While the main structure of most of our boats is fiberglass, they still contain an amazing amount of wood. If you do your work, you will invariably be faced with choices between many different kinds of wood in order to get the job done.

Knowing the difference between those woods is important when it comes to completing small projects successfully. Is it easy to work with? How does it stand up to weather? How does it react when wet? Will it do the job you want it to do?

Rather than trust the answers to the local supply shop, it pays to actively choose your materials.

PAUL ESTERLELuan plywood is used for templates and in jobs that do not require strong wood. While entire volumes have been written about the beauty and utility of wood, there is no need to go back to school. Learning some simple basics will help you choose products that best suit your applications – and make your boat stronger.

PLYWOOD AND VENEER

Let's start with the most widespread kind of wood used on boats: plywood. There are a dizzying number of plywood types available – enough to warrant its own discussion (see link for sidebar).

Plywood is made of layers of wood veneer glued together to form a sheet. How that sheet is constructed will determine a great deal about its strength and how it will hold up in the marine environment.

Select a marine-grade plywood that is made with waterproof glue – you can test it by boiling a piece to see if the glue holds – and that is free of major defects. Another key factor in the quality of plywood is the number of plies making up the sheet. We have all seen cheap luan plywood available in home improvement stores, with a thick center ply and two very thin exterior plies. This should be avoided for serious jobs. Look for five or more plies for the best strength and stability.

Most species of wood are also available in veneers, sold by the square foot. Veneers can be molded or bonded to a flat surface, usually for decorative purposes. Marquetry, the art of producing designs for tables, cabinets and other furnishings using various colored woods, often uses veneers.

PAUL ESTERLEThis teak veneer was laminated to a paper backing to form a flat, flexible veneer sheet. Veneer is also available bonded to a phenolic paper backing. This paper-backed veneer is much more flexible and less likely to split than natural veneers. It can also be easily bonded using regular contact cement.

TEAK AND MAHOGANY

The premier boat wood has always been teak. A heavy, oily wood with high silica content, it has been used for boatbuilding for centuries.

Native teak stocks are declining, however, raising the cost. Plantation-grown teak is becoming more common, easing environmental concerns about deforestation.

Most marine stores carry a wide range of stock teak trim, including corners, battens and pin rails. Prefabricated units such as racks and drink holders are also available.

Because of teak's high silica content, it is hard on tools. Carbide toothed tools are best. Teak can also be somewhat brittle. It takes mechanical fasteners fine, but if you are using epoxy or other adhesive, wipe down the surface of the teak with acetone before gluing. This will remove some of the surface oil and give you a better bond.PAUL ESTERLETeak is available in as lumber, moldings and finished accessories in most marine stores.

Teak can be left unfinished in exterior applications. It gradually weathers to a light gray color. It offers easy maintenance, if you like that sort of thing. If you don't like that look, there is an incredible range of teak finishing products. Oils, varnishes and proprietary coatings abound.

One good way to start a discussion – or an argument – on any dock is to ask a group of sailors about the best teak coating. But you may learn a lot. Checking to see which coatings are working best in your area is a good idea.

Of course, there are less expensive alternatives to teak and mahogany is one good example. I have often used mahogany instead of teak to cut costs. If I want it to look like teak, I've found that the reddish color of the wood, in conjunction with Minwax Special Walnut Stain, mimics varnished teak well.

While there are many species identified as mahogany, African, Honduran and Philippine are the most common. Honduras or South American Mahogany is the classic furniture material, and it is getting more rare and expensive. African mahogany actually comprises at least five species, each with slightly different characteristics. Philippine mahogany is also a good boatbuilding wood if you can find it.

Most mahoganies are easy to work with power tools, sand well and finish beautifully. Some mahoganies have an interlocked and/or wavy grain that makes carving and machining more difficult. Rot resistance varies with the species, but is not as good as teak.PAUL ESTERLECypress used as ceiling strips. The dark strips are mahogany, which contrast nicely.

PINE, CEDAR AND CYPRESS

Many different varieties of wood can have use aboard a boat. Pine, for example, is cheap, available and easily worked with both hand and power tools. Pine can also be easily stained, painted or coated with epoxy.

There are several different species on the market, including ponderosa and white. I most often use pine for making accurate patterns, so I don't mis-cut more expensive woods.

It can also be useful in stringers or other reinforcements that require encapsulating wood in several layers of fiberglass. Pine or another soft wood is desirable in this application, rather than a hard wood. If a hard wood gets wet, it can expand with enough force to rupture to fiberglass. Pine or another soft wood will not have this problem.

There are several species of cedar suitable for use aboard a boat. Western Red Cedar is often used as planking in wooden boats. Alaskan Yellow Cedar is also a good boatbuilding lumber. Look for it in lumberyards that cater to deck builders.PAUL ESTERLEAsh plywood used as paneling in the main cabin. The contrasting window trim is teak.

I have used aromatic red cedar to line drawers and lockers on board. The wood is available in packages of three 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove planks. It can be glued in place using Liquid Nails adhesive. Not only does it smell great, the oils in the cedar repel insects.

Cypress is a great wood for boats, albeit a little on the soft side, with excellent rot resistance. It has good bending characteristics, too. I used ¼-inch x 2-inch strips of cypress to line the sides of a hull, replacing the original vinyl liner when it deteriorated.

As teak and mahogany prices continue to rise, along with concerns about over-harvesting, gone are the days of dark, all-teak interiors. Today, many builders are using light ash, cherry, walnut and birch trim and joinery.

As long as the wood is kept well varnished or otherwise protected from the marine environment, almost any cabinet-type wood can be used. Cherry, in particular, is becoming very popular below decks.

PAUL ESTERLEOak is used here as a structural reinforcement under a settee. My Matilda sloop, Ternabout, sports a galley top of birch plywood with walnut fiddles. It's been in place for over 10 years and looks as good as new. The walnut fiddles are striking against the light birch.

OAK, FIR AND SPRUCE

There are two basic types of oak – red and white – and they are extremely difficult to tell apart. White oak has been a favored boatbuilding wood since before the days of the Vikings. Red oak is much less rot resistant – and that is what you commonly find at your local home improvement store.

A strong wood, oak is good for reinforcements or cleats, as long as it is protected with paint or epoxy. Most oaks will turn black or discolor when wet. There is some evidence that the tannic acid in oak has a negative effect on epoxy joints but I have not experienced any problems.

Straight-grain Douglas fir is another good, high-strength wood that is also widely used in boatbuilding. It can be found at many lumberyards and home improvement stores. It has good bending strength and can be used for masts and spars.

Another wood used aloft is Sitka Spruce. Though many species are not particularly good for boatbuilding (spruce is commonly seen in cheap framing lumber), the fine, tight grain and high strength-to-weight ratio of Sitka Spruce have made it the preferred wood for spars and masts.

It is too expensive for many other uses aboard and not particularly durable in the marine environment. If you have a spruce spar, keep up the varnish work!

Paul Esterle is Technical Editor for Small Craft Advisor Magazine, and his freelance work has appeared in Sail, BoatWorks, Voyaging and Good Old Boat magazines. He has produced a series of boating videos and lectures widely. He also works at West Marine and has written product reviews for the company.