THE USES OF WOOD 



601 



BIRCH INTERIOR TRIM AT ITS BEST 



The birch finish of the dining room here exhibited came from the Wisconsin forests. This wood may be given practically any tone or color desired, 

 and the smooth surface always betrays the high-class of the material. It never looks cheap and it never has a tendency to cheapen its surroundings. 



Some woods for interior work are chosen for their 

 figures, others on account of their color, and still others 

 because of the smooth surface which may be given them, 

 and the excellent manner in which they receive and hold 

 paint. Yellow pine and Douglas fir are not surpassed in 

 richness of figures by any other softwoods of this coun- 

 try. Their figure is formed by contrast of color in the 

 annual growth rings. Cypress responds readily to treat- 

 ment to accentuate the figure due to the growth rings. 

 The novel and artistic "sugi" effect is produced by scrap- 

 ing out the soft portions of the rings, and is not an in- 

 herent figure in the wood. Redwood is treated in the 

 same way. Redwood and cedar rank high among soft- 

 woods for richness of color, but they have little figure. 

 I he figure of hemlock is often strong and shows well 

 under high polish. White pine and the spruces have 

 little color or figure. They are among the plainest of 

 woods, but they possess excellent qualities. White pine 

 is one of the best of woods to display enamel and paint, 

 because of the smooth surface that may be given it. 



It is not practicable to list the hardwoods in the finish 



industry and specify what prominent characters best fit 

 each for trim, but the woods may be partly included in 

 groups. At least 100 species of American hardwoods 

 contribute to the country's interior finish. The oaks have 

 two kinds of figure, one formed by the contrast of colors 

 in the rings, the other produced by quarter sawing to 

 expose to view the bright surfaces of the medullary rays. 

 Oak responds splendidly to the application of stains and 

 fillers which enter the wood's pores and heighten the con- 

 trast or color. Walnut possesses two kinds of figures, 

 one due to rings, the other dependent upon pigments dis- 

 persed irregularly through the wood, forming lighter or 

 darker areas. Red gum's figure is due to irregularly 

 deposited pigments, the same as in the walnuts. This 

 wood is a good substitute for Circassian walnut, and so 

 closely do the two woods resemble each other that the 

 difference is apparent only to persons well acquainted 

 with both woods. Maple is highly figured in two general 

 patterns, bird's eye and wavy, the former being most 

 common. Both figures are believed to be caused by 

 regular changes in direction of the fibres. Birch has the 



