Since the earliest days of furniture-making, woodworkers have saved their premium stock for where it counts—drawer fronts, face frames, tabletops—relegating less expensive material to the hidden parts of their work—drawer sides, case backs, and web frame members, for example. This lesser but no less crucial material has become known as “secondary” wood. Depending on your locale, nearly any type of wood might be considered secondary, provided it is plentiful enough and relatively inexpensive. But across the country, three species usually are tapped for these purposes: pine, poplar, and soft maple.