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How to Choose Hardwood for Your Next Project: A Comparison of our Hardwood Panels

Here we are going to compare all of our hardwood products, as a guide which can be used when choosing the correct product for your next project. We hope you learn more about the products we supply and how they are best used.



Red Oak


Durability -

Red Oak is generally a stable material. It stains, finishes and machines easily. The end grain can show growth rings, which have open pores. The reason the panels stain and colour well, is due to the porosity. This does also mean that water can penetrate the panels, resulting in the panels being classified as 'slightly durable'.


Appearance -

Red Oak has a straight grain and a course texture, with a light to red brown colour.


Best uses -

Due to the porous nature red oak can have, they are best for interior use only. They are commonly and best used for furniture and flooring.



Sapele


Durability -

Sapele is a durable hardwood. These panels work well with machining, stain and polish well. The panels are rot and decay resistant. Due to the strength of the panels, they do not tend to cup or warp.


Appearance -

It has a close textured, interlocked grain pattern. They are reddish-brown in colour. Sapele is commonly known for the stripe in the panels.


Best uses -

Furniture and Joinery.



Black Walnut


Durability -

Black Walnut panels are very durable, decay resistant, and have good strength and stability. It works well with machine tools, glues well, and is excellent for polishing.


Appearance -

Black Walnut panels are usually chocolate brown in colour. They have a beautiful finish, grain pattern, and colour. They generally have an even texture and a course grain.


Best uses -

Furniture, Cabinets, Tabletops, Shelving.



American White Oak


Durability -

American White Oak is very durable, it has a higher density than European White Oak and so provides higher strength. It is a hard and heavy wood. It glues and polish well, with excellent steam bending properties. These panels stain well, taking to a variety of colours.


Appearance -

The colour is pale yellow-brown to reddish-brown, with a slight pink tint. It has a generally straight grain, with a fairly course texture. These panels have a prominent grain pattern and consistent colour.


Best uses -

Furniture, Joinery, Shopfitting, Window Boards, Tables.



European White Oak


Durability -

European White Oak is a durable material, due to the high tannin content. These panels finish well, and are resistant to wear and tear.


Appearance -

They are yellowish brown, with a more distinctive wavy grain pattern than American White Oak. These panels have a richer complexion when compared with American White Oak, although both have very similar appearances.


Best uses -

Cladding, Flooring, Furniture, Joinery.




European Ash


Durability -

European Ash is similar to oak but tougher and more resistant to splitting. It stains, machines, and polishes well; it also has a fairly smooth finish. It has a medium course texture.


Appearance -

These panels have a light to medium colour. They are very similar to oak, but lighter in colour. The grain pattern is mostly straight and consistent.


Best uses -

Flooring, Furniture, Interior Joinery Projects.




Engineered Oak


An engineered oak panel
Engineered Oak

Durability -

Engineered Oak is made from layers of oak glued together, topped with solid oak. The construction of these panels makes them more durable and resistant to environmental factors, including warping.


Appearance -

Engineered Oak panels generally have a light brown colour, with a distinctive grain pattern. They have a similar appearance to solid oak, just with enhanced durability and stability.


Best uses -

Flooring, Furniture, Cabinetry.



Conclusion

We hope this guide has provided some further insight into our hardwood panels, and helped in choosing between which would be best suited for your next project.


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