Sources of Origins of Timber

Question 1

Name and explain the main two types of natural wood

Answer 1

Softwood- trees mature more quickly

Hardwood - trees take longer to grow and replace

Question 2

How do we get timber in the first step?

Answer 2

Tree is felled and cut into manageable lengths and converted into planks.

Question 3

Why do we use seasoning?

Answer 3

Newly cut timber contains lots of moisture so into order to reduce the moisture content, it is seasoned

Question 4

What is air seasoning?

Answer 4

Air dried timber is separated and stacked under a protective, roofed structure but with open sides so that air can circulate. This is a slow process

Question 5

What is kiln seasoning?

Answer 5

Quicker Process
Kiln is filled with steam, and the moisture content gradually reduced, to dry out the wood.
More expensive treatment but enables timber to be sold more quickly requiring much less storage space

Question 6

How is medium density fibreboard (MDF) made?

Answer 6

Waste hardwood or softwood is broken down into fibres and combined with a resin binder.
Presses into sheets which are dense and very strong

Question 7

How is Plywood made?

Answer 7

Thin layers or veneers of wood are glued together.
Each layer has it wood grain rotated at 90* to each other to produce a composite material that is strong in all directions

Question 8

How is chipboard made?

Answer 8

Wood chips of varying sizes are mixed with resin, pressed (to create a strong bond) and formed into a sheet

Question 9

How can softwood and manufactured boards be made to look like more expensive hardwoods

Answer 9

May be laminated with a thin veneer of hardwood on the outer surface
Also can be laminated with formica for use as kitchen workshops

Question 10

Why are manufactured boards used in flat pack furniture?

Answer 10

• More consistent making them easy to work with, drill and cut due to the lack of grain over knots

Question 11

Advantages of using manufactured boards

Answer 11

• Boards are cheaper then natural woods

- Can be finished with veneers to give different surface finishes and colours

Question 12

Disadvantages of using manufactured boards

Answer 12

• Chips easily when knocked

- Swell of distort if it gets wet

Question 13

Which type of hardwood are used to make wooden toys?

Answer 13

Breech and Oak as they are hard and durable