Oak: Properties/characteristics
Hard, tough, attractive grain, good weather resistance. Contains tannic acid which will corrode steel screws or fixings.
Ash: Properties/characteristics
Tough, attractive open grain pattern which makes it more flexible.
Mahogany: Properties/characteristics
Can contain interlocking grain, making it more difficult to work.
Rich dark red colour.
Teak: Properties/characteristics
Hard, tough, straight grain, natural oils resist moisture, acids and alkalis.
Birch: Properties/characteristics
Hard, straight close grained, resists warping.
Beech: Properties/characteristics
Tough, close grained, hard, available in steamed (white colour) and un-steamed (pink tinge), does not impart a taste to food.
Spruce: Properties/characteristics
Straight grain, resistant to splitting.
Pine: Properties/characteristics
Straight grain, knotty, can contain resinous knots.
Douglas fir: Properties/characteristics
Straight or slightly wavy grain, few knots, stable, good resistance to corrosion.
Larch: Properties/characteristics
Hard, tough, attractive grain pattern fades to silver upon exposure outside, good resistance to moisture.
Cedar: Properties/characteristics
Straight grain, can corrode ferrous metals due to acidic nature, low density, good sound damping, good resistance to moisture.
Plywood: Properties/characteristics
Thin layers of wood are placed and glued at 90 degrees to each other and compressed to form the board. Good strength in all directions, no grain weakness, always has an odd number of layers.
Marine plywood: Properties/characteristics
Similar construction to plywood but is gap-and void-free and uses specialist water and boil proof (WBP) glue to provide resistance to moisture. Some higher quality marine plywood is also resistant to fungal attack.
Aero ply: Properties/characteristics
Plywood made from high-quality timber such as birch. Available in very thin sheets, lightweight, easy to bend around a support frame.
Flexible plywood: Properties/characteristics
An odd number of layers glued together with the two outer layers made from open grained timber which allows the sheet to flex. Bent and glued around a former to achieve a solid shape.
Chipboard: Properties/characteristics
Wood chips compressed with a resin such as urea formaldehyde.
MDF: Properties/characteristics
MDF is compressed wood fibres, although sometimes urea formaldehyde is added as an additional resin. It has two smooth faces, available in either standard grade or veneered with a layer of timber.
Plywood uses
Structural work, desk tops, indoor furniture, floorboards
Oak uses
Furniture, flooring, boat building, cladding, interior and exterior joinery
Ash uses
Tool handles, ladders, sports goods, laminating
Mahogany uses
Indoor furniture, shop fittings and cabinets, veneers commonly used on manufactured boards
Teak uses
Outdoor furniture, laboratory benches, traditional boat decks
Birch uses
Furniture, indoor panelling, veneers used for birch-faced plywood construction
Beech uses
Chairs, chopping boards, tools (mallets), steam-bent laminated furniture, turned bowls
