In a flurry of Googling “periodic table of ______” the other day, I happened upon a really neat website: The Wood Database. The database was created by Eric Meier, who originally began compiling specs on different types of wood for his own personal use, to use as a guide in selecting the appropriate wood for projects. He eventually moved his database online, to share with the public. For a given variety of wood, The Wood Database has images of the wood grain in various stages of preparation (sanded, sealed, endgrain). It’s a great resource for anyone who works with wood.
Eric says:
If you’ve got a project, and you’re looking for the right wood; or if you’ve got a stash of lumber, and you’re looking for a suitable project, The Wood Database can help. If you’re new to this site, I’d recommend taking a look at the section that explains all of the different terms that are used throughout the database. This will help you make sense of the data, and guide you into using the right wood for the right job — making your project a success!
Their Periodic Table of Wood, organized by the geographic origin of the trees, shows swatches of all the beautiful and varied wood grains from around the world.
Check out some of the other sections of the site, including Wood Allergies and Toxicity, The Truth Behind Wood Identification, Top Ten Heaviest Woods, and the handy Fraction and Metric Conversion Chart.
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