Replies

1. 
   JFink | Apr 03, 2006 04:58am | #1

   Have you looked at the price of holly? Prepare to pay lots and lots of money!

   Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

1. 
   Yersmay | Apr 03, 2006 07:02am | #2

   JFink,Thanks for the reply... yes, it'll be expensive but I won't need that much... some drawer fronts and a face frame for some cabinetry in a small alcove... plus the frame of a medicine cabinet. I'm not yet sure of the design but I would like to know more about how this species behaves when it's milled, if it works easily or not, and how it might do in a bathroom if it's properly finished. That will help me settle in on all kinds of decisions. Thank you again!

2. 
   forestgirl | Apr 03, 2006 08:24am | #3

   You might want to look into the properties of aspen.  It has a similar look, doesn't it?  (I'm guessing here).  My recollection is that holly is a little squirrely and hard to get dried right.  Isn't it mostly used for small accent pieces and such? 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

3. 
   Floss | Apr 03, 2006 03:54pm | #4

   I would think about using a combination of solid and veneer for such a project since solid holly is relatively hard to find that is suitable for building with.

   http://certainlywood.com has a good selection of veneer. I just bought some 1/16 inch holly veneer from them that is very nice.

   Good luck with your project.

   J.P.

   http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com
4. 
   AdamCherubini | Apr 03, 2006 04:10pm | #5

   Holly is weak and instable.  Its difficult to dry without cracking/checking.  Its buttery white when freshly cut with a touch of green in it.  The green browns after a time (or with finish).  I've never seen boards of it.  Its very slow growing.  I wouldn't trust it as a drawer front, especially in a bathroom unless it were very straight grained (like riven) and QS.  You could try screwing the front to a drawer.  I have quite a bit of it and have carved it, turned it, tried to make tool handles out of it, etc.

   Since holly has no grain to speak of,  you may do just as well painting tulip the color you want.  BTW, tulip isn't particularly stable either.  Because of their similar color, both tulip and holly were used as stringing in 18th c furniture.

   Adam

1. 
   Yersmay | Apr 03, 2006 05:45pm | #6

   Thank you all for the responses... As disapppointing as it is to now know this, it looks like holly would be an unlikely species to choose for a lot of reasons. Back to the drawing board... but I'm glad to know this before rather than after trying to build what I have in mind.