Timbers

Question 1

Give some examples of Softwoods.

Answer 1

-Pine
-Cedar
-Yew
-Redwood
-Baltic Whitewood

Question 2

Give some examples of Hardwoods.

Answer 2

-Oak
-Mahogany
-Ash
-Beech
-Walnut
-Teak
-Balsa

Question 3

Give some examples of Composites.

Answer 3

-Blockboard
-Hardboard
-Chipboard
-MDF
-Plywood

Question 4

What is a Composite?

Answer 4

Composite boards are man-made pieces of wood which is designed to have better quality.

Question 5

What are the advantages of a Composite?

Answer 5

-Stronger
-Cheaper
-Environmentally friendlier
-Smoother
-Durable

Question 6

What are the downsides of a Composite?

Answer 6

-often undesirable to many people
-Aesthetically unpleasing
-requires older pieces of wood to make

Question 7

What are the advantages of Softwood?

Answer 7

-Cheap
-Fast Growing (20-30yrs)
-Lightweight
-Medium durability
-Aesthetically pleasing
-Easy to form

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of Softwood?

Answer 8

-Weaker
-less resistant to scratches
-Filled with knots
-inconsistent imperfections results in less durability

Question 9

What are Softwoods used in?

Answer 9

-Card
-Inner construction (Door frames/Window sills)
-House frames
-Paper Pulp

Question 10

What are the advantages of Hardwoods?

Answer 10

-Extremely durable
-Scratch Resistant
-Smooth
-Easy to Polish
-Long-Lasting

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of Hardwoods?

Answer 11

-Expensive
-Rarer
-Slow growing (100yrs)
-Heavier

Question 12

What are Hardwoods used in?

Answer 12

-Furniture
-Outdoor decks
-Boats
-Flooring
-Fencing
-Tools
-Musical instruments
-Firewood/Charcoal

Question 13

What are Softwoods?

Answer 13

Softwood comes from coniferous trees with needle-like leaves that normally stay on during the winter - larch is an exception as it loses its needle-like leaves during the winter. Softwoods naturally grow in colder regions such as Alpine climates.

Question 14

What are Hardwoods?

Answer 14

Hardwood comes from deciduous trees with broad leaves. Hardwood trees take a long time to grow, around 60 years (sometimes up to 100), The majority of hardwoods grow in tropical regions, such as Amazonian climates, while others grow in temperate climates such as Europe.

Question 15

What are knots?

Answer 15

A knot in timber marks where a branch once grew out on the tree.

Question 16

What is Elasticity?

Answer 16

The ability of a material to stretch and return to its original shape. Timbers are generally not very elastic, although some are a little more than others (e.g. yew is used for bows).

Question 17

What is Tensile Strength?

Answer 17

The ability of a material to withstand being pulled by a certain amount of force. Timbers have higher tensile strength than compressive strength.

Question 18

Compressive Strength?

Answer 18

The ability of a material to withstand being crushed by a certain amount of force. The denser the timber, the greater the compressive strength, eg oak has a higher compressive strength than balsa.

Question 19

What is deforestation?

Answer 19

The cutting down of trees and forests to allows different land use.

Question 20

What are the problems related to deforestation?

Answer 20

-Increase in temperature and pollution level (Climate Change)
-Desertification and soil erosion
-Increase in the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
-Decrease in groundwater level
-Loss of food and habitat of animals
-Soil erosion

Question 21

What is soil erosion?

Answer 21

gradual process that occurs when the impact of water or wind detaches and removes soil particles, causing the soil to deteriorate.

Question 22

What are the 6 R’s?

Answer 22

Reduce-Can the amount of timber used be reduced?
Reuse-Can the timber be reused for another purpose?
Recycle-Can the timber be disposed of correctly so that it can be recycled to produce another material (e.g. MDF)?
Rethink - Can the way a product is made be redesigned so that less timber is used?
Refuse - Refusing to use hardwood .
Repair - When a product is broken, can it be repaired?

Question 23

Why should someone not add knots?

Answer 23

Knots often fall out from planks as they shrink, leaving a hole.