![]() ![]() The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) recognizes more than 100 million acres (40,468,564 hectares) of forest in the United States and Canada that are managed to its environmental and social standards. Sustainable hardwoods are harvested from forests managed to maintain a natural balance of tree and plant diversity. The harvesters also take pains to reduce the impact of the harvest by maintaining a buffer of trees around waterways and reseeding areas damaged by the lumbering equipment. But lumber producers must do even more to earn FSC certification for their products. They must document the journey of the lumber from forest to retail shelves with a chain-of-custody paper trail to prove that the wood was harvested legally from a certified sustainable forest. In this article, we'll look at the qualities and uses of five sustainable hardwoods. Since buying locally makes sense environmentally and economically, we'll also look at where each type of wood grows. Kiln-dried, turned and clear-coated, white ash becomes the driving force of line-drives and grand slams in America's pastime, baseball. This shock-resisting wood is also known for its ability to deliver slap-shots in chilly ice arenas, sink snooker balls in smoky parlors and navigate a thrilling whitewater run. If you're more handy than athletic, check out your hand tools. Many of them probably sport handles made from ash. In its less active life, the strength and rich, creamy color of white ash make it a popular choice for furniture. ![]() It's a coarse-textured wood with strength comparable to oak, but because it's less dense, ash is easier to work with. Because it bends very well with steaming, ash is ideal for curved furniture, trim and crafts. Although stiff, it's easy to work with both hand and power tools it doesn't wear down saw blades much more than softer woods. Because the wood is hard, you'll need to drill pilot holes for your screws and nails. Ash stains beautifully, but if you're looking for a smooth, glassy surface, you'll need to fill the characteristic open pores with pore filler before finishing the piece. Maple's pale color, lively graining and fine texture combine with strength to make it an excellent choice for furniture, cabinets, paneling, doors, molding and flooring, including stair treads. The soft variety bends easily for curved furniture and stair railings. ![]()
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