilted patterns are common in maple.
Color Variations
The natural color range can indicate the species. Heartwood, sapwood, earlywood, and latewood can all vary in color. For instance:
– Oak heartwood shows more brown, sapwood more white
– Cherry has reddish heartwood, pale sapwood
– Maple goes from creamy white to reddish brown
Look for these subtle distinctions when identifying species.
Texture and Pores
Examining the texture and pores provides more clues. Consider:
– Fine, smooth, or coarse texture
– Open or closed grain pores
– Pore arrangements like ring-porous, semi ring-porous, or diffuse-porous
For example, the large open pores in ring-porous woods like oak and ash are distinct from the denser, finer-grained texture of maple and cherry.
Hardness
Testing the hardness of the wood can also indicate certain species. The Janka hardness scale measures the force needed to embed a steel ball halfway through a sample. The relative hardness values are:
– Very high: Hickory, Brazilian walnut, hard maple
– High: Ash, oak, birch
– Moderately high: Cherry, soft maple, yellow poplar
– Low: Aspen, basswood, butternut
So a very hard light brown sample suggests hickory, while moderate hardness could indicate cherry.
Weight and Density
The density relates to hardness and also varies by species. At 12% moisture content, these are typical wood densities:
| Very High Density | High Density | Medium Density | Low Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lignum vitae | Hickory, oak | Maple, birch | Basswood, aspen, pine |
Heavier, denser woods like oak and hickory can be distinguished from lighter maples and birches by comparing samples.
Workability
Testing how easily the wood saws, turns, sands, and finishes can provide clues. For example:
– Maple, cherry, and walnut are easy to work
– Hickory and oak are more difficult to cut and tool
– Grain direction impacts tear-out
Observing these factors as you shape a sample can help identify the species.
Odor
When freshly cut, many species have distinctive odors that can aid identification:
– Cedar – Distinct, pencil-like aroma
– Cherry – Mild almond scent
– Maple – Has a hint of vanilla, maple syrup smell
– Oak – Oaky, vanilla scent
– Walnut – Rich, earthy odor
Smelling lumber right after sawing can pinpoint species like cherry and cedar.
Using Magnification
For precise identification, using magnification to examine the endgrain and anatomical structure will differentiate the hardwood species.
Endgrain
The endgrain shows the cross-section of the wood cells and vessels under magnification. Differences to look for:
– Earlywood and latewood patterns
– Size, shape, and arrangement of pores
– Tyloses in oak, mineral staining in birch and maple
– Rays – Thin lines running across and vertically
These endgrain features form distinct patterns for each species.
Anatomical Structure
The cellular anatomy of fibers, vessels, and other cells has identifiable characteristics:
– Fiber types – libriform, fiber-trachieds, septate fibers
– Vessel elements – pores, perforation plates, spiral thickening
– Axial and ray parenchyma
– Rays – uniseriate, multiseriate, aggregate
The microscopic features create a fingerprint for identification.
Using a Hand Lens
A simple 10x magnification hand lens reveals many endgrain details. More powerful stereo or compound microscopes provide finer resolution. Matching the viewed structure to reference anatomy images confirms the species.
Conclusion
Identifying light brown hardwood lumber involves assessing visual features like grain, color, pores, and texture. Workability, weight, odor, and hardness provide additional clues. Under magnification, the precise endgrain anatomy and cellular structure pinpoints the exact species. With some close observation and reference materials, you can confidently determine the specific name of light brown hardwoods like oak, maple, cherry, ash, and hickory. Proper identification ensures you select the best wood for your projects.
