There are more than hundreds of light colored species worldwide. Each species has its own merits and demerits. People like light-colored wood because Light-colored wood brings a contemporary freshness, Beauty, Strength, great workability, is simple to match with interior decor, easy to clean, maintain, and Suitability for all budgets.
People usually think softwood wood is light-colored whereas hardwood is dark-colored. But in some species, this is an exception, such as maple, oak, hickory, and many more. It is all hardwood but its color is lighter.
Some of the famous light color wood is as follows. Let us know about them in detail
1. Ash Wood
Ash has 45–65 species, generally medium to large trees, mostly deciduous. It is native to eastern and central North America. Due to the strength, durability, and appearance. It is preferred for domestic use.
Wood color: Heartwood is a light to medium brown color. While sapwood can tend to be a beige or light brown.
Grain: It has a straight and regular grain pattern.
Rot Resistant: Ash Wood does not have rot-resistant properties. But after the protective exterior finish can also be used for exterior furniture with regular maintenance.
Uses: Flooring, millwork, boxes/crates, baseball bats, and other turned objects such as tool handles.
| Scientific name: | Fraxinus |
| Tree height: | 40 to 60 feet |
| Workability: | Easy to work |
| Availability: | Easily available and affordable. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
2. Aspen
Aspen is a medium-sized deciduous tree and a common name for certain tree species. It is native to the north of the northern hemisphere. Aspen is well known for its low density, soft texture, and good machining properties.
Wood color: Heartwood tends to be a light brown and sapwood is a pale yellow to nearly white.
Grain: Straight, with a uniform medium texture.
Rot Resistant: It is not rot-resistant, and also susceptible to insect attack.
Uses: Aspen is strong and light in weight, it is widely used for making Boxes/crates, veneer, plywood, and various utility purposes. It cannot withstand the external environment. Hence it is not suitable for outdoor applications.
| Scientific name: | Populus |
| Tree height: | 15–30 m (50–100 ft) tall. |
| Workability: | Easy to work with hand and machine tools. |
| Availability: | Easily available and affordable. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
Read: aspen vs alder
3. Basswood
Basswood includes 30 species of trees or bushes, native to Eastern North America. It is light, soft, and low-density wood, Widely used for carving and musical instruments.
Wood Color: Its heartwood is light brown and the sapwood is pale white.
Grain: Straight-grained, with a fine, even texture and moderate natural luster.
Rot-resistant: Basswood has no resistance to decay. Not suitable for outdoor applications.
Uses: Carvings, lumber, musical instruments such as electric guitar bodies, plywood, and wood pulp.
| Scientific name: | Tilia |
| Tree height: | 20 to 40 m (65 to 130 ft) tall |
| Average Dried Weight: | 26 lbs/ft3 (415 kg/m3) |
| Workability: | Easy to work with hand and machine tools |
| Availability: | Widely available as lumber or carving blanks. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
4. Bamboo
Bamboo is a woody plant but belongs to the grass family. It has more than 1000 species. It is native to tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. But most common in Asia and South America.
It is the fastest-growing plant in the world. Some species can grow 910 mm (36 in) within a 24-hour period.
Wood color: It has a uniform and pale yellow to almost white color. It does not have any sapwood or heartwood.
Rot-resistant: It is not rot-resistant and is also susceptible to insect attacks such as powder post beetles, termites, and marine borers.
Uses: Veneer, paper, flooring, fishing rods, ladders, scaffolding, musical instruments, furniture, carving, turned items, and small novelty items.
| Scientific name: | Subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae |
| Height: | 50-100 ft (15-30 m) tall, 3-6 in (10-20 cm) diameter. |
| Average Dried Weight: | 31 lbs/ft3 (500 kg/m3) to 53 lbs/ft3 (850 kg/m3) |
| Workability: | Bamboo can be easy to work with but it depends on the species. |
| Availability: | Widely available. |
5. Beech
Beech is a deciduous tree, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. There are 13 species of beech trees. Beeches are monoecious, which means bearing both male and female flowers on the same tree.
