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Oak Tree

Hickory Tree

Maple Tree

 Red Oak

• Color that varies from rich wheat to warm yellow and rich reddish brown
• May be streaked with green, yellow or black minerals
• Medium-coarse to coarse texture
• Straight prominent open grain distinguished by rays that reflect light and may vary from sweeping arches to tight grain patterns
• Very high dent and shock resistant
• Machines and glues well
• Holds nails and screws well because it is heavy, strong and hard
• Sensitive to changes in humidity
• Responds well to a wide range of finish tones

Hard Maple

• Color ranges from cream to light reddish-brown
• Light, creamy brown color accentuates mineral streaks and color variations
• Usually straight-grained, but sometimes has highly figured bird’s-eyes that resemble small circular or elliptical figures
• Color will take on a golden hue with age
• Sometimes exhibits a burl grain – clusters of round curls
• Fine and uniform texture
• Extremely durable, strong and stiff with excellent resistance to shock, dents abrasion and indentation
• Sensitive to both ultraviolet light and change in moisture
• Machines well and holds fasteners well
• Sensitive to changes in humidity
• Uniform texture and tight grain make it excellent for stains and paints
• Mineral streaks darken with stain

Hickory

• Color varies dramatically from white sapwood to near-black heartwood, sometimes with inconspicuous fine brown lines
• Use of both sapwood and heartwood provides striking contrasts called “calico”
• Generally fine and straight-grained, but may also have flowing variations in grain
• Can exhibit dramatic and random burls, mineral streaks or specks
• Course and even texture
• Extremely tough and resilient
• Sensitive to changes in humidity
• Stains and finishes well with natural grain pattern accentuated by medium to dark finishes