REVIEW: Species Solutions app

If you’re a woodworker you need wood, and knowing which species and wood products to select, and find in the quantities you need, is a must.

Species Solutions by Wood Solutions is a free-to-download app that punches way above its weight in terms of the information it offers.

There are various ways to search and cross-reference for information. For example, click ‘Species & Material’s to access lists of hardwoods (88), softwoods (17) and wood products, such as engineered structural timbers, plywoods and fibreboards (15). Each comes with its own description.

Under ‘Hardwoods’, you can click on a species such as ‘Ash, Crow’s’ for an overview of its appearance, distribution, availability, usage and working properties. Technical properties are also listed in an expanded menu.

You can take this a step further by going into ‘Compare Species’ – select certain species, hit ‘compare’ and the app will create a table of comparison.

Under the main Applications menu you’ll find overviews and extensive technical information relating to woods and wood products used in exterior, interior and structural applications. Builders, joiners, carpenters, furniture makers and educators will find useful facts and data here.

Timber and wood product suppliers are listed via specific searches, ie by keywords, by state or business type.

There are further links to access the Wood Solutions website where you can access a trove of technical fact sheets and publications that relate to standards, codes, ratings and technical design guides.

Altogether, this app is the gateway to a huge and wide-ranging resource for timber users – and best of all, it’s free.