timbers and boards

Question 1

hardwood

Answer 1

Timber from a deciduous tree. They are slower growing and more expensive

Question 2

softwood

Answer 2

Timber from an evergreen or coniferous tree. Fast growing.

Question 3

ash

Answer 3

a pale and attractive hardwood. Tough, flexible. Open grained. Used in furniture, steam bending, wood turning.

Question 4

balsa- hardwood

Answer 4

soft and lightweight, the wood is actually from a deciduous flowering plant, not a tree. Very light in colour with a distinct, straight grain.Used in model making, prototypes, craft, model aeroplanes.

Question 5

beech- hardwood

Answer 5

hard, tough, strong/close grained, white/pinkish brown. Prone to warping.Used in functional furniture, chairs, tables, tools, veneers.

Question 6

douglas fir- softwood

Answer 6

pale to medium red/brown colour. Works well. Straight grained, dries quickly, fast growing.Used in construction, railway sleepers, joinery, flooring, decking.

Question 7

parana pine- softwood

Answer 7

fairly strong and durable. Straight grain. Pale yellow, red/brown streaks. Almost knot free. Tends to warp.Used in best quality indoor joinery, staircases, built-in furniture.

Question 8

spruce- softwood

Answer 8

fairly strong with small, hard knots. Creamy white, resistant to splitting. Not very durable.Used in general indoor work such as stud-walls, shelves.

Question 9

timber products

Answer 9

Sheet materials manufactured from layers or particles of wood including MDF, plywood and hardboard.

Question 10

mdf

Answer 10

mid-brown colour. Sheets can be heavy. Smooth finish. No grain. Available in a wide range of sheet sizes and thicknesses.Used in flat-pack furniture, vacuum-form moulds, product modelling,

Question 11

hardboard

Answer 11

made from wood chip and pulp, cheaper substitute to plywood. Used when space filling as opposed to requiring strength. No regular grain.Used in countertops, flooring, flat-pack furniture.

Question 12

veneer

Answer 12

very strong, hard, durable. Natural oils make it resistant to moisture. Golden brown. Very expensive. Blunts tools easily.Used in table tops, flat pack furniture, plywood, cabinet-making

Question 13

plywood

Answer 13

reddish brown or white in colour. Layered in odd numbered sheets. Strong. Susceptible to splinteringUsed in sheds and cladding, furniture, flooring, boats (marine ply).