Guide · 6 min
Choosing Lumber: Hardwood vs Softwood
Softwood: affordable and easy to work
Pine and fir are light, cheap and easy to cut. Ideal for workbenches, shop storage and first projects. The downside: they dent easily and can bleed resin.
Hardwood: durable and beautiful
Oak, beech, ash and walnut are heavier and harder. They cost more, but they make furniture that lasts generations. Use sharp tools and pre-drill for screws.
Sheet goods
Birch plywood is stable and strong — perfect for cabinets and jigs. MDF is smooth and takes paint well, but it's heavy and hates moisture. Choose plywood for anything load-bearing.
Rule of thumb
Indoors on a budget: pine or plywood. A showpiece piece of furniture: hardwood. Outdoors: larch, Douglas fir or thermally modified wood.
Recommended tools
Digital Angle Gauge
Dial your blade in to 0.1°
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Laser Tape Measure
Measure long spans solo, fast
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Titebond III Wood Glue
Waterproof and stronger than the wood
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