The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

First Aid For The Ailing Houses

SOFTWOODS

One of the hardest jobs is to pick the proper wood for the job. The most misleading, or at least confusing, terms are "softwood" and "hardwood." Actually these do not describe the relative hardness or softness of any particular wood. "Softwood" is cut from a conifer, which is a tree that bears cones and has needle-shaped leaves. Some varieties are quite hard. "Hardwood," on the other hand, comes from trees with broadbladed leaves, and can be fairly soft.

Easy-to-work softwoods are very popular:

Cedar (red with broad grain) is brittle and splits easily, but its color and fragrance make it popular. It is used for cedar chests, moth closet linings, fences, and boat planking. It is durable and takes a good finish or stain.

Ponderosa pine (white, straight close grain) is soft, nails easily, and is resistant to splitting and shrinkage. It saws, planes, and glues easily, and is used for cabinet work, furniture, and millwork.

Sugar pine (white, medium indistinct grain) is soft, strong, will not shrink, and nails, saws, and planes well. It is excellent where fine joints are required and makes good cabinets and furniture if not subjected to heavy wear. It is a good wood for a beginner.

Western (Idaho) white pine (white to red-brown, even straight grain) is used for building, knotty pine paneling, and millwork. It keeps its shape well, but does not handle as easily as white or Ponderosa varieties.

White fir (white, straight medium grain) is nonresinous; it paints and finishes well. It is used for building structures and millwork.

Medium-working softwoods include:

Cypress (red, close-grained) comes from Southern swamps and is resistant to weather and rot. It is excellent for plant tubs, outdoor furniture, rain gutters, greenhouses, porch steps, and siding.

Eastern spruce (white or red, straight medium grain) is used for framing, subflooring, lath, and millwork. It decays easily, but is relatively strong for its weight.

Western (Sitka) spruce (yellow, narrow straight grain) is used for cabinet work, built-in furniture, and exterior siding.

Redwood (red to brown, straight narrow grain) is soft and light. It is particularly resistant to decay and termites. It is used for many outdoor purposes: fences, furniture, house siding. It is reasonably clear and makes excellent millwork and interior paneling.

Hard-to-work softwoods include:

Douglas fir (white to red, irregular grain) is highly resinous. It splits, warps, and checks easily. It is strong, hard, and resistant to decay. Used for house framing and for structural work, but it does not weather well.

Southern or yellow pine (yellow, straight grain) is highly resinous. It is hard, splits, and warps. Longleaf varieties are used for floor joists, undersheathing, and heavy timbers. Shortleaf varieties are often used for inexpensive shingles or shakes.