Elements of woodwork

by Charles A. King

For outside finish, the material should be wood which will stand the weather, can be easily worked, and will hold its shape well.

Timbers that are to be buried must possess the quality of durability, and should be of sufficient strength to resist the strain which will be put upon them.

Flooring should wear well, hold its shape, and be of good appearance. In providing lumber for inside finish, care should be used that it has good grain and color, is not too soft, and that it will hold its shape well. Almost any wood may be used as far as strength is concerned, but lumber which shrinks and warps badly is unfit for finishing.

Shingles should be of wood which will resist decay, and which has the least tendency to warp and split.

Boards which are to be used for siding should hold paint well, and be as free as possible from the tendency to warp, split, and twist when exposed to the weather.

(B.) All material used in framing a building should be weather-dried in good drying weather for at least thirty days for each inch in thickness, and that used for inside and outside finish and floors should be thoroughly kiln-dried, and kept in a dry place until ready for use. These conditions are not always obtainable, but if the best results are desired, they should be followed as closely as possible.

The woods hereafter described comprise the principal varieties used by the wood-workers of the United States.

(C.) Ash (deciduous, or broad-leaved) is an open-grained, light-colored wood, in which the porous portions of the annual rings are quite prominent, thus making it somewhat coarse-grained.

It grows in the Northern states, and is a wood of medium weight and hardness. It is tough and elastic, the young growth being much used in the manufacture of wagons, machinery frames, and for similar purposes, as it is not expensive, quite easily worked, and very strong. It has a tendency to decay, and is often badly infested with insects; therefore it is not suitable for building construction or for contact with soil.

Ash grows in forests with other broad-leaved trees, and is plentiful in many localities. There are two kinds of this wood recognized in commerce: the white, which is light-colored, and the black, which is of a brownish tinge, though there is little difference in the grain of the two. Sap is not considered a defect, but is regarded as the best part of the tree for some purposes. The wood grown in the Northern states is generally tougher than that grown farther south.