Your dream dining table or dresser, armchair or four-poster bed – they will delight your eyes and heart, looking better with the years, if the wood is right. Wood is available in numerous varieties and qualities; it is essential to choose the correct type of wood for specific carpentry jobs such as customised furniture or cabinets and shelves. Solid wood can be broadly classified into hardwood (of flowering trees) and softwood (of evergreen trees) based on their strength and density. Different species of wood can be further classified as per the natural beauty of their grain, hardness, smoothness, and resistance to moisture and termites (white ants). Make sure that the wood is properly seasoned – this is a process where the wood is thoroughly dried for at least one month before it is used for carpentry.
Here are the most popular types of wood that are used for cladding, making furniture, doors, windows and other applications.
Teak

Teak wood is one of the most expensive types of hardwood that is used for fabricating premium-quality furniture.
Teak wood is used to create the designs of both modern and traditional furniture like beds, wardrobes, cabinets, tables, doors and so on. It is also used for exterior building cladding but the wood should be sealed properly when used outdoors.
Teak wood has enhanced properties – it is strong, durable, close-grained; it is resistant to termites and decay; and it has high resistance to water.
It is very easy to work with teak wood and achieve a very smooth finish in the furniture with polish, paint or varnish. However, it is advisable to use teak only in furniture which can be polished. To retain the fresh look of teak, one must re-polish the furniture periodically.
Teak wood is locally available in the state of Kerala and is imported from countries like Ghana and Myanmar (Burma teak). Seen in this image is furniture carved in Burma teak.

Indian rosewood (sheesham)

Rosewood is an expensive hardwood and is preferred for ornamental or intricately carved furniture. The beauty of rosewood lies in its reddish-brown colour and darker veining. Sheesham is one of the species of rosewood that is available and widely used in India.
This wood is used for crafting ornamental furniture, sofas, dining sets, classic kitchen cabinets, and so on.
Rosewood is close-grained, which makes it strong, durable and long-lasting. Additionally, it is resistant to decay and termites, and can withstand varying temperatures.
The wood easily takes up fine polish, which creates a smooth and premium finish.
Sheesham is commonly available in Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

Note: Walnut wood is native to Kashmir and widely used for carving Kashmiri furniture.

Indian mahogany

Indian mahogany is a tropical hardwood that is much cheaper than teak or rosewood.
Indian mahogany is used for creating mouldings and carved furniture.
Indian mahogany is strong, naturally resistant to termites, close-grained and takes up high polish.
This type of wood is native to the state of Manipur. Mahogany is extensively used and preferred for crafting carved furniture in eastern India,

Sal

Sal wood is a type of hardwood that is resistant to water.
It is the most appropriate wood for fabricating door frames, window frames and beams.
Sal wood is strong, tough, termite-resistant, dense, close-grained, tough and one of the most durable types of wood. The best thing about sal wood is that it becomes stronger and harder after ageing. Keep in mind that if sal wood is not seasoned properly it may bend and twis
Sal wood can be finished with paint or a protective coating but not with polish because of the presence of fine cracks within the wood.
It is grows extensively in Indian states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. It is also imported from Malaysia.

Marindi

Marindi wood is also known as white cedar and is extensively used for the inner supporting framework of upholstered or leather sofas and wooden partitions, which are further finished with plywood, veneer, laminate or paint.
Marindi is cheap and available in different grades. The better varieties of marindi can be used for fabricating basic furniture items.
Marindi is close-grained, sturdy, durable, requires little maintenance, is easy to work with and is highly resistant to termites.
It is used in the raw state (without paint or polish) when used as the structural framework of furniture. The wood can be finished with paint, polish or varnish when used for fabricating furniture pieces.
This type of wood is primarily sourced from Malaysia.