Mafactured and Natural Timbers

Question 1

Define hardwood

Answer 1

DECIDUOUS tree so the ones with leaves
Takes 80 to 120 years to grow
More expensive

Question 2

Define softwood

Answer 2

EVERGREEN or CONIFEROUS trees so the ones with needles that they keep all year round
Takes 25 years to grow
Cheaper

Question 3

Define felling

Answer 3

cutting down a tree (via axe or chainsaw)

Question 4

List types of hardwood

Answer 4

Ash, Beech, Mahogany, Oak, Balsa

Question 5

Describe properties of hardwood

Answer 5

less porous
denser
hard wearing
less prone to rotting
heavy (EXCEPT for Balsa)
high demand means more illegal deforestation of hardwood trees :(
can be used outdoors due to lack of rotting

Question 6

Appearance, characteristics and uses of ash hardwood

Answer 6

pale brown/cream
flexible
tough
shock resistant
laminates well
used in sports equipment and tool handles (hammer handle)

Question 7

Appearance, characteristics and uses of beech hardwood

Answer 7

dense/close grain
pinky hue
fine finish
tough
durable
used in kids toys and models, furniture and veneers (the layer of real wood placed on top of fake wood)

Question 8

Appearance, characteristics and uses of mahogany hardwood

Answer 8

rich, reddish brown
easily worked
durable
finishes well
aesthetically pleasing and warm
used in high end furniture and joinery and veneers

Question 9

Appearance, characteristics and uses of oak hardwood

Answer 9

light brown
interesting variable grain
tough
hard
durable
high quality finish possible
used in flooring, furniture, veneers

Question 10

Appearance, characteristics and uses of balsa hardwood

Answer 10

pale cream/white colour
open grained
large and unusually fast growing hardwood tree
very soft, spongy
very lightweight but can snap in thin sections
used in prototyping and modelling (model aircrafts)

Question 11

Describe properties of softwood

Answer 11

more porous cell structure
can begin to rot due to moisture absorption (but some have natural oils to protect from rotting like CEDAR)
used indoors as a result
less colour availability
easy to add stain
cheap and readily available
grown a lot in Europe and Scandinavia
used in construction industry

Question 12

Which hardwood tree is unlike the rest? Why?

Answer 12

Balsa wood

Because it’s fast growing and lightweight

Question 13

List some types of softwood

Answer 13

Larch, Cedar, Pine, Spruce

Question 14

Appearance, characteristics and uses of larch softwood

Answer 14

pale/reddish brown
contrasting grain
durable
tough
good water resistance
good surface finish
issues with loose knots
used in exterior cladding. flooring, machined mouldings and furniture

Question 15

What’s knots in tree terms?

Answer 15

parts where the branch of the tree was

Question 16

Appearance, characteristics and uses of pine softwood

Answer 16

pale yellow or pale brown colour
attractive grain that darkens with age
lightweight
easy to work
can split and be resinous (sticky) near knots
used in interior construction and exterior if treated, used in cheaper looking furniture and decking

Question 17

What is grain in tree terms?

Answer 17

the longitudinal arrangement of fibres in wood

Question 18

Appearance, characteristics and uses of spruce softwood

Answer 18

white/cream colour
fine even grain
easy to work
high stiffness to weight ratio
varied results when staining
used in construction, furniture and musical instruments like the guitar

Question 19

What wood are garden sheds made of? Why? (HINT: it’s softwood) z

Answer 19

Pine or spruce

because both are fairly cheap and easy to work

Question 20

What are the 3 types of wood?

Answer 20

hardwood, softwood and manufactured boards

Question 21

Define manufactured boards

Answer 21

usually sheets of processed natural timber waste products or veneers combined with adhesives

Question 22

Define veneer

Answer 22

thin slices of high quality wood to give the appearance of a solid wood
usually applied to softwoods with hardwood veneers or manufactured boards with any timber veneer

Question 23

Define timber

Answer 23

wood prepared for use in carpentry (repairing wooden things) and building

Question 24

What are manufactured boards made from?

Answer 24

waste wood, low grade timber or recycled timber + adhesive

Question 25

Appearance, characteristics and uses of medium density fibreboard (MDF)

Answer 25

``` smooth dull light brown finish lots of veneers available rigid and stable good value for money (cheap but works) smooth finish very absorbent so not good in high humidity or damp areas used in ikea furniture building sets, toys, internal construction ```

Question 26

Appearance, characteristics and uses of plywood

Answer 26

alternating layers of natural grain veneers with outer material usually of higher quality for aesthetics VERY STABLE in ALL DIRECTIONS due to alternate layering at 90 degrees (outside layers run in same direction) thin flexible versions available (Flexiply) used in furniture, shelving, toys, construction can be used in marine work if altered for greater water resistance

Question 27

Appearance, characteristics and uses of chipboard

Answer 27

and uses of chipboard pale grey/brown colour no natural grain normally laminated or covered (Eg/with Formica for laminate) good compressive strength NOT water resistant (unless treated) good value for money but prone to chipping on edges and corners used for flooring, low end furniture, kitchen units and worktops

Question 28

Which timbers are BAD in wet, damp conditions?

Answer 28

Softwood and manufactured boards if not treated | EXCEPTIONS: Cedar is good for outdoor use and is used for roof shingles (tiling on roofs)

Question 29

Which wood would you use to make a shelf?

Answer 29

Plywood | because of its all angles stability as a result of its 90 degrees formation and construction layering

Question 30

State 2 ways softwoods and manufactured boards can be made to look like more expensive hardwoods

Answer 30

add a hardwood veneer on top | stain the wood to get darker colour which is common for hardwoods

Question 31

How do you make plywood?

Answer 31

It consists of layers of wood glued together at right angles to each other which is called LAMINATING and plywood is strong because of grain of the timber being glued together in different directions

Question 32

How can you alter the aesthetic of wood?

Answer 32

staining, varnishing, oiling, waxing, painting, laminating, veneers

Question 33

What wood is flat-pack furniture made of? (HINT: ikea furniture sets)

Answer 33

Chipboard/MDF it's made of small particles of timber and dust bound together by resin and is coated meaning the furniture is waterproof