Hadwood mystique is marketable

ARDV/OOD is perceived as fine, luxurious. beautiful. durable and expensive by most consumers, but with a linle effort a dealer can convince his customers that it is also a tough, hardworking, available and often inexpensive material.

The availability of hardwood and the fact that it is a renewable resource cannot be over emphasized. There are 20,000 known hardwoods worldwide. Approximately 4900 are available to be used by man although at present there are only 75 considered commercially important.

The growth of hardwood species in the Uniled States is concentrated on the hcific Coast and the Eastern halfofthe country predominantly in the southern states. Mexico and South America are two other principal hardwood producers in this hemisphere. Eastern Canada also grows some hardwood.

Some seven varieties of hardwood are found in the area labeled the Facif,rc Coast Forest. These include alder, laurel, maple, myrtle, the redwood burl, walnut and yew. The Southern Forest, which includes 16 states, has abundant supplies of 17 species and limited supplies of about a dozen other hardwoods. Hardwoods found in that area include ash, beech, cottonwood, cypress (not really a hardwood, but graded as a hardwood in the south), elm, red and sap gum, tupelo, hackberry hickory, magnolia, soft maple, oak, pecan, sycamore, yellow poplar, willow, basswood, black cherry, black walnut, catalpa, holly, honey locust, persimmon, red bay, red cedar, red mulberry, sassafras and southern white cedar.

Thken as a group, the oaks, both red and white, represent the most important commercial segment of hardwood forests in the United States. Other commercially viable hardwoods from the eastern part of the nation include ash, basswood, beech, birch, cherry, hickory, hard and soft maple, yellow poplar and walnut. Alder probably has the most commercial significance ofthe hardwoods native to the Pacific Coast.

Hardwood is important in our daily lives, often in inconspicuous, little known uses. Most people readily associate hardwood with flooring, paneling and furniture. Those familiar with boats know that a lot of hardwood is used in boat building including teak decks and handsome hardwood interiors and trim. But not many relate hardwood with pallets and other mundane uses in the world of manufacturing, often as heavy timbers.

Story at a Glance

4,000 species of hadwood available 75 commercially important ... hardwood veneer use traced to Romans hardwood furniture found in tombs of Pharaohs ... hardwood lore can help make sales.

shook and engravers blocks are a few of these uses.

Model airplanes rely on balsa, a hardwood. Toys with wooden seats, handles and parts also are made ofhardwood for durability and lack of splinters. Novelties such as giftware, accessories for the home, handles for cutlery art objects and even jewelry are often made from hardwood.

In addition to paneling, flooring and furniture, home uses include doors, woodwork, cabinets. Stores and office buildings also use a lot of hardwood, for paneling, casework, flooring, fixtures and furniture.

Veneer and plywood are two widely used forms of hardwood. Veneer is a thin layer of wood of uniform thickness produced by peeling, slicing or sawing logs, bolts or flitches. The more beautiful species of veneer are used as face veneer in furniture and paneling. Strong species are used for inner layers ofhardwood plywood.

Matched veneers with beautiful patterns utilizing the wood grain are said to date back to the Romans. Techniques similar to those in use today to craft furniture with exotic veneer inlays and plywood components arenearly asold as civilization. Furniture found in the tombs of Pharaohs testifies to the lasting value of hardwood.

Hardwood touches the active life of almost every sports enthusiast. Baseball bats. hockey sticks and tennis racquet frames all use hardwood. Gun stocks also are made ofhardwood. The best wooden golf club heads and shafts are crafted of persimmon and dogwood, both hardwoods.

Hardwood provides strength in common objects that everyone uses, but seldom associates with hardwood. The interiors ofsuitcases, tool handles, box

Customers are intrigued with the romance and history of hardwood as well as its importance in daily living. Teach your salespeople to sell more than lumber when they are dealing with hardwood. The fascination and romance of hardwood often is equal in importance to appeaftmce and durability in the mind of a customer.

The hardwood industry needs to let people know that hardwood is the most beautiful. durable. versatile and available wood on the market. Why not start with your customers?