Beech is widely used for domestic purposes. Because it is hard, strong, and heavy.
Wood color: Beech’s heartwood pales cream color, sometimes with a pink or brown hue while sapwood’s color is white.
Grain: Beech has a straight grain with even texture and medium luster.
Rot Resistance: Beech is not resistant and susceptible to insect attack.
Uses: Lumber, veneer, flooring, boxes, railroad ties, musical instruments, furniture, turned objects, and decorative wooden items.
| Scientific name: | Fagus |
| Tree height: | 100-130 ft (30-40 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter. |
| Workability: | Easy to work and glues, finishes, and turns well. |
| Janka Hardness: | 1,300 lbf (5,780 N) (American Beech) |
| Availability: | Easily available at a moderate price |
| Type: | Hardwood |
Read also beech vs pine
6. Birch
Birch is a deciduous hardwood tree native to the northern part of North America. Its family includes about 30 to 60 species of small to medium-sized trees or shrubs. The properties of birch depend on its species.
Wood Color: Heartwood tends to be a light reddish-brown, While the sapwood is nearly white.
Grain: It has straight Grain or is slightly wavy, with a fine, even texture.
Rot Resistance: Birch Wood does not have rot-resistant properties and it is susceptible to fungal staining and insect attacks.
Uses: Plywood, boxes, crates, turned objects, interior trim, and other small specialty wood items.
| Scientific name: | Betula |
| Height: | 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Easy to work with hand and machine tools |
| Availability: | Readily available but may be expensive |
| Type: | Hardwood |
7. Cottonwood
Cottonwood is a name of certain wood species, that are large, deciduous trees. It is native to North America, Europe, and western Asia. Cottonwood is well known for its lightweight. It is weak and low in shock resistance.
Wood Color: The heartwood is grayish-white to light brown. While the sapwood is nearly white.
Grain: Generally the grain is straight but can also be irregular or interlocked. Uniform medium texture with a low natural luster.
Rot Resistance: It is not rot-resistant and susceptible to insect attack. It gets spoiled quickly to exposure to moisture and soil.
Uses: Boxes/crates, veneer, plywood, and various utility purposes.
| Scientific name: | Populus |
| Height: | 15–30 m (50–100 ft) tall and 4 m (13 ft) Trunk Diameter. |
| Workability: | Easy to work with hand and machine tools. But poor steam bending and nail-holding capability. |
| Availability: | Easily available at an affordable price. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
8. Hard Maple
Hard Maple is also known as sugar maple and rock maple. It is a flowering plant native to Northeastern North America. Hard maple is famous for making maple syrup. Maple syrup can add a delicious mild sweetness, it can be used at any meal.
Soft maple, silver maple, and Norway maple which is a species of maple can also be classified as light-colored wood.
Wood Color: Its heartwood is reddish-brown while the sapwood color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color.
Grain: Usually the grain is straight, fine, and even texture but can sometimes be wavy.
Rot Resistance: It is not rot-resistant, and is susceptible to insect attack.
Uses: Flooring, veneer, pulpwood, musical instruments, cutting boards, and decorative wood items.
| Scientific name: | Acer saccharum |
| Height: | 80-115 ft (25-35 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Fairly easy to work with hand and machine tools. But working with soft maple is much easier. |
| Janka Hardness: | 1,450 lbf (6,450 N) |
| Availability: | Easily available at a moderate price. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
9. Hickory
Hickory is the common name of around 18 species. These species are native to China, India, Canada, and most species are from the United States. Most hickory species are cultivated for edible nuts and wood.
Read also pignut hickory and butternut hickory
Wood color: Heartwood tends to be light to medium brown, while the sapwood is a paler yellowish-brown.
Grain: It has straight Grain or is slightly wavy, with a fine, even texture.
Rot resistance: Hickory is not resistant to rot and is also very susceptible to insect attack.
