Jatoba
Jatoba is a very hard wood – nearly 85 % harder thaht red oak. Also known as Brazilan Cherry, this tree grows on the crests and sides of mountains. Jatoba has a golden lustre and, as it ages, turns reddish-brown and often develops darker streaks.


Cherry
The American Cherry has a finish similar to that of Yellow Birch. This tough, semi-hard material is a good choice for stairs, railings and fireplace mantels. Carving and shaping the wood produres unique and distinctive highlights.



Ash
Often called the cousin of oak, ash is semi-hard with a creamy white colour and coarse grain. A dense and hard-wearing wood, it is known for its flexibility and resistance to shock and vibration. It cuts smoothly and is easy to work with. Sanding, varnishing and polishing produce a beautiful finish. White Ash if often used to make baseball bats.



Yellow Birch
Yellow Birch, a semi-hard wood with pale brown or pinkish highlights, is highly prized for its grain. This very durable wood is as hard as ash and almost as heavy as oak, making it an excellent choice for stairs, railings and floors. It shares many characteristics with other species of birch and is best suited to a natural finish.

 
 
Oak
Oak is a hard to semi-hard wood, and is popular for framing. It has many outstanding qualities, including an attractive grain, and is very popular for interior work such as stairs, railings and floors. Oak produces a beautiful finish that can be enhanced by waxes, and mat and satin varnishes.

 

Maple
Maple has many of the same advantages of Yellow Birch and is comparable in price. This semi-hard wood is white to yellowish-white in its natural state. Very durable for interiors, it finishes to a lustrous sheen and has a fine, close grain that makes wood fillers unnecessary. Maple is excellent for stairs, railings and floors, and takes a stain and varnish equally weel. Sugar Maple is the most durable and is recoomended for stairs and floors.