Woods

Question 1

Softwoods:

Not necessarily physically soft. Comes from cone-beating conifer trees.

Takes approximately 30 years to mature and can be produced in plantations. Softwood is a managed resource. Cheaper than hardwoods.

Easier to work than hardwoods

Answer 1

Pine:
Advantages: straight grain, easy to work
Disadvantages: knots makes working difficult
Applications: construction, roof joists, floorboards, furniture

Question 2

Medium density fibreboard:
Made from wood waste
1) wood chips subjected to heat and pressure
2) wood pulp then mixed with resin which bond it together
3) heated, put under pressure and finally trimmed after cooling.

Laminated to improve strength.
No grain so no splitting or warping.

Dust produced can be harmful.
Can be very heavy.

Answer 2

Chipboard:

Glued together under heat and pressure, this creates a rigid board with a smooth surface.

Working top surfaces in kitchens if veneered
Flat pack furniture

If it gets wet it becomes waterlogged, starts to swell and breaks down

Normal density = soft
High density = solid and hard

Question 3

Laminates

Laminate is a material bonding two or more layers of material.

Stable, no warping, easier to work than solid woods, no misshaping. Cheaper.

Aesthetic may not be as good as timber. Cannot be used with traditional joints and is rarely good enough for a final finish.

Comes in sheet form. And used in flat pack furniture.

Answer 3

Plywood

Manufactured from layers of veneers obtained from timber using rotary cut process. Always an odd number of layers

Strong, stable, grain direction is 90 degrees of veneer. No warping, no distorting

If becomes wet, it may fall apart. Marine ply uses waterproof glues.

Flooring, constructional material, decorative veneering means can be used in flat pack furniture.

Question 4

Blockboard:

Strips of softwood.

Produced Board is covered with veneer and glued under high pressure.

Water based glues for indoor use

Resistance to warping

When cut the edges won’t match the veneer of the upper and lower surfaces. Finish cut edges with veneer strips.

Answer 4

Blackboard

Question 5

Hardwoods
Hardwoods take about 80-100 years to fully mature. This makes them more expensive and takes longer to replace.

They produce timber that is tough, strong and have a closer grain.

Oak
Advantages: strong, hard, tough, works well, durable
Disadvantages: expensive, heavy, splits, physically hard
Applications: garden furniture, construction, high quality furniture.

Answer 5

Mahogany:
Advantages: easy to work, durable, finishes well
Disadvantages: grain can be variable, prone to warping, physical hardness varies
Applications: furniture, veneers, floorboards

Beech:
Advantages: physically hard, tough, polishes well
Disadvantages: prone to warping, not suitable for outside applications, can be difficult to work
Applications: workshop benches, school desks, furniture