# Name These Woods



## JenniferTemple (Oct 30, 2011)

B.D.R. said:


> My vote is. Oak, oak, oak and ash.
> Same house you have been restoring for yourself Jennifer?


Yup! + 6 chairs, 1 trestle table (5th Pic), 1 drop leaf table & of course the woodwork in the house. As time permits, I am rebuilding the plaster walls and stripping all of the woodwork. (Winter is a good season for home projects, I get almost irritable when I get a call for pay. :jester


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## JenniferTemple (Oct 30, 2011)

colevalleytim said:


> the top two look like Ash, but it's hard to tell from a small sample.
> 
> Some of the others look like Elm. How old is the house? where is it located


1912 house in South Niagara Ontario Canada


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## mikeswoods (Oct 11, 2008)

Oak is the easiest of all woods to strip---the stain and finish do not penetrate into the wood very far.

One very important thing to know---red oak turns gray when exposed to water--so DO NOT rinse the stripper off with water---you will not be a happy person if you do.


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## B.D.R. (May 22, 2007)

I miss all your posts Jennifer , you have been gone for a long time.
You were a great contributor.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I thought oak at first and then decided on ash.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

mikeswoods said:


> Oak is the easiest of all woods to strip---the stain and finish do not penetrate into the wood very far.
> 
> One very important thing to know---red oak turns gray when exposed to water--so DO NOT rinse the stripper off with water---you will not be a happy person if you do.


oxalic acid will remove the grey caused by tannin reaction from water.

We used to refinish a lot of antique furniture. The final step with the stripper we used was to pressure wash with waterneutralize the stripper, then follow up with oxcalic acid to remove the grey.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

mikeswoods said:


> Oak is the easiest of all woods to strip---the stain and finish do not penetrate into the wood very far.


I like maple better - getting finish / stain out of oak grain can be a chore.


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## StrongTower (Mar 4, 2010)

Call me crazy, but that fifth one sure looks like cherry to me. Agree on the oak/ash for the others.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Pine or Butternut.


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## JenniferTemple (Oct 30, 2011)

More Table picks, hope this makes ID more sure:


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

hdavis said:


> I like maple better - getting finish / stain out of oak grain can be a chore.


Red oak sucks it right up in that wide open ugly grain.


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## StrongTower (Mar 4, 2010)

I'm not too familiar with butternut, but as far as the woods I've dealt with, it sure looks like cherry to me. The edge grain is throwing me off though. Maybe it is butternut.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Walnut
cherry
cherry
cherry
hickory?
walnut

would be much easier to do in person, smell and hardness would help


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> Red oak sucks it right up in that wide open ugly grain.


Sir, what exactly do you like?


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## SamM (Dec 13, 2009)

Easy Gibson said:


> Sir, what exactly do you like?


Complaining.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Easy Gibson said:


> Sir, what exactly do you like?


I like red oak for heat. I hate it for wood work.


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

SamM said:


> Complaining.


...


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I like red oak for heat. I hate it for wood work.


What do you like? I'm not an oak fan, either, but I guess it has it's place. Not a cherry fan, either.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Golden oak ruined red oak for me.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

I still get great vibes when I see antique walnut furniture. Just makes my day.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I like red oak for heat. I hate it for wood work.


Agreed, one of my least favorite woods to build with. White oak is probably one of my favorites.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Old mahogany stuff is usually spectacular. I like the wormy soft maple my one supplier sells, I like to just look at it.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

White oak was used for a lot of furniture, but I've seen old red oak rockers. Stripping a red oak rocker that was painted red is an exercise in futility.

OTOH, I've used red oak for a lot of book cases and closets with no stain and a built finish that turned out great. You just need a lot of coats due to the horrible grain.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

pinwheel said:


> Agreed, one of my least favorite woods to build with. White oak is probably one of my favorites.


If you put pecan stain on it, doesn't it look something like honey maple?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

pinwheel said:


> Agreed, one of my least favorite woods to build with.


Anything besides the finishing?


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

hdavis said:


> Anything besides the finishing?


I'm like darcey, golden oak ruined red oak for me. I associate it with cheap cabinetry.

I don't mind finishing it. It's just gonna have some grain showing in the finish, rather than dead flat.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

pinwheel said:


> I don't mind finishing it. It's just gonna have some grain showing in the finish, rather than dead flat.


I do about 8 coats or more to get a smooth surface. The boards are cheap, the finishing is expensive...


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