Fir
The Category "Fir" includes timber from a variety of different plants such as pine, larch, pine and Norwegian spruce. Previously not considered valuable, today it is often used to construct rustic furniture.
Birch
A type of wood that has played an important role in the history of design, used by Thonet for the realization of its steam-bent wood furniture. It has a dense grain and it's veneer is often used for the production of quality furniture.
Chestnut
Chestnut needs to be seasoned for a long time in order to be suitable for furniture making, as it has the tendancy to warp and crack. Time ago it was used to imitate the oak and walnut, widely used mainly in 'central Italy.
Cedar
Soft wood of a pale orange color, widely used for building wooden structures and panelling. The characteristic odor that it emanates keeps insects away. A varnish finish is recommended to limit oiliness and accentuate the wood grain. Bear in mind that Cedar furniture is very delicate and is easily scratched.
Cherry
Antique cherry wood furniture made with large pieces over 40 cm wide are very valuable. Cherry is easy to work with and results in a very bright piece of furniture when finished with shellac and beeswax.
Ebony
Very precious hard wood, black in color. Genuine ebony furniture is very rare, in fact there are many ebony imitations made from pear or sycamore wood stained with aniline.
Beech
Very susceptible to wood worm, beech is a very hard wood suitable for building frames and rustic chairs.
Ash
A hard but versatile wood that's very workable. Used mainly for the construction of internal parts. Its color changes significantly in time and is therefore very difficult to successfully restore.
Apple/Pear
Given the small size of the trunk is used for the making of small objects. These heavy hardwoods absorb alcohol stains very well and during the finishing process become very bright.
Mahogany
One of the most precious woods, coming in many varieties, for example Honduras mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) from Central America. Due to it's rarity it's often substituted with specially treated African woods.
Walnut
European walnut is very valuable, playing an important role in cabinet making. It has a tough but supple consistency. Due to it's high price, it's utilized as a veneer.
Elm
Suitable for inlay work and the construction of a wooden chairs, it's prone to woodworm and sensitive to damp. Elm is light brown in color darkening with time.
Rosewood
"Rosewood", named in France, is a hard wood found in Brazil or Eastern india. It's oiliness and fragility (brittle) make it a difficult wood to work with.
Oak
Oak is very robust and durable. This kind of wood has very open pores and is suitable for a varnish or wax finish.
Durmast
Durable/robust wood used for making stairs,windows and barrels thanks to it's resistant quality. Much utilised during the Gothic period for furniture making.
Yew
Very beautiful wood, used in Europe since the 600's for the construction of furniture. It's the only soft wood that resists the process of steam bending. The recommended finish for this wood is beeswax.
Tek
Being very resistant to water it's used for the construction of ship bridges. It's matt finish is ideal for the construction of modern furniture.
Wenge
The "stuhlmannii" kind from Mozambique is also marketed under the "panga-panga" local name. Wenge is a hard, heavy and durable wood, making it perfect for the realisation of outdoor projects. It has a straight grain which tends to pulp when it's worked.