There are different types of wood to carve. With so many options, a carver should always be prepared to try a different variety of wood, as long as it’s dry and likely to involve little expense. Although professionals in this field tend to use woods they already know to be good, hobbyists who are still exploring the different varieties should experiment with smaller pieces until they feel comfortable.
Here are some of the woods you can use for your projects:
- Kingwood – Found primarily in Brazil, this type of wood is not easily obtained. It has characteristics similar to Indian rosewood. Although stock sizes are typically small (only a maximum of 18 inches in diameter), their unique color is still sought after in fine woodworking projects. The kingwood hue almost looks like a deep purple hue and has narrow black stripes that intertwine with wider, lighter bands.
- Butternut – This type of wood is a family of walnut. It is typically the choice for cabinetry, inlay, and carving. However, unlike walnut, this wood is much softer and must be made entirely by hand.
- Curly Jarrah – This is one of the types of wood that has a rich reddish color. It is actually a very important tree in Western Australia. Jarrah trees grow up to six feet in diameter. Jarrah is also known to be able to carve well and takes stains very well.
- File – For anyone considering carving sculptures, this might be the wood for you. The wood is firm, but easy to carve. The color is a bit whitish and can even have a yellowish-pink hue. Lime picks up stains easily, and when bleached, the wood turns pure white.
- Legnum Vitae – It is one of the heaviest types of wood and is widely used in the manufacture of hammers, mallets and other tools that require hardness and heaviness. When working with heartwood, the hue can look a bit dark green to brown, while the sapwood can have yellowish contrasts.
- Honduran Mahogany – Although there are some unique species, they are all known for their beautiful elegance due to their rich red color.
- Oak – Of the many varieties of wood, oak has been known for hundreds of years as one of the best woods in America. Although this type of wood is not the best choice for carving smaller details, it can be used to make big, bold carvings.
- Indian Rosewood – Rosewood wood has a luxurious dark brown hue with blackish markings. It is hard, heavy, and in addition to being used to make billiard cues and musical instruments, it is also inexpensive.
- Teak – Comes in a gold tone and is easily carved. It is known to be highly durable in all climates as the wood is preserved by its natural aromatic oils.
- Iroko – This unique wood starts out straw-colored, but after exposure to air it turns red and hardens all the way through. Iroko is also resistant to termites.
These are just some of the different types of wood for carving. Whether you are a hobbyist or an expert, the important thing is that proper care is taken to prevent the wood from rotting, fungus or insect infestation.