Woodturning can be an exciting pastime, whether you are pursuing it as a hobby, hoping to make it into a side hustle, or perhaps even scaling it into a full-time career. One of the most important things to learn about woodturning is what kind of wood is best to use for certain types of projects and what tools you will need to work with each kind of wood.
Before you jump into creating special, one-of-a-kind ornaments, pens, or bowls, you might wonder, “what wood is best to practice with?” After all, you don’t want to buy an expensive wood blank without first having full confidence in your ability to bring your ideas into being.
There are many thoughts about what makes the best wood for practicing, but the general consensus in the woodturning world is that the best wood for practicing is free.
If you or anyone you know has a tree that needs to be removed, this can be an easy and low-cost way to procure wood blanks for practicing. Other experienced woodturners recommend contacting local tree services to see if they are willing to donate or sell the trees or branches they are removing for a low cost.
Another idea is to look at factories and/or sawmills in your town. One member of the American Association of Woodturners (AAW), Perry Hilbert, says, “Furniture factories often have discarded pieces due to knots, blemishes, etc. One here in town as about a skid load a week…[and] don’t overlook small sawmills. One near me makes 3.5 x 5 parts for pallets and trims them to 7 ft length. Whatever is trimmed off is thrown in a free pile. Sometimes they make pallet wood from even elm, cherry ash, bass, and walnut.”
Free wood means that you can practice without the concern of cost, and you might be able to try out new techniques or tools without worrying about the final product.
However, Hilbert does caution new wood turners, reminding them that, “Even free wood isn’t always a good idea. Processing it and sealing ends, storing till dry, etc. all take effort, and space.” For those who are not interested in processing the wood or who don’t have a place to store it, there are other options. Most lumber yards or tool stores sell wood blanks for a reasonable price, or you can purchase wood blanks online and have them shipped to you, as long as they are not too heavy.
If you have a choice of what wood to start practicing with, pine is an abundant, cheap option that can be helpful for learning how to turn spindles. Poplar and alder are both good for spindle turning as well. For bowl turning, it is best to use hardwood, so the best practice option would be green hardwood.
There are many kinds of wood that work for woodturning; for an experienced wood turner, any type of wood can be mounted on a lathe and shaped into a beautiful and useful object. For the less experienced wood turner, however, it is helpful to know which kinds of wood are most popular and which are best for starting out.
Before you begin collecting diverse types of wood, it is important to know the differences between hardwood and softwood. Most hardwoods come from deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves), and their cellular makeup gives them a more obvious grain. Common hardwoods are oak, maple, walnut, and beech.
Hardwood is more durable than softwood, but it can be more difficult to turn and requires more powerful tools, so some wood turners recommend that beginners start with softwood. Bruce Taylor, a woodturner of twenty years, says, “Hardwoods have good results, but [are] difficult to turn; they cut hard and gouge more easily.” Hardwood trees also grow at a slower rate, so hardwood is often more expensive than softwood.
Softwood generally comes from coniferous trees like cedar, pine, yew, or spruce trees. Softwood has an open grain and is easier to carve, because it has less density than hardwood. However, softwood is not as durable as hardwood, so pieces made from softwood are more likely to get scratched or dented, which means that softwood might not be ideal for items that will sustain daily use. Another consideration is that softwood trees produce sap or resin. These excretions will make your lathe and other tools sticky and can even cause corrosion, which means that you will spend more time cleaning.
There are also trees that are classified as hardwood because of their leaves, but the wood itself is softer than the wood from some softwood trees; balsa and poplar are both hardwood trees that have low density, making them softer than softwoods such as yew or cedar, which are actually quite hard.
Maple is one of the most popular woods to use in woodturning. It is a hard wood that has a uniform grain and a smooth finish, and the shine of the finish improves the longer the item is used. As many people may know, it is light in color, making it the perfect choice for light or natural finishes like shellac or beeswax. (See our previous post on Wood Finishes.) Because of its durability, it is perfect for both spindle turning and bowl turning and will hold up to heavy use. If you are creating salad bowls or other kitchen implements that will be used daily, maple is an excellent choice.
Keep in mind that there are some kinds of soft maple trees out there (like red or silver maple), which are much more difficult to turn and are not as durable. While it is possible to use these kinds of wood, most wood turners, especially those who are starting out, prefer hard maple.
Walnut is another very popular kind of wood for wood turning. It has a beautiful straight grain (usually), and is of medium density, meaning that it will be stable as you carve it, but doesn’t require extreme effort to turn. Like maple, walnut is a hard wood that requires sharp tools when turning, so don’t neglect your tool sharpening. Also like maple, it is known for its durability, so it can be used to turn almost anything, even items that will be subjected to everyday wear-and-tear.
