Materials

10-Guage Hot Rolled Steel

10-gauge (0.135" thick) hot rolled steel is a heavy duty and industrial-looking steel plate that has a slightly grainy surface as well as color and/or pattern variations, which makes each piece unique. 
 

The steel in our Vinyl Flip Bins has had holes drilled in it for the lag bolts that attach it to the base, the edges have been sanded smooth, and the steel has been cleaned and neutralized in a chemical bath.
 

Note that each piece of steel is unique, but both pieces in a Vinyl Flip Bin have been paired to be as similar as possible from an aesthetic standpoint. Customers can indicate if they’d like more of a “clean” look or a “weathered” look (my personal favorite) when ordering.

Ambrosia (Wormy) Maple

Ambrosia Maple, which is not a distinct species of wood, is typically a soft maple and is known for its unique, decorative appearance. It gets its name from the ambrosia beetles that bore into the trunk of the tree, leaving natural streaks of gray, brown, and black in  the surrounding wood. This interaction creates striking patterns and color contrasts, often resembling abstract art. The effect is similar to Spalted Maple, but the discoloration is isolated to the boring paths of the beetle. The small holes in the wood left behind by the beetles will be filled and stabilized with a black epoxy prior to sanding and finishing.
 

Ambrosia Maple is 700 to 950 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 30 to 38 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Canarywood

Canarywood, is a dense and durable hardwood found primarily in the Caribbean and Central America, particularly in regions like the Amazon rainforest. It is known for its striking appearance, with a warm golden-yellow to reddish-brown color and occasional darker streaks.  Highly prized for its strength, it is resistant to decay, making it ideal for outdoor use, furniture, and boatbuilding. Its natural oils give it a glossy finish, adding to its aesthetic appeal. Despite its beautiful appearance, working with Canarywood can be challenging due to its hardness, requiring specialized tools for cutting and shaping.

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Canarywood is 1,520 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 52 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Gombe

Gombe is a durable and versatile hardwood known for its rich, warm tones and fine grain patterns. Often found in regions with tropical or subtropical climates, it is valued for its strength and resistance to decay. Its smooth texture allows for easy finishing, enhancing its natural beauty. Due to its density and durability, Gombe wood is also used in construction and high-end woodworking projects.

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Gombe is 400 – 700 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 50 - 60 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Maple

Mahogany is a premium hardwood prized for its rich, reddish-brown color and exceptional durability. Sourced primarily from tropical regions like Central and South America, Africa, and Asia, it is known for its straight grain, smooth texture, and natural luster. It is resistant to warping, shrinking, and decay, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. It polishes well and deepens in color over time, enhancing its rich, warm appearance.

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Mahogany is 1,350 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 45 - 50 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Rhodesian Teak

Rhodesian Teak is a highly durable and dense hardwood native to southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Zambia. Renowned for its rich reddish-brown color with golden undertones, this wood features a fine, interlocked grain that gives it a smooth, attractive finish when polished. Rhodesian Teak is valued for its beauty, exceptional strength, natural oils, and resilience, but is considered a threatened species due to overharvesting, emphasizing the need for sustainable sourcing.

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Rhodesian Teak is 2,990 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 56 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Zebrawood

Zebrawood is a distinctive hardwood known for its striking appearance, characterized by dark brown to black streaks that run parallel to a light golden or yellowish background. This unique pattern resembles the stripes of a zebra, hence the name. Its medium to coarse texture and interlocking grain can sometimes make it challenging to work with, but it finishes beautifully with a high polish. The dramatic striping of Zebrawood is usually not confused with any other commonly-available hardwoods.

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Zebrawood is 1,830 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 50 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Rough Cut Lumber

Rough cut lumber is wood that has been sawn from a log and kiln dried, but not yet trimmed and planed to its final dimensions. Once sourced, the wood is then acclimated to the local environment (my garage) to accommodate for wood movement and warping, then milled (jointed, planed, trimmed, and sanded) to its final dimensions.

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Nominal, rough-cut lumber is sold by the board foot, which accounts for the thickness, width, and length of the wood. Think of this as volume. An 8/4 board is approximately 2” thick, whereas a 5/4 board is approximately 1 1/4” thick.

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The benefit of sourcing rough cut lumber is that you can select the best quality wood that has a more unique look, is more sustainable, and more durable than big box store bought wood. It will also require much less drying and acclimation and generally will be subject to less warping.

Bird's Eye Maple

Birdseye Maple, while not a distinct species of wood, is a hard maple that gets its name from tiny knots in the grain that resemble small bird’s eyes. It’s striking appearance is a result of localized growth anomalies, where new shoots are unable to fully form.  Its light, creamy color highlights the intricate and elegant patterns, making it a highly sought-after wood.
 

Birdseye Maple is 1,450 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 44 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Chechen

Chechen, which is also known as Black Poisonwood or Caribbean Rosewood, is a hardwood with straight grain and has a natural luster. Renowned for its striking appearance, it features a rich, varied color palette ranging from golden yellows and deep reds to dark browns, often with dramatic, swirling grain patterns. It is highly durable, dense, and resistant to decay and it’s natural luster and smooth finish add to its aesthetic appeal.

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Because of its unique color variations and fluorescent response under a blacklight, Chechen is not easily confused with other woods.

