Master chairmaker Mike Dunbar explains how important it is to select wood wisely for your project. For instance, chair parts serve distinct mechanical functions, and materials should be chosen accordingly. Fashion is a poor reason for selecting a wood, but strength, stability, appearance, workability, availability, price, and dimensions are reasonable factors.

Deciding which wood to use is typically the second step in the complicated process that results in a piece of furniture. We decide what we want to make, then choose materials. But this secondary step is of primary importance. There are good reasons to avoid certain woods in certain circumstances. Properties differ from one species of wood to another, making one type more suitable for a particular use than another.

A Windsor chair is a good example of how to take advantage of the properties of various woods. Customers regularly ask me to make a Windsor chair out of…