Woodworking Books

The Essential Wood Book
by Tim Snyder

The Essential Wood Book is about making the basics of using and choosing wood easier to understand. While some wood books can be overly scientific or bury you with an overflowing amount of exotic and hard-to-find woods you'll never use, this handy, accessible resource is perfect for anyone seeking information about the most essential woods needed to complete their next woodworking project. In addition to covering the top native American and exotic woods from Ash to Zebrawood, The Essential Wood Book also offers expert know-how for working with wood, rough lumber and plywood, understanding wood movement and other characteristics, finding unique wood sources, and storing and drying lumber. With lots of photos and useful information you can wrap your brain around, The Essential Wood Book is the ideal resource for woodworkers, carpenters, crafters, or DIY enthusiasts seeking the essential knowledge needed to work with wood.

Selecting and Drying Wood
by Editors of Fine Woodworking (Author)

Things have to be right about your lumber before it can be used. Choosing the wrong wood for a project or not ensuring its ready to be worked can cost you. These articles, from Fine Woodworking, will take the mystery out of selecting wood. Included is information on drying your own, alternative sources, protecting wood from the elements, and more.

Understanding Wood (Hard Cover)
R.Bruce Hoadley

In this essential reference for woodworkers, R. Bruce Hoadley explains everything from how trees grow to how best to cut, season, machine, join, bend, and finish wood. Why do miters open and glue joints loosen? How do you get a really sharp edge? Examples of problems and solutions help woodworkers puzzle through their own projects, while 325 full-color photos and helpful tables illustrate key points. Updated information on composite materials, adhesives, and finishes included.

Celebrating Birch
by North House Folk School

The Lore, Art and Craft of an Ancient Tree

If you're a woodworker, crafter, or artist who works with wood, this stunning new book from the North House Folk School, will fascinate, inform, and inspire you. In celebrating its 10th anniversary, the well-known woodworking and craft school in northern MN decided to salute the birch - also known as the "Mother Tree" because it's been vital to the survival of northern civilizations for centuries.

So, in addition to 20 beautiful and practical projects you can create - such as a turned wooden bowl, a carved box, and woven basket, to name a few - you will discover the rich history, the fascinating cultural myths, and the significant ecological status of this beautiful and legendary tree. In fact, after reading Celebrating Birch, you'll discover that the birch is more than just a tree or a raw material; it's a link to the past that enriches the life, heart, and mind of anyone who works with it.

How to Season and Dry Your Own Wood
by Alan Holtham

Wood may grow on trees, but it’s still expensive, especially for fine woodworkers in the market for high-quality lumber. Here’s the answer: an expert’s handbook on finding, processing, seasoning, and drying your own wood. Designed with the independent craftsperson in mind, it focuses on working with small loads—an approach neglected in most other books on this subject. There are tips on sources, as well as on how to select and prepare the wood to bring out the most desired grain patterns. A truly unique resource.