Skills & Techniques
STL375: What Is Moonwood?
Fine Woodworking staffers Mike, Owen, and Bridgid sit down to discuss Handworks 2026, wood finishes for kitchen utensils, and the moon’s effect on trees.
Category: Wood & Lumber
Wood types, plywood, and choosing materials.
Accessories
Online Extras from Issue #325
Issue #325 of Fine Woodworking is out now but don’t forget to check out online extras provided by some of our favorite woodworkers and teachers.
Skills & Techniques
Sustainably Sourced Wood
Dan Bollock details three forestry organizations he references in order to make sustainable choices when purchasing lumber.
Wood & Lumber
Western spruces: Engelmann and Sitka spruce have very similar properties
Two major spruces are found in the western forests of the United States. Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) is found throughout the Rocky Mountains, from Alberta to Arizona. It’s named after George Englemann, who discovered this species in the mid-1800s.Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is found primarily within 50 miles of the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to…
Wood & Lumber
Douglas-fir: Exceptionally strong and abundant species
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is one of the premier species of the Western forests. Not only is the wood exceptionally strong for its weight, but the trees are abundant. Trees can grow more than 250 feet tall (with the first 150 feet free of knots and branches) and more than 6 feet in diameter. Some trees…
Wood & Lumber
Blackgum: Water-loving tree is also called tupelo
Blackgum, also called black tupelo, tupelo gum, or just tupelo, is a tree that loves to grow in water and water-soaked soils. In fact, the genus Nyssa is the name of a water nymph. The tree grows throughout the eastern states, from Maine to Texas. Tupelo, Mississippi, (Elvis’ birthplace) was named after this tree. A close…
Wood & Lumber
Redwood: Mostly heartwood, lightweight and even grained.
Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is a wonderful evergreen species, with mature trees commonly reaching 300 feet high and 12 feet in diameter. (Giant sequoia is even larger and is a different species.) In North America, redwood grows primarily in California. Although much of the California redwood forests have been harvested or are now reserved, there are still…
Furniture
A warm Scandinavian kitchen sets the tone for a Boston home
This wood-clad Boston home has a distinctly Scandinavian character, and the interiors follow the same warm, understated direction. Corner, a design-forward kitchen brand focused on making high-quality design accessible, built the kitchen cabinetry, pantry, bathroom vanity, and other custom built-ins throughout the home. Each space has its own identity, while the materials and detailing keep…
Wood & Lumber
Brazilian rosewood: Highly prized but highly restricted
Brazilian rosewood, also called jacaranda, is perhaps one of the most beautiful woods in the world. However, extensive harvesting over the past three centuries has virtually eliminated this tree from the Brazilian forests, so that today it is not supposed to be harvested. The only material that can be sold legally is old stock; such…