Use lower-cost woods where appearance matters less, and choose suitable alternatives when a part will be visible. Poplar or soft maple can work for concealed furniture components; alder may stand in for cherry, and selected soft maple may resemble hard maple in partly obscured areas. Before buying more lumber, check your offcuts and usable sapwood.
What makes a wood “secondary”?
Secondary wood is material used where a more expensive show wood is unnecessary, or where a lower-cost species can deliver an acceptable appearance. The right choice depends on the part: whether it will be hidden or visible, what strength and stability it needs, and whether its color and grain suit the finished piece.
WOOD Magazine Staff’s March 28, 2017 article on secondary woods says poplar, soft maple, pine, and plywood can serve furniture projects. It does not provide species-specific engineering values, grades, or load guidance, so treat appearance suggestions as starting points—not proof that a material is suitable for a particular structural demand. Read the article.
Choose lower-cost wood for hidden parts
For components that will not be seen, the article recommends keeping poplar or soft maple on hand for dust dividers, bracing, nailing cleats, and drawer sides and backs. These parts may not need the same show-wood appearance as a cabinet face or tabletop, but their dimensions and material still need to suit their job.
#1 Best Overall
- A Variety of Rare Wood Species: this set of wood boards contains four rare woods -purpleheart, zebrawood, padauk, okoume, 2 of each of the 4 types of wood, a total of 8, enough to meet the needs of artistic creation
- Optimal Size: the single strip measures about 12 x 2 x 0.75 inches/ 30.48 x 5.08 x 1.91 cm; The uniform size is convenient for layout and splicing; This size is the good size for making small cutting boards
- Natural Textures: purpleheart, zebrawood, padauk and okoume each have natural grain and color, making them suitable for making small cutting boards, decorative panels, or handicrafts; The wood itself is easy to oil and polish, and the finished product has a superior texture
- Materials: the wood panel is made of solid wood with a unique and layered surface texture; After preliminary drying, it is suitable for turning, planing, cutting and gluing
- Wide Range of Applications: can be applied in woodworking, handicraft production, cutting board processing or as a carving and inlay material
The 2017 article says using poplar or soft maple for hidden parts could “cut by half the cost.” It provides no underlying price calculation or conditions, so that figure is not a current or universal saving; compare local prices and the amount of material your project requires.
Use scraps and sapwood before buying more
Check your scrap bin for sound, usable offcuts that fit the required dimensions. The article also suggests using sawn-off sapwood from the primary stock where it makes sense. Sorting what you already have before purchasing can reduce waste and the amount of new lumber needed.
Rank #2
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Consider alternatives for visible or partly hidden surfaces
Alder as a cherry alternative
The article describes alder as a lower-cost substitute for cherry, with minor color adjustments. Compare the actual boards you can buy: natural color and grain vary, so a sample finish is useful before committing to a large visible area.
Selected soft maple in partly obscured areas
Selected soft maple may serve as a visual stand-in for hard maple in bookcase backs, shelves, or case dividers that are partly covered or obscured. This is an appearance suggestion for those applications, not a claim that every soft-maple board will match hard maple.
Rank #3
- Ethically Sourced Exotic Hardwoods from South America
- Untreated Lumber Ends / Cut Offs from Sawmill
- All boards 1/2"-2" thick
- All boxes will include at least 2 different species and may include (but are not limited to); Purpleheart, Greenheart, Teak, Wamara, Darina, Ipe, Angelique & Wallaba
- Box measures 12” x 12” x 6 inches and is full of wood
Make color and figure part of the design
Dyes can help tame contrast between walnut and cherry sapwood, according to the 2017 article. It also describes dark gel stain as a way to counter poplar’s tendency toward blotchiness and give it a walnut-like appearance. The source does not give a tested stain schedule or project-specific finishing procedure, so try the intended finish on offcuts from the same stock first.
Secondary wood can also be visible by design. Soft maple may have curl or birdseye figure, and sapwood streaks can become deliberate patterns. Those features are possibilities, not guarantees: inspect and select boards for the effect you want rather than assuming a species will supply it.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Variety of Wood Species: this set of exotic wood boards contains four woods -zebrawood, purpleheart, , padauk, walnut, 1 of each of the 4 types of wood, a total of 4, enough to meet the needs of artistic creation( Friendly reminder: purpleheart needs to be placed in a well-ventilated area for a few days; It will turn purple
- Optimal Size: the single hardwood lumber measures about 12 x 4 x 0.75 inches/ 30.48 x 10.16x 1.91 cm; The uniform size is convenient for layout and splicing; This size is the good size for making woodworking processing
- Natural Textures: purpleheart, zebrawood, padauk and walnut each have natural grain and color, making them suitable for making woodworking processing, decorative panels, or handicrafts; The wood itself is easy to oil and polish, and the finished product has a texture
- Materials: the hardwood lumber board is made of solid wood with a unique and layered surface texture; After preliminary drying, it is suitable for turning, planing, cutting and gluing
- Wide Range of Applications: can be applied in woodworking, handicraft production, or as a carving and inlay material
Rank #4
- A Variety of Rare Wood Species: this set of wood boards contains four rare woods -purpleheart, zebrawood, padauk, okoume, 2 of each of the 4 types of wood, a total of 8, enough to meet the needs of artistic creation
- Optimal Size: the single strip measures about 18 x 2 x 0.75 inches/ 45.72 x 5.08 x 1.91 cm; The uniform size is convenient for layout and splicing; This size is the good size for making small cutting boards
- Natural Textures: purpleheart, zebrawood, padauk and okoume each have natural grain and color, making them suitable for making small cutting boards, decorative panels, or handicrafts; The wood itself is easy to oil and polish, and the finished product has a superior texture
- Materials: the wood panel is made of solid wood with a unique and layered surface texture; After preliminary drying, it is suitable for turning, planing, cutting and gluing
- Wide Range of Applications: can be applied in woodworking, handicraft production, cutting board processing or as a carving and inlay material
A practical selection checklist
- Identify the part: Is it hidden, partly obscured, or a prominent surface?
- Check suitability: Does the wood meet the part’s strength and stability needs? The source offers no engineering values or load ratings.
- Compare appearance: Look at the actual grain and color, especially for visible areas or proposed substitutes.
- Plan the finish: Test dyes or stain on a matching offcut; no universal finishing schedule is established here.
- Use existing stock: Check scraps and suitable sapwood before purchasing additional lumber.
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