woods (technical principles)

Oak

A hardwood which is hard, tough. Acids in wood corrode steel screws or fixings. Good weather resistance. Used in making furniture, cladding, exterior/interior joinery

Mahogany

A hardwood. Interlocking grain makes it hard to work with. Red in colour. Used in high quality furniture, veneers to manufactured board

Beech

A hardwood. Tough and close grained. Available in steamed white colour or in-steamed pink tinge. Used in chairs and team bent laminated furniture

Birch

A hardwood. Hard and close grained- allows it to resist warping. Used in furniture, veneers

Teak

A hardwood. Hard and straight grained - natural oils resist moisture, acids, alkalis. Used in outdoor furniture and wood decks

Ash

A hardwood. Tough, open grained - makes it flexible. Used in ladders and laminating

Spruce

A softwood. Straight grain makes it resistant to splitting. Used in indoor furniture

Pine

A softwood. Straight grain, knotty (so may contain resinous knots). Used for construction work and wood beams.

Larch

A softwood. Tough, attractive grain pattern, good water resistance- can fade to a silver colour upon outside exposure. Used in garden furniture and cladding

Cedar

A softwood. Straight grain, corrodes ferrous metals as it is acidic. It has low density thus lightweight. Good sound dampening, rot and insect resistance. Used in interior panelling and exterior cladding.

Douglas fir

A softwood. Slightly waved gain, few knots, resistance to corrosion. Used in veneers joinery and construction work.

Planed all round (PAR)

A wood stock form which has been finished on all surfaces

Planed square edge (PSE)

A wood stock form which has only been planed on two sides

Rough sawn timber

A raw milled stock form

Natural timber

A wood stock form which hasn’t been treated or planed

Mouldings

A wood stock form which is used for skirting boards

Manufactured boards

A wood stock form which has been manufactured

Plywood

Odd thin layers of wood - 90˚ from each other, for strength in all directions. Compressed. No grain weakness. Used in indoor furniture and floorboards

Marineply

Plywood type. Gap and void free- though use of water and boil proof glue (moisture resistance). Used in panelling and boat dashboard

Aeroply

Plywood type. Available in thin sheets = lightweight and easy to bent around support frame used in gliders and laminated furniture

Flexiply

Type of plywood. Odd number of layers - outside layer is open grained timber = flexibility. Bent and glued around a former to create a solid shape. Used in laminate furniture and curved panels

Chipboard

Wood chips compressed with resin - urea formaldehyde, often veneered or laminated. Used in kitchen worktops, flatpack furniture

MDF

Compressed wood fibres - urea formaldehyde can be added to resin. Two smooth faces which can be standard or veneered with timber. Used in mould making and furniture items, like bookcases and desks