Materials - Timbers

Question 1

What is a softwood?

Answer 1

A softwood is a timber that coms from coniferous tress and generally grow faster than hardwood. i.e. pine

Question 2

What is a hardwood?

Answer 2

A hardwood is a timber that comes from a deciduous tree and takes a long time to grow. i.e. oak

Question 3

What is a deciduous tree?

Answer 3

A tree that looses its leaves in winter and grows fruit/flowers in spring.

Question 4

What is a coniferous tree?

Answer 4

A tree that has thin, needle-like leaves and grow all-year round. They often have pine cones and sometimes nuts/seeds.

Question 5

Name two types of softwood.

Answer 5

Larch
Pine
Spruce

Question 6

Name two types of hardwood.

Answer 6

Ash
Beech
Mahogany
Balsa
Oak

Question 7

Name some properties of softwood.

Answer 7

Durable, lightweight and easy to work

Question 8

Name some properties of hardwood.

Answer 8

Flexible, tough, durable, and hard

Question 9

What is meant by stock form?

Answer 9

Stock form is how they come as once cut down.

Question 10

Name two types of stock forms.

Answer 10

Sheets
Dowel
Planks

Question 11

What is a manufactured board?

Answer 11

A man made board, made of wood chips/dust/layers and glue.

Question 12

Name two types of manufactured board.

Answer 12

Chipboard
MDF
Plywood

Question 13

Name the properties of manufactured board.

Answer 13

Rigid
Stable
Easy to finish
Smooth

Question 14

Name examples of what hardwood timbers can be used for.

Answer 14

Ash - Sports equipment
Beech - Furniture
Mahogany - High-end furniture
Balsa - Modelling
Oak - Flooring

Question 15

Name examples of what softwood timbers can be used for.

Answer 15

Larch - Flooring
Pine - Construction
Spruce - Furniture

Question 16

Name examples of what Man-made boards can be used for.

Answer 16

Chipboard - low-end furniture
MDF - kitchen unites
Plywood - Shelving

Question 17

Name one primary processing method.

Answer 17

Air-drying - Planks are stacked and air allowed to flow; causing evaporation.

Kiln-drying - Where planks are put into a kiln and dried rapidly. This process is more costly than air-drying.

Lamination - Layers of woods and adhesive are layered and compress together. Usually with a more expensive wooden veneer on top.

Compression - Wood is shredded, heated and compressed with adhesive under extreme pressure.