There are really few limitations when it comes to the type of wood you can use for this project. Mostly, consider your personal taste, and beyond that, ease or difficulty of installation. Some types of wood will be harder to work with than others. For example, a reclaimed wood is not the easiest for installation purposes because the planks will not be uniform size. There will also be knots, holes, warping, etc. that will make the install more challenging. On the flip side, a manufactured plank, or flooring material will be much simpler because of the uniformity of the product, as well as the lighter weight. Make sure that your ceiling is structurally ready to install a wood ceiling as doing so will add likely a significant amount of weight above your head. Safety first! There are even faux wood options made of materials such as a dense foam material...these can be great options because of a typically lower price, and significantly lower weight! One example of a faux wood option can be seen in our faux wood beam installation article.