The Wood Native Tree Species

Red Maple tree
A Rhode Island Red Maple

I believe the trees in our region of the world (New England) contain of some of the best character for building furniture. The local forests host a wide range many different woods — many of which I intend on including in my work. My ever-changing lumber stockpile consists of carefully-selected boards of various native hardwood species like the Oaks, Ash, Black Locust, Sassafras, Apple, Black Walnut, Butternut and Tamarack. I also keep a large supply of one of my favorite woods to work with: Red Maple.

Red Maple

To me the wood of the Red Maple encompasses the most plentiful palette of colors, grain patterns, figure and natural phenomenon. These characteristics differ from tree to tree. One tree may produce ivory white planks while another may produce beautiful grays or browns throughout. It's hard not to find a board without spots of figure, swirls, mineral streaks and shimmers of wood grain. Red Maple is Rhode Island's state tree and grows abundantly in the area. A fascinating occurrence that appears mostly in Red Maple are the mineral streaks surrounding the small holes left by the Ambrosia beetle. The beetles do not eat the wood fibers, they excavate what is called galleries or cradles into the live tree. The tree surrounds these small injuries with mineral streaks to protect itself from the open wound, leaving some of the most unique patterns in the world of wood.