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Chechen is 2,400 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 55 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Honey Locust

Honey locust wood is a dense, durable hardwood known for its striking golden-brown to reddish hue, often with a wavy or figured grain pattern. It is heavy, strong, and resistant to rot and wear. Its interlocked grain provides a smooth finish when polished, though it can be challenging to work due to its hardness. While not as commercially popular as oak or maple, Honey Locust is prized for its resilience and natural beauty. 

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Honey Locust is 1,580 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 47 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Quarter Sawn White Oak

Quarter-sawn white oak is a premium hardwood known for its distinctive grain pattern and durability. The wood is cut at a 90-degree angle to the growth rings, which results in straight, vertical grain lines .It also features distinctive swirls, flakes, and rays that create a visually appealing texture, often with a slightly iridescent quality when light hits the surface. Quarter-sawn white oak is highly sought after for its strength, water resistance, and beautiful finish The wood has a light to medium brown color with subtle golden or reddish hues, offering a natural warmth and elegance. Its warm hue deepens with age, and it takes stains and finishes beautifully. Its rarity and distinctive appearance make it highly sought after by woodworkers.

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Quarter Sawn White Oak is 1,350 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 47 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Sapele

Sapele wood is a durable, medium-to-dark reddish-brown hardwood native to tropical Africa. It is a highly valued hardwood known for its rich reddish-brown color and fine, interlocking grain pattern. Sapele closely resembles mahogany, but is harder and denser than genuine mahogany, offering excellent resistance to rot, insects, and weathering. Sapele is durable, with a smooth texture and a moderate hardness, providing good resistance to wear. Additionally, Sapele has a subtle, pleasant aroma when cut, and its ability to take stain and polish makes it a popular choice for high-quality woodworking projects.

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Sapele is 1,360 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 42 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Reclaimed Wood 

Reclaimed wood refers to timber that has been salvaged from old buildings, structures, or furniture and repurposed for new uses. Often sourced from barns, factories, or warehouses, this wood carries a unique history, showing signs of age such as patina, nail holes, and weathered textures. Reclaimed wood is valued for its sustainability, as it helps reduce the demand for new timber and minimizes waste. It is commonly used in home décor, flooring, furniture, and architectural elements, offering a rustic, eco-friendly aesthetic. Its durability and distinctive character make it highly sought after for those looking for one-of-a-kind pieces.

Board Butter

Board Butter is essential to the maintenance of a quality serving board or charcuterie board. At Daffodil Designs, we make our own organic oil and wax Board Butter finish for our food grade products. Our Board Butter contains 100% food grade mineral oil and beeswax, but we also make Board Butter with food safe tung oil for outdoor use and additional water protection. 

Beeswax provides a durable, water-resistant layer, while mineral oil penetrates deep into the wood, preventing cracking and drying out. This finish maintains the luster, hydration, and the smooth, buttery feel of a newly finished Daffodil Designs product. 

Daffodil Designs Board Butter is included with each of our serving boards and can also be purchased separately in our Store. 

Black Walnut

Black Walnut wood is a dense, durable hardwood known for its rich, dark brown color with deep purple, gray, or reddish undertones. It has a fine, straight grain, though occasional wavy or curly patterns may appear, adding to its aesthetic appeal. The wood is prized for its strength, resistance to warping, and ability to accept finish. Black Walnut has a smooth texture and natural luster, which enhances its visual appeal when polished. Over time, it develops a deep patina, enhancing its luxurious appeal. Due to its rarity and high demand, Black Walnut is considered one of the most valuable domestic hardwoods in North America.

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Black Walnut is 1,010 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 38 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Curly Maple

While not a distinct species of maple, Curly Maple, also known as rippled maple, features rippling, wavy lines that create a three-dimensional effect resembling curls or flames. The tiger stripe, or curled pattern found in the wood is due to irregular growth patterns in the tree. Curly Maple is similar to Quilted Maple, but its curls are primarily perpendicular to the grain of the wood. 

Curly Maple is 700 – 1,450 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 30 - 44 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Mahogany

Mahogany is a premium hardwood prized for its rich, reddish-brown color and exceptional durability. Sourced primarily from tropical regions like Central and South America, Africa, and Asia, it is known for its straight grain, smooth texture, and natural luster. It is resistant to warping, shrinking, and decay, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. It polishes well and deepens in color over time, enhancing its rich, warm appearance.

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Mahogany is 1,350 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 45 - 50 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

Quilted Maple

Quilted Maple, also known as Blistered or Figured Maple, is a highly prized wood known for its striking, three-dimensional, wavy grain pattern that resembles rippling water or a quilted fabric.  This effect is caused by irregular growth in the wood fibers, primarily found in bigleaf maple trees. With a lustrous sheen and varying tones from golden amber to deep reddish-brown, its shimmering appearance becomes even more pronounced when polished or finished.

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Quilted Maple is 700 – 950 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 30 - 38 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.

White Oak

White Oak wood is a dense, strong, and durable hardwood that is highly valued for its versatility and aesthetic appeal. It features a light to medium brown color with a slightly reddish or golden hue. The grain of White Oak is generally straight and coarse, though it can have some waves or patterns, giving it a distinctive appearance. When White Oak is quarter sawn, meaning that it’s boards are cut perpendicular to the growth rings, a prominent ray fleck pattern may appear. Its high tannin content provides natural resistance to insects and fungi, further enhancing its longevity and versatility.

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White Oak is 1,350 pounds on the Janka Hardness Scale and weighs 47 pounds per cubic foot when fully dried.