But plywood with a top veneer may be appropriate for large surfaces as in an armoire, kitchen cabinet, or table top. Plywood is easily available, convenient, and less expensive. Lacking the firmness to bear heavy loads, it shouldn t be used for more than 30 inches of unsupported shelving. Medium-density particle board also has its place in more utilitarian projects, though certainly no snob appeal. Plywood and particle board, being very flat and stable dimensionally, are excellent bases under a veneer of an exotic species not available as solid lumber.
Local lumberyards carry mostly softwoods and plywoods.
Clear pieces without knots are as expensive as hardwood but work more easily. They may carry limited sizes of oak, often very expensive if you compute the price per board-foot. Otherwise you will need to find a hardwood lumberyard. Pick out your own boards at the yard, if you can, to get the best grain and the most suitable width and thickness available from sometimes limited stocks. Try to use successive boards from a single tree so the grain and color will match most closely.