1.2 Wood

From coniferous trees that are evergreen adn have cones or needle shaped leaves.  

eg.scots pine, red cedar, parana pine, spruce and redwood.

Pine

Grows in northern europe and russia and is a pale brown colour.  

it has a straight fine grain but is knotty and quite strong.  it is easily worked with and readily avaliable.  It is cost effective but can shrink and is prone to twisting.  paints well.

it is used in the construction industry adn joinery as well as for shelves, cupboards and fitted furniture.  

From deciduous trees that lose their leaves in autumn and bear fruit.  Eg. elm, beech, walnut, oak, ash, teak, obeche and iroko.  

Ash

Grows in Europe and is pale cream and light brown in colour.  It is strong, durable and flexible as well as being easily worked with and open grained.  It finishes well.  

It is used for handles of tools, sports goods, ladder and in construction.  

Beech

Grows in Europe and is white to pinkish brown in colour.  It is close grained and hard, tough,durable and strong.  It finishes well and is expensive.  

It is used for toys, tool handles, chairs and kitchen utensils.  

Oak

Grows in Europe and is light brown in colour.  it is hard,tough and durable and is very strong.  it finishes well and is expensive.  

oak

Grows in Europe and is light brown in colour.  

It is hard, tough and durable and very strong.  it also finishes well and is expensive.  it is used for high class furniture, boat building, garden furniture,windows or as a veneer.  

Mahogany

Grows in central America, West Indies and Africa and is pinkish, red brown in colour. 

it is fairly strong and quite hard and durable.  it is easy to work with and avaliable in wide, long boards.  it is not easily finished and is prone to warping. 

it is used for furniture, yachts, boats, pool cues, panels and veneers.  

• rough sawn(full size)
• ready machined(planer thickness)
• PBS (planed both sides)
• PAR(planed all round)-what is used in school

Planed timber is described at the rough sawn size but is actually 3mm smaller.  

wood is avaliable in different cross sections, widths, lengths, thicknesses as well as moulds eg.skirting board and dowel rod.  

Plywood

odd numbers of thin layers of hardwood or softwood glued with adhesive and pressure applied at 90' angles.  

advantages

• strong because of layers at 90' and the glue
• resistnat to warping and cracking
• cost effective compared to solid timber

disadvantages

• porous due to the layers
• splinter badly when cut

Used for chests and cabinets, roof construction, flooring, chairs and modern fancy furniture.  

Blockboard

Strips/blocks of softwood sandwiched between two sheets of hardwood and glued under high pressure.  

advantages

• fairly strong over whole sheet
• cheap-softwood inside
• resistant to splitting
• lighter in weight than MDF and plywood
• does not shrink

disadvantages

• retains moisture
• not as strong as original wood
• needs veneer on edges-otherwise see blocks on inside

used for kitchen worktops, bedroom units, shelves and cabinets.

Chipboard

wood particles including chips, shavings and sawdust, glued under heat and high pressure.  

advantages

• easy to use
• relatively cheap
• fairly strong
• can be aesthetically pleasing

disadvantages

• likely to crack or fall apart
• will retain moisture and swell
• leaves rough edge when cut
• needs veneer to cover it

used for firedoors, kitchen worktop, furniture and shelving.  

Hardboard

Made from wood fibres obtained from chips and pulped wood waste.  it is smooth on one side and rough or fuzzy on other side.

advantages

• cheap
• smooth surface-easily painted
• oil tempered hardboard is resistant to dents and scratches
• can be textured, embossed veneered or backed in plastic.

disadvantages

• not suitable for outdoors
• poor resistance to water
• weak material

used for cabinet panels, drawer bottoms, backing on clipboard, artists canvas, doors and packaging.  

MDF-medium Density Fibreboard

fine wood dust adn resin pressed into a board.

advantages

• apply paint without primer
• fairly strong and durable
• easily made
• easily cut, shaped and drilled
• can be fire or water resistant  depending on resin used.

disadvantages

• easily split and damaged
• contains lots of glue which can blunt cutting tools
• will absorb water and swell 
• can be cut or sanded-wear face mask and eye protection and work in well ventilated area.