THE TIMBER

Four woods, chosen because they behave. Each one moves, darkens and marks differently, and the difference is worth knowing before you choose.

Black walnut

Dark, even, forgiving. Ages toward honey rather than away from it, and hides a scratch better than anything else on this list.

Cherry

Starts pale and darkens for years in daylight. A cherry board that has lived in a kitchen for a decade is a different color from the one that left here.

Hard maple

Pale and dense. Takes a burnished finish and shows a knife mark honestly, which some people want and some people do not.

White oak

Open grain, tough, handles water well. The one to ask for if a piece is going to be used hard.