[1.6] Performance characteristics of woods

Question 1

What is Rough Sawn timber?

Answer 1

• Direct from seasoning and has rough surfaces

- Will have nominal sizes rather than accurate finished sizes and is the cheapest stock form to buy

Question 2

What is Planned Sqaure Edge timber?

Answer 2

• Wood has only one edge that is planned accurately

- Planing removes about 3 mm from the original nominal size

Question 3

What is Planed all round timber?

Answer 3

• Wood has sides and edges that are all planed square, straight and level, leaving a smooth finish

Question 4

What is Mouldings timber?

Answer 4

• Pre-made mouldings such as skirting boards or wooden trims

Question 5

What are the two forms of seasoning of wood?

Answer 5

• Air seasoning: Traditional and inexpensive

- Kiln seasoning: expensive, using controlled temperature and humidity levels

Question 6

Why is wood seasoned?

Answer 6

• Gives greater immunity from decay and increased resistance to rot
• increases strength and stability
• helps preservatives to penetrate
• makes wood less corrosive to metals

Question 7

What are the properties and uses of Oak?

Answer 7

• Hardwood
• Hard, tough, attractive grain, good weather resistance
• Furniture, flooring, boat building, cladding, interior and exterior joinery

Question 8

What are the properties and uses of Birch?

Answer 8

• Hardwood
• Hard, straight close grained, resists warping
• Furniture, indoor panelling, veneets used for birch-faced plywood construction

Question 9

What are the properties and uses of Beech?

Answer 9

• Hardwood
• Tough, close grained, hard, available in steamed (white) and unsteamed (pink)
• Chairs, chopping boards, tools, steam bent laminated furniture, turned bowls

Question 10

What are the properties and uses of Pine?

Answer 10

• Softwood
• Straight grain, knotty, can contain resinous knots
• Construction work, roof beams and timber frame construction

Question 11

What are the properties and uses of Douglas Fir?

Answer 11

• Softwood
• Straight or slightly wavy grain, few knots, stable, good resistance to corrosion
• Veneers, plywood construction, joinery and construction work

Question 12

What are the properties and uses of Cedar?

Answer 12

• Softwood
• Straight grain, can corrode ferrous metals due to acidic nature, low density, good sound damping, rot and insect resistant
• Exterior cladding, sheds, greenhouses, beehives, interior panelling

Question 13

What are the properties and uses of Plywood?

Answer 13

• Manufactured Board

- Good strength in all directions, no grain weakness, always has an odd number of layers

Question 14

What are the properties and uses of MDF?

Answer 14

• Manufactured Board
• Compressed wood fibres
• Model making, furniture items

Question 15

What are the properties and uses of Chipboard?

Answer 15

• Manufactured Board
• Wood chips compressed with a resin such as urea formaldehyde
• Often veneered or covered with polymer laminate, kitchen worktops and units, shelving and ‘flat pack’ furniture

Question 16

What are the properties and uses of Veneers?

Answer 16

• Thin slices of wood less than 3mm thick

- Decorative coverings for manufactured boards

Question 17

What are the properties and uses of MF laminates?

Answer 17

• Thin sheets of MF polymer, hard, tough, chemical resistant