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What woodworkers need now: inspiration, expertise and amazing selection (plus a few gift ideas!)

Where shopping locally takes you around the world
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Joshua Farquharson works on one of the more than 45 species of wood in store at Windsor Plywood Keating.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect species of wood for your next project, or want to expand your woodworking repertoire, you need three things: inspiration, expertise and the tools and materials for the job.

As the world becomes more connected, more wood species are available to the home woodworker, says Joshua Farquharson, manager of Windsor Plywood on Keating X Road, where you’ll find more than 45 species of wood in store.

The store stocks a full array of exotics from around the globe, including Teak from South Asia, African Wenge and the aptly named, purple-hued South American hardwood, Purpleheart.

For those who prefer to keep their shopping local, numerous domestic species are also available from Canada and the U.S., plus some harvested right here at home, including Western maple, a softer cousin to the eastern tree, whose beautiful figuring makes it a popular choice for mantels and live-edge products.

“While people often look to the exotics, you can get absolutely amazing figuring from domestic woods like cherry, ash and hickory,” Farquharson says.

Tap into a wealth of knowledge

Regardless of your project, chances are you’ll find what you’re looking for … and maybe some things you hadn’t considered.

Planning deck furniture or something for the boat? “Teak has a lot of natural oils in it which lends itself to being outside,” Farquharson says.

And that points to the other reason to shop the local experts: knowledge.

“From choosing the right wood to applying the best finish, we have helpful, knowledgeable staff who can walk you through your project from start to finish,” Farquharson says, noting you’ll find everything to create and finish your project in store.

What’s trending now?

Live-edge wood – where the natural edge of the wood is retained to create a unique, nature-designed piece – continues to inspire designers and woodworkers. Need ideas? Get inspired by Windsor’s in-store showpieces.

The perfect gifts for yourself or your favourite woodworker

Looking for the perfect gift for the woodworker on your Christmas list? Tops on Farquharson’s list is definitely a good-quality sander, he says. “It’s such an integral tool, but people tend to prioritize other tools like drills. They’ll never get the best finish that way,” he says.

For an indulgence, look for tools from Festool out of Germany – “the best-quality you can get” – or specialized carving blades from Australia’s Arbortech.

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Windsor Plywood, 2120 Keating X Rd., specializes in interior and exterior home finishing products including flooring, doors, mouldings, wood products and hard-to-source products. Any questions? Just ask! The Windsor experts are happy to help.

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Life-edge wood table.