Starting a new woodworking project is always exciting, and one of the best parts is heading to the lumberyard to choose the boards that will become the finished project.
But selecting lumber is about more than finding a beautiful board.
The grain, figure, and color of the lumber will have a major impact on the finished appearance. And thinking about individual project parts while you're choosing boards can make the build go more smoothly once you're back in the shop.
A few simple lumber-selection habits can help you turn a stack of individual boards into a project that looks like it was built as a whole.
Look Beyond a Beautiful Board
It's easy to pull a highly figured board from the rack and immediately imagine it in your next project.
But there's something important to remember: You're probably not going to use the board as a board.
It will be cut into legs, rails, stiles, panels, drawer fronts, or other parts and then rearranged into a piece of furniture.
A dramatic grain pattern that looks great across an eight-foot board may become visually busy once it's divided among several smaller parts.
For many furniture projects, I prefer boards with straight, consistent grain. This creates a quieter background that allows the overall design and proportions of the project to stand out.
That doesn't mean figured lumber is a poor choice. It's simply something to use deliberately.
WOODSMITH TIP: Decide What You Want People to Notice. There's no right or wrong choice when it comes to figure. With subtle, consistent grain, your eye is more likely to notice the design of the project first. With highly figured lumber, the wood itself becomes a focal point. Both can produce beautiful projects. The key is choosing intentionally.
Compare Grain & Figure Between Boards
Don't evaluate each board in isolation.
Pull several candidates from the rack and look at them together. Think about how their grain patterns will interact after they're cut into project parts.
If you're building a frame-and-panel door, for example, you might want similar-looking grain in the rails and stiles while reserving a particularly attractive piece for the panel.
The same thinking applies to table aprons, drawer fronts, legs, and other groups of related parts.
You're not simply buying lumber. You're selecting the raw material for specific parts of the project.
Match the Color of Your Boards
Wood of the same species doesn't necessarily have the same color.
There can be noticeable variations from one board to another. Those differences aren't always obvious when boards are scattered throughout a rack.
So pull your potential boards out and line them up side by side.
This gives you a much better idea of whether they'll work together visually.
Color matching is especially important for adjacent or highly visible parts. A single board that's considerably lighter or darker than everything around it may stand out in the finished project even though it's technically the same species.
Shop With the Project Parts in Mind
Before going to the lumberyard, have a good idea of the parts you'll need.
You don't necessarily need to determine exactly where every cut will be made, but knowing the approximate sizes and quantities of the major components helps you evaluate boards more effectively.
For example, you might find a board that's wide and long enough to provide all the rails and stiles for a face frame.
Keeping related parts together on the same board is one of the easiest ways to maintain consistent grain and color throughout that portion of a project.
A particularly attractive section of another board might be ideal for drawer fronts or another prominent feature.
You're essentially beginning the layout process while you're still at the lumberyard.
Lay Out Parts Before Cutting
Once you're back in the shop, resist the urge to immediately start breaking the boards down. Lay them out and take another look.
Use chalk to outline the individual project parts directly on the boards.
This allows you to experiment with the layout before making an irreversible cut. You can position prominent parts over the best grain and arrange related pieces so their appearance works together.
At the same time, mark knots, splits, and other defects so you know which areas to avoid. A few minutes spent planning your cuts can make much better use of the lumber you carefully selected.
Think About the Whole Project
The best-looking board in the lumber rack isn't necessarily the best board for your project.
Instead, think about how the lumber will look after it's cut apart and put back together.
Look for grain and figure that complement the design. Compare boards for consistent color. Think about which project parts can come from the same board. And once you're back in the shop, lay everything out before making the first cut.
That's the difference between simply buying hardwood and selecting lumber for a project — and it's a decision you'll see every time you look at the finished piece.
Get More from Your Lumber
Make Every Board Count Once you've selected the right lumber, thoughtful layout can help you get the best-looking parts from a limited supply. Learn how to prioritize grain and appearance so the most visible parts of a project get the best-looking material.
LEARN HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR LUMBER → Making Your Own Cutting Diagrams
