Can You Build Furniture With Green Wood?

Are you wondering if you can build your furniture with green wood? Is it possible, and is it worth it? What is green wood anyway, and is it bad for furniture?

It is generally not recommended to create furniture. However, green wood is generally cheaper and more environmentally-friendly than regular wood. This is because green wood is less durable and can warp and crack. Also, it is more susceptible to mold and harder to paint.

If you want to learn more about using green wood for building furniture, whether it is a good idea and why by listing its pros and cons, and what types of projects using it is good for, continue reading this article.

Table of Contents

What Is Green Wood?

Green wood is wood that was just cut from the tree. In other words, green is used as a synonym for fresh. The wood itself is not a green color. Freshly cut wood will still retain its natural moisture because there is no time for that moisture to evaporate.

Generally, wood is dried in either two ways. It can be left to dry out naturally, or the process can be sped up by placing the wood in kilns. Warm air is then used to help the moisture dry. Wood dried in kilns will generally retain a little less moisture than wood dried naturally in the sun. Either way, green wood generally has five times as much moisture as dried wood, which only retains around a fifth of its natural moisture.

Generally, kiln-dried wood is the type of wood used for construction. This is because it is less moist and can guarantee consistency that natural drying can not.

If you want to learn more about the kiln drying process, watch this short Youtube video:

Using Green Wood for Woodworking – Pros and Cons

Although dried wood is more commonly used for woodworking, green wood is sometimes used as well. This is often known as green woodworking. There are many benefits of using green wood for woodworking and creating furniture and some disadvantages.

Pros of Using Green Wood for Woodworking

Why use green wood for woodworking? Here are the pros of green woodworking:

Easier to shape: Since the wood is soft, it is easier to shape the wood without cracking it. It is also easier to split the wood into controlled, even splits. On the other hand, regular wood is more brittle since it is dry. For that reason, it can sometimes crack or split unevenly.
Tighter joints: Green wood is still moist. Since it has not dried yet, it also has not shrunk yet. Instead, some moisture will evaporate while it is being worked on and cut. This will lead to shrinkage at that time. You can use this shrinkage to your advantage by forcibly drying part of the joint when working on a project while leaving the encapsulating component moist. The tension between the two parts will ensure a tighter joint.
No dust: Working with green wood instead of regular wood will offer you a cleaner woodworking experience. You will not have to deal with dust from shavings as much.

Less energy usage: Although standard wood that is dried in the sun does not require energy usage, most wood used for construction is dried in kilns. However, green wood does not require the usage of kilns. This helps reduce energy usage.
Better for forests: Green wood often comes from coppicing. This process involves opening up the canopy of an area while keeping the stumps and/or roots in place. This allows new shoots to grow from the roots. This is possible with many trees species. It is a forest management method that reduces forestation and helps preserve the environment.
Support local dealers: Often, using green wood helps you support local laborers and dealers.

Less expensive: Green wood is often cheaper than regular wood since you do not need kilns to produce it. Less labor is also required.
Darker woods retain their color better: Darker woods can lose some of their colors when drying. Using green wood can allow you to avoid this problem. On the other hand, lighter woods tend to retain their color better when dried, so that the opposite would be right.

Cons of Using Green Wood

Nothing is without its cons, and green wood is no different. There are certainly several drawbacks to consider when thinking about using green wood to create furniture.

Furniture made from green wood can warp: Remember, green wood is still moist. This moisture will not stay there forever. As green wood dries out, furniture made from that wood can warp and become distorted. For the creation of furniture, this is perhaps the biggest drawback of using green wood.
It can crack: As the wood dries out, it can also crack. This can ruin your furniture.
It is harder to paint: It is harder to paint green wood. Since it is moist and soft, the paint will have a harder time sticking to it. Since you probably want to paint your furniture, you might want to skip green wood.

It does not burn well: If you plan on using your leftover wood for firewood, green wood is not a good choice. Since it is moist, it will not burn well.
Gaps between parts: This is also due to shrinkage. You might nail two parts together, but after they shrink, they may pop off from each other.
Mold can grow: Mold and mildew can grow anywhere where moisture is present. Green wood is no different. Since it is not dry like regular wood, it is more susceptible to mold and mildew growth. Although this is a problem with any furniture, it is a bigger problem if you create furniture for your bathroom or laundry room, where more moisture is likely to be present. Mold and mildew can cause health risks.

Decay can occur: Regular dried wood is often treated to help it resist infestation and decay. Water and insect infestation can cause green wood to decay quicker than regular wood. As such, furniture created with green wood may not last as long as it is created with dried wood.

What Types of Projects Is Green Wood Good For?

While not that great for furniture, green wood is still good for many other projects. For example, cedar fences are usually made out of green wood boards. Since they are so thin, there is not much to worry about in terms of shrinkage.

Can You Build Furniture With Green Wood?

Other times, you may want to achieve a certain look that can only be achieved with green wood. This is very specific, and if you have never worked with green wood before, you may not be familiar with this look.

Another reason to use green wood is to practice your woodworking skills. As mentioned, several woodworking techniques can be applied when using green wood. The only way to master these techniques to use them in the future is to practice green wood.

Conclusion

So, can you create furniture with green wood? You definitely can, but it is not recommended. For both indoor and outdoor furniture, it is best to stick to dried wood. Although kiln-dried wood is usually used for construction, you can use air-dried wood for your furniture. It is more environmentally-friendly and may be cheaper than kiln-dried wood. It will also not come with the disadvantages of green wood.

Sources

Hansen Pole Buildings: GREEN LUMBER VS. DRY LUMBER