List of Hardwoods for Building a Pirate Ship Playhouse Part 2
Balsa, which comes from a fast-growing tropical American tree, and in terms of general usage, it happens to be the lightest hardwood. For top-notch timber, you should pick ones that are in white color or slightly pink. It is straight grained with a high natural luster and it is distinctly soft and velvety to the touch. The texture of balsa wood is even and coarse but at a moderate level. Balsa is easy to dry and can be pretty stable after seasoning. Strength isn’t its greatest attribute, but it is firm, and very easy to work with. With sharp tools, you can easily get it gorgeously finished.
It is well regarded not only for its lightness, but its highly distinctive properties of low thermal conductivity and high sound absorption. These qualities make it ideal for insulating, soundproofing and for products requiring great buoyancy. In fact, the Kon Tiki raft was made of balsa logs and balsa is often used in the manufacturing of lifesaving equipment. Perhaps the most commonly known usages of balsa are in model building and the construction of theater props. Its lightweight and easy workability make it a natural choice for these purposes and it’s also great for putting together a nice looking pirate ship playhouse for the kids.
BEECH HARDWOOD
It is well regarded not only for its lightness, but its highly distinctive properties of low thermal conductivity and high sound absorption. These qualities make it ideal for insulating, soundproofing and for products requiring great buoyancy. In fact, the Kon Tiki raft was made of balsa logs and balsa is often used in the manufacturing of lifesaving equipment. Perhaps the most commonly known usages of balsa are in model building and the construction of theater props. Its lightweight and easy workability make it a natural choice for these purposes and it’s also great for putting together a nice looking pirate ship playhouse for the kids.
BEECH HARDWOOD
Found in tall, thick stands in northern climates, beech rivals oak in popularity among hardwoods. Beech wood is naturally pale brown in color with little variation between the sapwood and heartwood. It is sometimes steamed to lighten the color to pinkish. Beech has a prominent ray figure (the rays being the lines running outward from the center of the log like spokes of wheel). On surfaces that have been flat or rotary cut, the ray markings look like little bands or plates of a darker color. Hen quarter cut, the rays appear as small dark-brown flecks, evenly scattered over the lighter background.
Beech is of medium weight and is straight grained. It has a fine and even texture. In addition, it is strong and well resistant to shock. Beech dries readily, but its level of shrinkage is actually pretty high, and there are occasional problems with distortion. Beech is not terribly stable and is susceptible to humidity changes. Beech is one of the relatively few woods that can be steam bent; thus it is well known for its use in “bentwood” furniture, where it is steamed and then formed into graceful curves. Beech also turns especially well and can be rotary peeled veneer. If treated properly, it is acceptable for outdoor use and is used extensively for furniture and tool handles. It is also used for toys and other domestic purposes and makes good flooring.
BIRCH HARDWOOD
Beech is of medium weight and is straight grained. It has a fine and even texture. In addition, it is strong and well resistant to shock. Beech dries readily, but its level of shrinkage is actually pretty high, and there are occasional problems with distortion. Beech is not terribly stable and is susceptible to humidity changes. Beech is one of the relatively few woods that can be steam bent; thus it is well known for its use in “bentwood” furniture, where it is steamed and then formed into graceful curves. Beech also turns especially well and can be rotary peeled veneer. If treated properly, it is acceptable for outdoor use and is used extensively for furniture and tool handles. It is also used for toys and other domestic purposes and makes good flooring.
BIRCH HARDWOOD
Birch grows in northern regions and is a lovely white barked tree with a straight, cylindrical stem and slender branches. Birch wood is pale in color, and the intensity varies from white to light brownish yellow. Its grain is generally straight, but a number of varieties like flame birch and masur birch have distinctly figured grains. Its fine, uniform texture makes it the most featureless of all northern hardwoods. It is dense, heavy, and also a bit on the hard side. My friend, Chris Hager, constructed a wooden pirate ship playhouse that’s primarily made of birch. He said this type of hardwood is incredibly strong and its resistance to shock is nothing short of impressive.
In spite of its hardness, birch actually works considerably well by machine or hand. It turns well and rotary peels for veneer. It shrinks considerably upon drying, but is stable in use. Birch is used for plywood and furniture, and its pulp is important in the production of writing papers. The bark of the tree is noteworthy for its wax content, which makes it waterproof, thus explaining the use of birch in canoe making.
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD HARDWOOD
In spite of its hardness, birch actually works considerably well by machine or hand. It turns well and rotary peels for veneer. It shrinks considerably upon drying, but is stable in use. Birch is used for plywood and furniture, and its pulp is important in the production of writing papers. The bark of the tree is noteworthy for its wax content, which makes it waterproof, thus explaining the use of birch in canoe making.
AFRICAN BLACKWOOD HARDWOOD
Like tulipwood, African blackwood is a distinct species of rosewood that deserves special mention. Its wood is dark brown to black in color, and it has a fine, even texture and grain that may be straight, but is often irregular, since the tree is small and tends to be misshapen. African blackwood is extremely heavy (almost as heavy as lignum vitae) and has an oily feel. Though if dried with great care, it is then stable. The wood can be brittle and be rather difficult to saw; therefore great care must be taken if you wish to use this particular hardwood for making a playhouse. African blackwood can be turned and bored and is a preferred stock for woodwind instruments.
BOXWOOD HARDWOOD
BOXWOOD HARDWOOD
Boxwood has this one-of-a-kind yellow color and the finest of textures. Its grin is often irregular and it is a very heavy wood. Even when dry, it will barely float in water. Since the tree is so small - often only shrub size, timber is typically available in small pieces only. Boxwood must be dried extremely carefully to avoid splitting. Once dry, its hardness makes it an excellent wood for turning or carving. Great detail can be achieved due to the very fine texture of this wood, thus people often use it for engraving. The Bible plus other ancient literary works, provide us numerous historical references to boxwood in small carved pieces including items such as combs, toys as well as decorative inlay.
BRAZILWOOD HARDWOOD
BRAZILWOOD HARDWOOD
When freshly cut, the Brazilwood is orange in color, but later on the color deepens to dark red. It is a fine, uniformly textured wood with consistently straight grain. Though characteristically hard and heavy, it works fairly easily and can be finished to a smooth surface. It was originally harvested as a dry wood (wood from which coloring matter is extracted for dyeing), and the term “brazil” was used during the Middle Ages for the purpose of indentifying plants that produce red dye. When explorers discovered this small tree in South America, they proceeded to name the land after the tree.
Brazilwood is not widely used these days, but has one special function – the making of violin bows. It provides the right combination of flexibility, strength and weight for this purpose. Brazilwood can also be found occasionally as decorative inlay and some people do use it for making small wooden toys and even large playhouses.
Continue to part 3
Brazilwood is not widely used these days, but has one special function – the making of violin bows. It provides the right combination of flexibility, strength and weight for this purpose. Brazilwood can also be found occasionally as decorative inlay and some people do use it for making small wooden toys and even large playhouses.
Continue to part 3