Foundations of Woodworking: Understanding Wood

The Wooden Boat School's Foundations of Woodworking series provides practicing and aspiring woodworkers with the fundamental knowledge and best practices that are essential for the craft. In this first course of the series, you explore the nature of wood as a material and its unique qualities, from living organism to lumber.

You learn about different common and exotic wood species and the properties that make each suited to different applications, whether for furniture making, cabinetmaking, carpentry, or boatbuilding.

The instructor also covers how raw wood is dried to become a usable material, how to prepare lumber for projects, how to store and treat wood, and more.