To shield building’s walls and roofs from the elements, wood shingles are thin, tapered pieces of wood. Historically, shakes, another name for shingles, were separated from straight-grained, knotless bolts of wood.

The hardest, most easily available wood species are used to create the greatest hardwood flooring. The flooring options of oak, maple, and cherry are all suitable. Other species include mahogany, walnut, ash, and bamboo, which is actually grass.