However, it is worth noting that the pronounced end grain can tear easily and be difficult to sand, which makes it a little harder for bowl turning. If you are using it for bowl turning, turn at speeds of 800-1000 rpm and make sure to leave a little extra thickness at the bottom of the bowl. You can then sand the bottom of the bowl to avoid tearing the grain.
Also know that, because walnut is very popular, it might be more expensive to find. However, its natural beauty and clear finish makes it a worthwhile choice.
Cherry wood is another common hardwood used in woodturning. Its sapwood is yellowish or pale yellowish-white, while its heartwood is rose to dark brown with purple-black lines. Its color deepens with age, and many people describe it as having a rich, warm luster. And, as an added bonus, cherry has a wonderful aroma, which makes it pleasing to turn and perfect for gift-giving. Oil finishes or clear lacquers work well for cherry wood; just make sure to use a sealer first.
While cherry is a hardwood, it is not as hard as oak or maple, so it is possible to scratch or dent it. However, because of its tendency to deepen in color, scratches are not as easily noticeable as in other woods. Its slightly softer density means that it might be a bit easier to turn than harder wood. Keep in mind, though, that green (or fresh) cherry wood can be unstable and prone to cracking, so it is best to use dry or seasoned cherry wood.
Oak is another hardwood that some wood turners use, but this can be a tricky wood. Live Oak, White Oak, and Red Oak are most commonly used in woodturning, as oak is an extremely strong and durable type of wood. Red oak, in particular, is good for spindle turning, while live oak and white oak can be used for any kind of project. The open grain allows a woodturner to experiment with coloring, and while there are often imperfections in the wood, many wood turners like the visual appeal with these one-of-a-kind pieces.
However, oak is prone to splitting and checking, especially if you are turning it when dry. It is best to turn oak when it is green and/or wet, as it is much easier to carve in this state. Be aware that green oak produces tannic acid, which can be corrosive to your lathe bed, so if you are turning green oak, be sure to clean your tools and lathe immediately after you are finished turning that piece.
Some experienced wood turners recommend rough turning your project, sealing it, and then waiting six months to re-mount your piece and do the detailed work, as this will help cut down on the cracking and checking.
As mentioned earlier, poplar is classified as a hardwood, but because of its low density, it is actually softer than some softwoods when it comes to woodturning. This means that it will be easier to turn than some other woods and will not require tools that are as powerful as the ones needed for maple or walnut. It also takes detail well and can be used for bowl or spindle turning.
However, items made from poplar are also more prone to denting or scratching, so this is not a good wood to use for items that will sustain a lot of use. Poplar also does not have a unique grain pattern (usually), so you might consider using this type of wood if you are going to finish it with a dark stain or even paint the project.
There are some wood turners who will advise against using softwood for woodturning, but some softwood can have interesting patterns and be quite useful, even if just for practice.
Cedar is a well-known softwood that is often used to make outdoor furniture. Many types of cedar have a red hue and are resistant to rot. Cedar contains many natural oils, so some woodworkers find it difficult to finish these pieces, finding that polyurethane finishes work best. Others choose not to finish the wood at all and find that it still has a satin-like appearance and texture. Like cherry wood, it has a pleasant aroma that can make it enjoyable to work with.
Some people do have strong respiratory reactions to cedar, especially to the dust that is created when woodturning, so make sure to wear a mask and consider if you have any sensitivities to cedar before starting on a project.
Pine is another softwood that is commonly used in woodturning, especially as it can be found relatively cheap. Because of its low density, it is easy to turn and is beginner friendly. Remember that softwood trees produce sap, so it is best to turn pine when it is dry or seasoned rather than green to avoid gumming up your lathe or tools.
The low density can also feel rather spongy when turning, so make sure that your tools are sharp and that you are turning at a sufficiently high speed.
Fir, especially Douglas Fir, is another softwood that is readily available for many turners, but it can be a tricky wood to work with. A woodturner will need to make sure he or she has razor-sharp tools, as fir can be prone to gouging, especially if tools are not sharpened. Some wood turners recommend using a sanding sealer on fir before turning to reduce splitting.
Green (or fresh) fir will warp as it dries, but this can be viewed as a benefit if you are looking to make a statement piece or a set of asymmetrical bowls. Keep in mind that you will need to complete the bowl on the lathe; if let sit, it will warp before you are finished. Green fir can also be more pliable and less brittle than fir that is completely dry, which is helpful when turning.
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