When I was a kid, I remember learning the star constellations and thinking how much smarter it made me feel knowing those invented names to star patterns in the sky. I think it’s more the feeling of having a connection with the ancient world that was really the cause of feeling so much smarter; after all it wasn’t too hard to learn. I got the same feeling when I started to learn about woodworking. It’s really a beautiful trade. I really like the smell of the wood when you cut it, and the texture and the feel of the wood in your hands, and the amazing realization that you have moulded a block of wood into something with form and a purpose.

The most important characteristic of wood is its grain. A piece of cut lumber gets its stability from how the tree rings are angled in relation to the face of the board. Look at the end of the piece of wood you are examining.
· If the rings of the original tree run anywhere from being parallel to the face to at about a 30° angle this is called flatsawn lumber stock. It’s the most common cut, but you have to be careful with this, as changes in humidity will cause the wood to curve along that very same tree ring arc.
· Riftsawn lumber has rings that travel between 30° and 60°.
· Quartersawn lumber has rings between 60° and 90° and these are the most stable pieces of lumber you can find.

Remember: When you are cutting wood, you must always cut it with the grain. If you are staining wood, the inner rings will soak up more stain than outer rings, and look darker.

A 2 x 4 will be a solid piece of wood, but you can buy wood in many other types of formats. There are pieces of lumber that are manufactured. Particleboard is made from wood chips, dust and shavings pressed together with glue. It is the cheapest to produce. Often particleboard will have a wood veneer applied to the surface to make it look more like the wood that we are used to seeing. A drawback is that if particleboard gets wet, it will balloon outward

Plywood is made from thin sheets of veneer pressed together the grains of the different sheets are placed so they run in separate directions to increase the strength. Plywood is resistant to shrinking, cracking and warping and is more flexible than solid wood. There are several variations for plywood that are used for different applications.

Pressure treated wood can be used outdoors and most people use it to build their decks and privacy fences as it resist rotting as well as attacks from animals insects and fungi. You have to be careful when working with these type of treated wood, that splinters do not get in your skin as the process of treating the wood is quite harsh and can cause irritation and serious harm.

There are engineered plastics that take the form of wood so you can use it to build your deck, it looks and feels like wood, and yet it is totally plastic and obviously has the resilience and strength you would expect of plastic. It comes in a variety of styles to suit your taste. The closer the plastic resembles real wood, the more expensive it becomes.

This is the briefest of introductions to woodworking, I hope it is enough to pique your curiosity so you investigate on the ways it can help with your projects.

1.    The kitchen

It’s a well-known fact that the kitchen is one of the main rooms that sells a property. If yours is a bit tired and run-down it’s time to spruce it up. If you don’t have a whole load of cash to spend on fitting an entire new kitchen, don’t worry – it is possible to make your kitchen more appealing simply using a few DIY techniques.

• Tiles – if your tiles are outdated you can give them a fresh new look by using tile paint. It’s easy to apply – just watch out for drips as these will stand out. Once you’ve painted the tiles you can then get hold of a grouting pen to re-draw the lines of the grouting in between each time.
• Cupboards – old cupboards can really bring a kitchen down, so why not cover them in a laminate – watch out for air bubbles – or paint them. Laminate coverings probably work best in a modern-style kitchen while painted cupboards can give an older-style kitchen a more country farmhouse feel.
• Work Surfaces – Dream kitchens come with gorgeous work surfaces like granite or marble, but these don’t come with a gorgeous price tag. What’s more, getting new worktops fitted can cost a small fortune – probably more than your holiday home insurance. However, there are worktops out there that can be fitted over your old work surfaces so the whole process is relatively stress-free. Yes, it’ll probably be your biggest expense, but the look will be the pay-off.

2.    The bathroom

As well as the kitchen, it’s the bathroom that potential buyers are drawn to. So make sure yours looks as good as it can and you’ll be on the way to selling your home.

• Mouldy sealant – Sealant around baths and showers can easily get discoloured by mould so make sure yours is nice and new when your buyers come to view your property. Sealant is pretty easy to apply – especially if you use a sealant gun. Just make sure you allow 24 hours between applying the sealant and using the bath or shower as it will need time to dry.
• Size – if you’re concerned that your main bathroom is on the small side, there are things you can do to help make it look bigger. For instance, paint it in a light, neutral shade and if you’re planning on re-tiling it make sure you opt for larger tiles as the smaller the tiles the busier the room looks. Add mirrors to reflect light and also create the illusion of space. And finally, de-clutter your bathroom as much as possible and store all your bath products out of sight.

3. Paintwork

If your home hasn’t been decorated for the last few years and you really want to sell, it’s wise to invest your time, effort and a bit of cash on paint. Maybe you have a teenager who decided it would be a great idea to paint their room black. However, in terms of attracting buyers, a black bedroom is not a good look. All they’ll see is a mammoth effort required on their part to paint over the black. So if you’ve got any rooms painted in dark, bold colors show them some attention and give them a few licks of paint in a more neutral, lighter shade.

4. Exterior

What’s the first thing people coming to your house see? The outside – so make sure it’s pleasing on the eye. Even if you can’t afford to spend a fortune, you could always invest in a couple of large planters to frame your front door. And the great thing about plants in pots is that you’ll be able to take them with you when you leave. Also, make sure the lawn is cut, leaves are raked, and if you can, give your driveway a power hose so it looks nice and fresh. Finally, if there’s any loose guttering, make sure you fix that as broken fixtures and fittings really stand out as an eyesore for buyers.