A common domestic hardwood with very tight dense grain, maple ranges from white to pale yellow when finished. It is very strong and durable.

A very common domestic hardwood, popular in American furniture. Cherry lasers with very high contrast and changes from pink when cut to deep dark brown over time.

Black walnut is among the darkest domestic species of hardwood. It can range from tan to deep chocolate in color and is widely used in elegant work.

A base tone similar to Black Walnut, Claro is known for having a wilder figure and being peppered with streaks of color. It is one of the few native California hardwoods to be harvested commercially.

Pine refers to many related species of American soft woods, and varies widely in color and hardness by region. Usually pale yellow to white brown it is soft and has strong growth rings and knot holes.

Along with pine, fir is commonly used in construction and is one of the most widely used and most affordable domestic species. Usually light brown with clear growth rings, it is fairly soft.

Alder is a very common and affordable domestic hardwood. It is a favorite of laserists as well because it burns very dark, creating high contrast engravings.

Very tight, clear grain with an even light brown tone. Beech is very commonly used in modern European furniture and interior design.

Red oak is by far among the most popular woods used in American furniture and interiors. It is affordable, strong, and has a classic wood grain pattern with clear growth rings and open pores.

White oak is very popular for interior design. It is pale yellow when oiled, and when cut with the grain (flat sawn) it displays clear growth rings and has many open pores.

White oak is very popular for interior design. It is pale yellow when oiled, and when cut against the grain (quartersawn) it displays "ray fleck," shiny irridescent patches.

A unique and striking lace-like grain pattern, Lacewood is pricey but makes a nice accent to many projects. When polished the flakes can be almost irridescent.

Ranging from jet black to very dark brown, ebony is one of the most prized exotic woods in the world. It is very dense and difficult to cut on the laser.

Despite its funny name, Monkey pod is a beautiful wood. Known for a wild figure and heartwood, many pieces resemble brown marble. It is a tropical species, but grows invasively in California.

Very dense, among the hardest domestic hardwoods. It ranges from yellow to medium brown. While very durable it is prone to splintering.

"Gum" trees are a family of domestic hardwoods. They are on the softer side, and have pronounced streaks, sometimes akin to an impressionist painting.

Used in outdoor decks and furniture, teak is one of the most naturally weather proof and toughest woods in common use. Light to medium brown with a sometimes green cast.

Very strong and lightweight, western cedar is known for its smell, tight pinstripe grain pattern and light weight. It is often used to make boxes and drawers.

Poplar is a popular wood for painting because of its tight, even grain. Among hardwoods it is on the softer side and cuts easily, it is also one of the most affordable species of domestic wood.

Though it looks plain when raw, when cut and sanded it has a shockingly bright yellow color. It is also quite hard and durable. While somewhat pricey, but makes a great accent wood.

Mahogany is a term applied to a whole family of woods - all of them are reddish brown, have a ribbon-like grain structure, and have visible pores on the surface.

Cedar is most famous for its strong smell and deep red color with white streaks. Cedar is widely used as a "rustic" accent for interior design, with its sometimes wild grain and large knot holes.

Among the softest woods in the world, balsa wood is very easy to cut and it engraves well. It is commonly used to make scale models for architecture.

Ash wood is among the hardest domestic species. It had very clear growth rings, and the color can range from medium brown to near white. The most famous use of ash wood is for making baseball bats.

Almost black, wenge is second only to ebony as one of the darkest woods in the world. Unlike ebony, however, wenge has a strong and interesting grain pattern. It is also very dense and durable.

Noted for its distinct dark brown and pale stripes, zebrawood is a beautiful and dense tropical wood. While pricey, it makes a great accent for many projects.