Wood Types

We use wood from Italian and European sources. Where possible we use recycled wood to reduce wastage of this precious material to a minimum.

Below is information on the types of wood used.

The descriptions and photos are for information purposes only. Natural variations in colour and texture may occur.

 

Maple is a hardwood of the broadleaf family. The wood is a pale, pinkish yellow with prominent veining and wavy, decorative grain patterns. Maple is used for indoor furniture, furnishings, cabinet making, handicrafts and musical instruments.

Chestnut is a semi-hardwood of the broadleaf family. The wood is a light yellow or brown and tends to darken with age. It presents light veining and frequent knots. The grain is wide, at times straight but mostly spiralled, with well-defined age rings. Chestnut contains tannin. Is used for indoor and outdoor carpentry, furniture. Because it stands up to damp conditions well, chestnut is often used in windows and doors.

Cedar is a softwood. It is originally from Lebanon and has a very tall trunk. The wood is reddish and splits easily. The grain is wide and regular with large age rings. Is scented when first cut.

Beech is a hardwood of the broadleaf family. The wood varies in colour from light yellow to a reddish grey. Can be formed with steam, in which case it becomes harder and malleable. Is used for flooring, furniture, light carpentery, and windows and doors. There is no difference between the sapwood and heartwood other than that the sapwood may sometimes appear darker (false heartwood). Has a fine texture with straight grain.

Walnut is a semi-hard wood of the broadleaf family. The wood varies in colour from a yellowish grey to very dark brown with violet hues. The texture is generally fairly dense. The fibres are naturally wavy and without knots. Presents pleasant dark veining. Is compact, hard, elastic and heavy, which makes it particularly suitable for sculpting. Is mostly used for furniture, picture frames and ornamental objects.

Elm is a hardwood of the broadleaf family. The sapwood and heartwood are very different with the sapwood being narrow and of a light yellowish grey colour. Heartwood is a reddish brown, which can sometimes be quite dark. The texture and grain are wide. Elm is extremely hard, compact, rigid and strong. It does not split easily. The wood is very decorative and has the reputation of being one of the best European woods for furniture and woodwork.

Oak is a member of the broadleaf family. Durmast oak is extremely hard and the colour can vary from grey-yellow to grey-brown. The sapwood and heartwood are different with sapwood being a yellowish colour, while the heartwood is brown with characteristic medullary ray flecks in the radial section. The fibre is straight and fairly irregular, the texture fairly coarse. It does not present too many knots. Is used for indoor and outdoor construction work, flooring, and wine barrels.

Linden is a softwood of the broadleaf family. It varies in colour from a yellowish to reddish white. The wood is soft with even, fine grain. It is easy to work. The softwood and heartwood are very similar. The grain is straight with a fine texture. Linden is particularly suitable for turning and bas-relief work.