Wood grain identification takes time to learn.
Wood grain identification takes an experienced eye, but there are some broad indicators that you can use to classify some of the most commonly used species. Oak, ash, cherry, maple and mahogany have the most typical grain patterns that you might see in woodworking. There are hundreds of other exotic hardwoods, however, with a multitude of grain patterns. If you stick with a few common wood types, you can easily recognize their patterns.
Instructions
1. Look down the wood lengthwise. If the grain is running in straight, tight lines, with few knots or variations and is a light-red color, you are looking at mahogany.
2. Look down the grain lengthwise. Cherry is also a light-to-dark red color but the grain lines are black. They are wider and the grain lines curve to the side and terminate only to start over again. Cherry is characterized by black specks and small pockets of black interspersed through the grain.
3. Hold the wood up and look down the grain. If the the wood is a light-white color with almost no grain pattern at all, you are probably looking at maple. Maple has some grain, but the lines are very fine. They can be light-gray to a light-brown color. What few grain lines there are will be curvy and some will form small circles, or even numerous circles. Maple is extremely hard and heavy.
4. Check the grain pattern by holding the wood up. If the wood has broad, black crazy lines that curve into circles, swirls or zig-zag, lightening-like patterns, you are looking at ash. Ash has one of the most complicated grain patterns of all the species. The dark grain is set into a honey-colored background.
5. Check the grain by looking at the face of the wood. Oak has grain similar to ash, but it runs tighter, with more straight sections and will not curve and form wild patterns like ash. Oak is characterized by small flecks of gray or black between grain lines. The grain lines are black, but can also be gray. Oak is often confused with ash, but the color of oak ranges from a light red to pink instead of amber, like ash.
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