Give some examples of hardwoods
- Mahogany
- Teak
- Oak
- Ash
- Beech
Describe hardwoods
- They come from deciduous trees.
- They usually grow in warmer, more humid climates.
- They grow slowly.
- They are more difficult to sustain than softwoods.
- They are more expensive than a softwoods.
- They are mainly grown in South America and Asia.
Hardwoods are not necessarily hard, give an example of this
Balsa wood is a hardwood but it is incredibly soft and light.
Describe softwoods
- They come from evergreen trees.
- They usually grow in colder climates.
- They are normally coniferous.
- They grow thin, needle-like leaves.
- They grow relatively quickly.
- They are easier to sustain them hardwoods.
- They are less expensive than hardwoods.
- They grow mainly in Scandinavia and northern Europe.
Describe western red cedar
- It is easy to work with, lightweight, durable against the weather and quite expensive.
- It is used for outdoor timber cladding and wall panelling.
Describe Scots pine
- It is straight-grained, stronger than western red cedar, inexpensive, knotty, easy to find.
- It is used for outdoor constructional use and general purpose.
Describe Parana pine
- It is strong, durable, more expensive than other softwoods, smooth to touch, hard.
- It is used for interior joinery, furniture, staircases.
Describe spruce
- It is not a very durable, it has small knots, it is relatively strong, it resists splitting.
- It is used for interior furniture and kitchens.
Describe mahogany
- It is durable, it has good strength to weight ratio, it is fairly malleable.
- It is used for indoor furniture, interior shop fittings, toys.
Describe ash
- It is very tough, it has elastic properties, it is relatively malleable, it finishes well.
- It is used for tool handles, sports equipment, indoor furniture.
Describe beech
- It is hard and tough, quite strong, close-grained, malleable, it finishes well.
- It is used for hardwood flooring, children’s toys, functional furniture.
Describe oak
- It is very strong, heavy, durable, hard and tough, expensive.
- It is used for expensive furniture, exterior window frames.
Describe teak
- It is hard, strong, durable (due to natural oils), expensive.
- It is used for boat building, quality outdoor furniture.
Give some examples of softwoods
- Spruce
- Parana Pine
- Western red cedar
- Scots pine.
What are manufactured boards made of?
Waste sections of felled trees – the parts which are of little use as planks. The wood is reduced to pulp, particles or thin strips and bonded together using special adhesives all resins.
Describe manufactured boards
- They come in sheet form (usually 1.2 x 2.4).
- They are extremely stable and of uniform thickness.
- They are less expensive than the laminating planks of timber.
- They can be covered with veneers.
- They are available in a variety of thicknesses.
Describe plywood
It is a strong but relatively cheap material that can be used indoors and outdoors. It is formed from an odd number of large sheets which are bonded to each other under high-pressure, with an adhesive between each layer. The veneers are arranged so that the grain patterns run in opposite directions, which makes the sheet strong and able to resist large bending forces.
Describe chipboard
Chip board is one of the most inexpensive sheet materials. It is used for flat pack furniture and kitchen worktops. Chipboard is made from the waist the particles of other timber preparation processes. The fragments of wastewood are bonded together under pressure with a resin or adhesive. Chipboard is not very strong and is difficult to work with because it has no grain. Chipboard is almost always covered with a wooden veneer to make it appear to be a solid wood, or by melamine laminate.
Name five stock forms of wood
- Plank
- Dowel
- Strips
- Boards
- Rough sawn
Name three hand tools used when working with the woods
- Coping saw
- Tendon saw
- Claw hammer
Name three power tools used when working with the woods
- Pillar drill
- Scroll saw
- Wood lathe
What is a router used for?
It is used to mass produce identical products.
What is a circular saw used for?
It is used to cut planks and sheets sheet material into different sizes.
What is a planer/thicknesser used for?
When timber needs to be made smooth, a planer is used. This machine has two rotary blades which trim off thin layers of timber. Once the timber is made square, it is put through the thicknesser which makes the opposite sides parallel to each other and cuts the wood to a specified fitness.
