Natural and manufactured timber

Natural timber

Natural timber is classified into two groups:

  • Softwood = timber that comes from coniferous trees:

    • Evergreen

    • Trees have needles rather than leaves

    • Quick growing

    • Seeds are housed in cones

    • Extensively used in joinery

    • Generally less expensive than hardwood

    • Generally has poor resistance to decay

    • Types and uses of softwood:

      • Larch:

        • Appearance - Reddish in colour with an open grain

        • Characteristics - Good resistance to rot

        • Uses - Garden fences and patio decking

      • Pine:

        • Appearance - Yellow in colour with a contrasting darker grain

        • Characteristics - Contains many knots

        • Uses - Interior joinery and furniture

      • Spruce:

        • Appearance - Creamy white in colour

        • Characteristics - Close grain and lightweight

        • Uses - Interior furniture and stringed musical instruments

  • Hardwood = timber that comes from deciduous trees:

    • Trees lose their leaves in winter

    • Trees have broad leaves

    • Slower growing than softwood

    • Seeds are housed in fruits

    • Generally more expensive than softwood

    • Generally has good resistance to decay

    • Types of hardwood:

      • Oak:

        • Appearance - Light to medium brown with sometimes a yellow or reddish tint

        • Characteristics - Hard, tough and durable

        • Uses - Timber-framed buildings and high-quality furniture

      • Beech:

        • Appearance - Pale cream to light pinkish-brown

        • Characteristics - Hard, strong and does not splinter

        • Uses - Children’s wooden toys, benches, furniture and tool handles

      • Mahogany:

        • Appearance - Attractive, deep reddish brown colour

        • Characteristics - Easy to work

        • Uses - High-quality furniture

Sources and finishes of natural timber:

  • Comes from trees so limited in maximum size of the pieces

  • Comes in many forms: planks, boards, strips, square and dowel

  • Can be finished with oils, waxes, varnishes and paint

    • Designed to give some protection from moisture and weather

    • Can also be used to improve aesthetic qualities of the materials

Manufactured timber

Manufactured timber is classified into two groups:

  • Laminated boards -

    • Several layers (veneers) of wood glued together

  • Compressed boards -

    • Particles, chips or flakes of wood that are glued together under pressure

Advantages of manufactured timber:

  • Available in large sheets (2440mm by 1220 mm)

  • Consistent properties

  • Less likely to twist, warp or split

  • Some use recycled or low-grade timber

  • Can be faced with veneer to improve its aesthetic appearance

  • Can be protected using finishes to give waterproofing qualities

  • Can be faced with a polymer laminate to improve its working properties

  • Suited to CNC machining

Types and uses of manufactured timber:

  • Plywood -

    • Appearance - Smooth and flat but edges show visible layers

    • Characteristic - Several layers of veneers, glued with the grain placed at 90 degrees to the next layer

    • Uses - furniture, flooring, roofing and boat building

  • MDF (medium density fibreboard)-

    • Appearance - Light brown or tan in colour and very smooth/flat with no knots or grain patterns

    • Characteristics - Made from fine fibres of low-grade wood that is glued under pressure with a formaldehyde resin

    • Uses - Self-assembly furniture

  • Chipboard -

    • Appearance - Light brown or pale beige in colour made up of visible wood chips pressed together

    • Characteristics - made from chips of low-grade wood that is glued together under pressure

    • Uses - Kitchen worktops