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There are three wood categories.
SOFTWOODS
HARDWOODS and
MANUFACTURED BOARDS.
SOFTWOODS come from coniferous trees that have needles and bear cones.
They remain evergreen all year round.
They grow quickly and have a wider grain structure. This means that they cost less.
EXAMPLES:
>PINE (parana pine and Scots pine)
>CEDAR
>SPRUCE
SOFTWOOD EXAMPLES
PINE: Advantages: Has a straight grain, easy to work with, finishes well, durable, relatively cheap and widely available.Disadvantages: Knotty and can have pockets of sap hidden in the grain. USES: Commonly used for construction work, indoors and outdoors.
CEDAR: Advantages: Lightweight, knot free and contains natural oils that protect the wood from the weather.Disadvantages: Its prone to insects and dry rot.USES: Outdoor joinery e.g cladding of buildings, wall panelling.
SPRUCE: Advantages: Hard and has a straight grain, available in wide boards.Disadvantages: Small hard knots and not durable.USES: General inside work e.g staircases.
HARDWOOD EXAMPLES
OAK: Advantages: Hard, tough, nice grain pattern, finishes well.
Disadvantages: Heavy, contains tannic acid so will corrode steel screws leaving a blue stain.USES: Boat building, floors, high class furniture and fittings.
BEECH: Advantages: Tough, hard, straight and close grain . Can withstand wear and shock. Polishes well. Disadvantages: Liable to warp and twist. USES: Chains, flooring, tools, toys, steam-bent furniture.
TEAK: Advantages: Hard, natural oils, straight brain, works well. Lovely grain pattern. Disadvantages: Very expensive. USES: High class furniture, veneers, traditional boat decks.
BALSA: Advantages: Lightweight, great for model making. Disadvantages: Very soft wood. USES: Model making, table tennis bats, used in laminates with glass reinforced plastic.
MANUFACTURED BOARD EXAMPLES
MDF: Advantages: Cheap, comes in large boards, can be worked with easily and can be laser cut. Disadvantages: Fibrous, can split easily, soaks up paint and finishes. USES: Table tops with veneers on them, wardrobe backs.
PLYWOOD: Advantages: Made in layers so this makes it strong. Very stable so the board will not wrap or twist. Disadvantages: Heavy and can be expensive depending on type of wood layers. USES: Flooring, indoor steam bent furniture.
CHIPBOARD: Advantages: Cheap and veneers can be easily applied.
Disadvantages: Not attractive as it is made up of chips of wood glued together. USES: Kitchen worktops with a veneer on them.
EXAMINERS TIPS
Examiners as questions about materials in two ways.
They either ask you to name a material or they state a material and ask you why its suitable e.g, 'Name a suitable hardwood for a child's toy,' or 'Give a reason why beech is suitable for a child's toy.'
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