If you are looking to carve a piece of wood you need to choose the one that has certain qualities and is the right one regarding its functionality and ease of cutting through, or enough toughness in it which would, later on, support whatever it is being cut for. You may be a professional or someone who is just doing it at home by yourself, regardless we are here to tell what would be the best wood to carve. Carving is the technique where you cut the wood to give it a certain shape. Of course to get the best shape you need a material that is not too soft, nor too hard. And also keeping in mind that it should be sufficient enough to hold and support things for which is meant to. If you are a whittler or you simply want to carve kitchen implements, dinnerware, or reliefs, or you might even have the determination for chainsaw carving. But you might struggle a lot if you choose the wrong type of wood, for example, pine is so knotty that it fights you when you cut through it and some woods may be so soft that they won’t support food in them.
With so many woods to choose from you might be wondering which is the one that would suit your work the most. To help you find the best one suitable for you we have a list from which you can choose the best one. Read for some in-depth information for different kinds of woods to help you get the most for your hobby or profession.
FRUIT WOOD:
The wood that comes from fruit trees such as apple pears and cherry, is the best wood for carving dishes especially bowls, and also it is great for spoon carving. It is very fine-grained and the close pore textured wood of fruit trees is what makes it perfect for leak-proof vessels. You can get the best results when you carve it while it is green as the drier the wood gets, the harder it will be for carving and it will be more prone to cracking as well.
BASSWOOD:
For the beginners who are looking to carve some wood, this will be the best option for you as it is very easy to carve through and is very easy on the tools. It is very soft and as a result, it will require less force and it will also hold wood stain well. It is the most useful wood when it comes to whittling or to achieve intricate details in relief carving. The softness inside it makes it easier to carve against the grain but at the same time carving with the grain is preferred more than that.
OAK:
This is known as the strongest wood among some others and hence is widely looked on for its durability. This makes the oak very ideal for furniture. It gives a very pretty and sharp grain along with a highly pigmented color which makes your piece very attractive. White oak which is one of its types has very close pores and hence it is very great to use when you need to make barrels for the fermentation of wine or whiskey. But due to the same hardness, the oak is not as suitable for use when doing relief carving.
BLACK WALNUT
Black walnut has the toughness to it and is harder. It has a beautiful rich color and a great grain that can create beautiful carvings for you. It is used for relief carving even though it has hardwood and that is due to its aesthetic appeal. They most definitely are pretty to look at once finished. Use very sharpened tools so that you don’t have to strain your hands as much.
WHITE PINE:
Pine is well known to be the beast to carve but the white pine is different and is a little easier to carve. It is more popularly used for lumber but it can also be used for furniture and carving, as it can hold up its shape very well after being made. And it is great for chainsaw carving as it can hold the power behind the chainsaw. You should choose the wood when it is green in color and you should also wet it before use for the best results.
BALSA:
balsa is best for whittling as it is soft, lightweight, and cheap enough to use if you are just a beginner. It is popularly used to do crafting, modeling and dollhouse making and is even versatile enough to make ornaments and statues. This wood can splinter very easily and to avoid that you should sand the edges very thoroughly for the protection of the wood.
BUTTERNUT:
It is a rich tan wood and is another choice for the people who are just starting out. It is soft and has a straight grain and is the perfect choice for relief carving and sculpture making. It also looks very pretty when it is stained. It is a close second to basswood when it comes to convenience while using it. but their presence is being threatened due to fungus in North America so they can be hard to find due to that.
CONCLUSION:
The wood is very different on every tree due to its vast diversity, carving all of them differs in one way or another from each other. For the beginners, you should choose something a little more soft and light weight wood such as basswood and butternut. If your project requires some durability and strong material such as furniture or cabinetry you should choose oak which is harder. You can also explore different types of wood to see how they respond to your tools, how they finish, and what kind of things can be made with each of them