Uses: Tool handles, ladder rungs, wheel spokes, flooring, etc.
| Scientific name: | Carya |
| Tree Height: | 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 1-2 ft (.3-.6 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Difficult to work but Glues, stains, and finish well. Responds well to steam bending. |
| Janka Hardness: | 2,140 lbf (9,520 N) (Carya glabra) |
| Availability: | Easily available at low to moderate prices. |
| Type: | Hardwood |
10. Pine
Pine is a conifer tree or shrub, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 115 species of pine. Pine can be divided into two groups: soft pine (soft and low density) and hard pine (hard and high density).
Some famous species are Sugar Pine, Eastern White Pine, Western White Pine, Longleaf Pine, Shortleaf Pine, and many more.
Wood color: Heartwood is a light brown, sometimes with a slightly reddish hue, while the sapwood is a pale yellow or nearly white. There may be a difference in color depending on pine species.
Grain: Pine has a straight grain with an even, medium texture.
Rot Resistance: Pine has medium to low rot resistance. Pressure-treated pine can be used for exterior application.
Uses: Crates, boxes, interior millwork, construction lumber, carving, and boatbuilding.
| Scientific name: | Pinus |
| Height: | 100-120 ft (30-36 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1 m) trunk diameter. |
| Workability: | Easy to work with machine and hand tools. |
| Janka Hardness: | 380 lbf (1,690 N) (Eastern White Pine). |
| Availability: | Easily available at a moderate price. |
| Type: | Softwood |
11. Spruce
Spruces are large, evergreen coniferous, conical-shaped trees. They have about 35 species and are native to the temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It grows to about 6 to 12 inches (1/2 to 1 ft) in session.
Wood Color: The heartwood of spruce is creamy white, with a hint of yellow whereas sapwood is nearly white.
Grain: Spruce has a fine, even texture, and consistently straight grain.
Rot-resistance: Heartwood is rated as moderate in decay resistance but sapwood tends to rot easily.
Uses: Paper (pulpwood), construction lumber, millwork, and crates.
| Scientific name: | Picea |
| Height: | 100-180 ft (30-55 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Easy to work, Because of low density. Glues and finishes well, |
| Janka Hardness: | 480 lbf (2,140 N) (White spruce) |
| Availability: | cheap and easily available |
| Type: | Softwood |
Read also white spruce vs black spruce
12. Hemlock
Hemlock is medium-sized to large evergreen trees. It has 8 to 10 species, with four species native to North America and four to six species native to East Asia. It is well known for its good strength, appearance, and working qualities.
Wood color: Heartwood is light reddish brown and sapwood is nearly white.
Grain: Usually, the grain is straight, fine, and even texture but can sometimes be interlocked or spiraled.
Rot Resistance: Hemlock is not rot-resistant and also susceptible to insect attack.
Uses: Boxes, pallets, crates, plywood, framing, roof decking, and plywood.
| Scientific name: | Tsuga |
| Height: | 65-200 ft (19-60 m) tall, 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Overall good, Glues, stains, and finishes well. |
| Janka Hardness: | 540 lbf (2,400 N) (Western Hemlock) |
| Availability: | Hemlock is available at a moderate price. |
13. White Oak
White oak wood is strong, durable, and stable, It is native to the Eastern United States. It has some water resistance to it, So white oak is the most preferred for flooring and doors.
Wood color: Heartwood is a light to medium brown. Sapwood is lighter in color than heartwood.
Grain: It has a straight grain, with a coarse, uneven texture.
Rot Resistance: It has great natural rot-resistant properties. Rated as very durable.
Uses: Furniture, Cabinetry, interior trim, flooring, boatbuilding, barrels, and veneer.
| Scientific name: | Quercus alba |
| Height: | 65-85 ft (20-25 m) tall, 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) trunk diameter |
| Workability: | Greate workability and Response well to steam-bending. Glues, stains, and finishes well. |
| Janka Hardness: | 1,350 lbf (5,990 N) |
| Availability: | Widely available and expensive for domestic purposes. |
Conclusion
It was about some particularly popular type of light colored wood. The properties of all species are different. You can choose wood as per your requirement and preference.