Before we start, the first thing you need to establish is what type of project you’re undertaking. Are you looking for a beautiful wood and mostly focused on a perfect appearance or are you more interested in structural strength. This will be a guiding factor in your decisions.

1. To start out, if attractiveness if your goal, the first thing you need to verify is that the wood looks good at a glance. This will include scanning the boards for knots and imperfections. For some applications, markings and streaks might be desirable but in general you want a wood that is free from visual blotches and roughness. The FAS rated wood will be your ideal choice. Some additional imperfections might include mineral streaks and strange grain textures in other grades. None of these imperfections will affect the strength or long term integrity of the wood though so it’s not a bad thing to have “personality” in your wood.

2. Consider the grain patters of the wood. You’ll rarely be able to select every piece of wood that you purchase but when you’re choosing a board to use in your project, make sure to choose the lumber with the most attractive grain patterns for the highly visible areas. There are lumber boards with vertical grains and flat grains. Normally wood of a higher quality has vertical grains because the wood is cut a certain way and this method of cutting yields less wood from the tree. Be aware that grains will vary greatly. These grain patters are the tree’s life story and should be appreciated and they’ll always be unique. Even boards cut from the same tree can differ in color so be aware of this going into a project.

3. When you’re holding a board, run your hands over the surface and edges and feel it. What you’re looking for are small dents and nicks that might lower the quality of your final project. It would be terrible to realize when you’re in the finishing stages that the top of your bar has a big nick or dent in it that you didn’t notice previously, or a beautiful piece of furniture is scarred in some way.

4. Look at the board from different angles and lay it down on a flat surface to see if it’s straight. A good way to do this is to look down the length of the board too and see if it curves in any way.

5. Check the crown of the board. The crown is the upward arching curvature you see when you look down its narrowest dimensional edge. Most lumber that is used in the structure of a home rarely comes without a slight crown but when you’re talking about fine hardwoods, there should be very little crowning or bending if possible.

6. If you’re project would benefit from knotty or rougher wood, consider the price difference between the wood grades available. Oak is definitely not the cheapest wood because of it’s beauty and strength. (Most things are that way in the world, right?) If you can live with wood that has imperfections then you should be able to benefit from a price break. Watch out for splits in the wood though.

7. Make sure that your lumber is kiln dried. Wood naturally seeks to be in balance with it’s surroundings and will have a tendancy to expand and contract. For this reason wood is kiln-dried – especially for wood that is going to be used in the construction of fine furnishings.

8. Red or white? The are two main types of oak wood: red oak and white oak. We’ve covered this in the past about buying oak molding on this blog but in general you need to know that Red Oak is best for interior work and white oak can be used for interior and exterior applications.

Now, get out there and build something! If you want further reading regarding the basics of hardwoods please visit our hardwood 101 section and check out our extensive molding profiles.  Please call us if you have questions and we’ll be glad to help you make the best decision possible for your next project.

Related Information:

• Buying oak molding
• Mahogany Lumber
• Bar Rail

Some people consider Mahogany lumber (Pronounced: ma·hog·a·ny) to be the most valuable hardwood available and it’s highly prized around the world for cabinets and furniture because it endows furniture with a timeless, traditional quality.

Mahogany wood is also used for boats, pianos,  musical instruments, interior wood moldings, wood trim, and even outdoor furnishings like deck chairs and tables.

Good mahogany wood is becoming rare because it’s becoming extinct around the world, but, mahogany trees can be found in tropical areas like Central & South America, Africa and other Asian countries. (Photo: Mahogany Forest Philippines)

Why buy mahogany lumber?

Mahogany lumber has a uniform to interlocking grain that is generally straight but it can be wavy or even curly. The wood is very dense and prized for it’s unique irregular grains even though it is usually free of air pockets and other unattractive deformities.

Mahogany lumber seasons well and dries rapidly. The wood will dry without distortion, but tension wood and presence of glutinous fibers can result in a high rate of shrinkage in kiln drying. Generally mahogany lumber does not have a good natural resistance to parasites, fungus but it does resist wood rot well. This is why it’s used for boats.

Is Mahogany lumber good for woodworking?

For finished pieces or woodworking and wood turning projects, Mahogany will polish to a fine luster (African Mahogany Shown) and it will give you an excellent sheen when finished. The wood responds well to hand and machine tools, nails, screws and it accepts glue well but it does have a tendency to dull tools. Overall, mahogany lumber is easy to work with when compared with other hardwoods.

Mahogany wood colors vary from yellows, reds or pinks when first cut and then will mature to a deep red or reddish brown. You can always expect Mahogany wood to become darker as it ages.

Related Information:

• Bar Rail
• Mahogany Molding Adds a Touch of Elegance to Any Room
• Mahogany Wood: Timeless Beauty and Durability
• Oak Lumber – Choosing and Buying
• Honduran Mahogany Hardwood

When you want to add a high quality bar to your home entertainment space, nothing makes your project a success or adds more class and style than a high quality custom bar rail. A bar just isn’t a bar without an old fashioned wooden bar rail.

Today, everyone is spending more of their free time entertaining at home, and bars are the perfect place for informal gatherings and fun with friends and family. Nothing brings everyone together better than a beautiful bar with high quality, custom woodwork. Rino’s is always your source for the best wood materials for your project.

What is Wood Bar Rail?

A “Bar Rail” is the decorative edge of the bar top where patrons usually rest their arms. It’s meant to be installed at a slight angle to give a slightly downward slope. To accomplish this you usually offset the edges of the bar top layers.

A solid wood bar railing is a beautiful bold feature on any bar, and at Rino’s Woodworking Inc. we specialize in custom wood bar rails. There’s no limit to your options; if you can dream it, we will build it.

Your Bar Rail Options are Endless

Bar rail can greatly enhance a beautiful entertainment bar or home pub in your basement; even a home espresso bar in your kitchen. Rino’s Woodworking has the expertise and the highest quality materials for your bar project and wood bar rail needs.

Wood bar rails at Rino’s are available in Poplar, White Oak, Red Oak, White Maple, Cherry or Mahogany for a beautiful rich look. We also have mahogany lumber available for that high end, classic bar finish. Custom bar top rail moulding profiles and other hardwood species not listed on our website are available upon request. Enjoy FREE SHIPPING on all qualified orders too! For more information please call us at 440-946-1718 or email us from our website.

Please feel free to stop into our showroom for samples of the wood grain and styles before you buy.

Buy bar rail from Rino’s or call us to discuss your options.

Related Information:

• Free shipping announced on Bar Rail and all High Quality Wood Moldings
• Building the perfect bar with Chicago Bar Rails
• Mahogany Lumber
• Curved Bar Rail
• Woodworking Wood – How to choose