Walk into any timber yard and you’re immediately confronted with choices that make no sense: “DAR pine” vs “dressed all round,” nominal 90mm boards that measure 68mm, and price-per-lineal-metre signs that mean nothing until you understand what you’re actually buying. This guide explains the five best beginner woods in plain English, what they cost, and which one you should use for your first project.
The 5 Best Woods for Beginners
| Wood | Cost (approx.) | Workability | Best For | Where to Buy in Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine (DAR) | $4–$8/lineal metre | Excellent — soft, easy to cut and sand | Shelves, frames, furniture, practice projects | Bunnings, Mitre 10, timber yards |
| Poplar | $6–$10/lineal metre | Very good — slightly harder than pine, paints well | Painted furniture, cabinet boxes, drawer sides | Specialist timber yards, online |
| Oak | $18–$35/lineal metre | Moderate — requires sharp tools, but rewarding | Heirloom furniture, tabletops, hardwood accents | Timber yards, hardwood specialists |
| Plywood (structural/CD) | $35–$80/sheet (2400×1200) | Excellent — stable, consistent, holds screws well | Cabinets, shelving, workbenches, flat-pack furniture | Bunnings, Mitre 10, hardware stores |
| MDF | $25–$55/sheet (2400×1200) | Very good — cuts cleanly, no grain, heavy | Painted cabinetry, shelves, jigs, templates | Bunnings, Mitre 10, hardware stores |
The Nominal vs Actual Sizing Problem
This trips up every beginner at least once. When you see “90 × 45mm pine” at Bunnings, those numbers refer to the nominal (pre-dressing) size. After the mill planes it smooth on all four sides (DAR = Dressed All Round), the actual measurement is smaller — often by 20mm or more.
Common Australian nominal vs actual sizes for DAR pine:
- 90 × 45mm nominal → approximately 70 × 35mm actual
- 140 × 45mm nominal → approximately 120 × 35mm actual
- 190 × 45mm nominal → approximately 168 × 35mm actual
Always measure the board with a tape measure before designing your project around it. Do not design a shelf using nominal dimensions or your cut list will be wrong before you even start.
Pine: The Best Beginner Wood
Pine (usually radiata pine in Australia) is the best starting point for almost every beginner. It’s the cheapest structural timber, available everywhere, and cuts easily with both hand and power tools. You can nail it, screw it, glue it, and sand it without much drama.
The downsides of pine are real but manageable:
- Blotching when staining: Pine absorbs stain unevenly, especially around knots. Use a pre-stain wood conditioner before any oil-based stain, or choose a gel stain, which sits on the surface rather than soaking in.
- Knots: Structural pine from Bunnings often contains knots. These are fine for painted projects but look rough under clear finishes. Source “clear pine” or “furniture grade pine” from specialist yards if you want a clean look.
- Soft: Pine dents and scratches more easily than hardwoods. For tabletops or surfaces that take heavy use, consider a thicker stock or a more durable topcoat.
Poplar: The Underrated Beginner Wood
Poplar is slightly harder than pine, machines beautifully, and paints so well that professional cabinet makers often use it for painted furniture. It’s not commonly stocked at Bunnings — you’ll usually need a specialist timber yard — but it’s worth seeking out when you want a painted result and a cleaner build.
The main downside: poplar has a greenish tinge and uneven colour. It looks rough under clear or stain finishes. Stick to poplar for painted projects only.
Oak: When You’re Ready for Hardwood
Oak is the classic furniture hardwood for good reason. It’s strong, stable, takes stain beautifully, and produces furniture that can genuinely last generations. American white oak (the most common variety available in Australia) has an open grain that takes oil and wax finishes exceptionally well.
The challenge: oak costs 3–5x more than pine per board, requires sharper tools, and blunts tool edges faster. It’s not the wood to learn on. Build 5–10 projects in pine first, then graduate to oak when you understand how your tools behave and how to manage grain direction.
Plywood: The Most Practical Sheet Goods
Plywood is made from layers of wood veneer glued at perpendicular angles, which makes it dimensionally stable — it doesn’t warp or move the way solid wood does. For beginners building cabinets, bookshelves, or storage boxes, plywood is often the most practical choice.
In Australia, you’ll see several plywood grades:
- F7 Structural: Cheapest, rough face, fine for painted work or hidden applications
- CD Structural: One “C grade” face, one “D grade” — use C-face for the visible side
- Hardwood Face Ply: Birch or Hoop Pine face veneer — looks great with a clear finish
Plywood edges show the laminate layers and require edge banding, solid wood edging, or paint to look finished.
MDF: Cheap, Flat, and Paintable
MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) is made from compressed wood fibre and resin. It has zero grain, a perfectly flat surface, and cuts so cleanly that CNC machines run on it exclusively for templates and cabinet doors. It paints beautifully — the grain-free surface produces a factory-smooth finish that solid wood can’t match without extensive filling.
The downsides of MDF are significant:
- Heavy: A full sheet of 18mm MDF weighs about 40kg — more than equivalent plywood
- Water sensitive: MDF swells and crumbles when wet. Never use it in bathrooms or outdoor applications
- Screw holding near edges is poor: Screws near the edge strip out easily. Use pocket hole screws and quality wood glue to compensate
- Dust is a health hazard: Always wear a quality dust mask (P2 rating minimum) when cutting or sanding MDF
Which Wood Should You Use for Your First Project?
Use pine. Specifically, buy 90×45mm DAR pine from Bunnings. It costs around $5–$7 per lineal metre, comes in consistent dimensions, and you can return defective pieces without hassle. A simple bookshelf or small workbench can be built from pine in a weekend for under $60 in timber costs. Once you’ve built one project and understand how wood moves, cuts, and finishes, you’ll be ready to choose the right material for each future project on its merits.
Learn What to Build With Each Wood
Knowing which wood to buy is only half the puzzle. The other half is having a solid project plan with proper cut lists and assembly instructions. Ted’s Woodworking includes thousands of beginner-friendly project plans that specify exactly which timber to use, in what dimensions, and why — so you’re not figuring it out from scratch every time.
