Furniture wood

• Oak

  Hard, figured, expensive — tops, doors; tannins darken with metal and moisture.

• Ash

  Springy, light — chairs, handles, veneer; better flex than oak, similar figure.

• Beech

  Even figure, bends — bent parts, tools; fears outdoor moisture.

• Alder/maple

  Alder — easy work, even tone for staining; maple — hard, white — tops, boards.

• Softwoods

  Pine/spruce — frames, rough furniture; knots bleed under paint, exude resin.

For a first piece — alder or beech: forgiving of mistakes, stable under finish. Oak is beautiful but 'taints' metal and demands strict grain direction when routing.