Wood

• What are mechanical properties of a material?

  Elements that resist deformation from external forces or loads
• What are physical properties of a material?

  Elements that can be defined and measured, such as colour, size or weight
• What does hardness in materials refer to?

  How well materials resist deformation, indentation or penetration
• What does toughness in materials indicate?

  How well a material withstands being hit
• What does durability in materials refer to?

  How well a material lasts
• What are softwoods produced from?

  Cone bearing woods
• Name two examples of softwood.

  Scots pine and Parana pine
• How does the growth rate of softwoods compare to hardwoods?

  Softwoods grow faster than hardwoods, around 30 years
• What is a disadvantage of softwood in block modelling?

  The grain can cause issues
• What type of leaves do deciduous trees have?

  Broader paper-like leaves that fall in winter
• How long does it take for hardwoods to grow?

  About 100 years
• Where do hardwoods predominantly grow?

  South America, Asia, and China
• What are hardwoods used for?

  Highly decorative products
• What is a notable exception among hardwoods regarding cost?

  Balsa wood and Jelutong are less expensive
• What are manufactured boards made from?

  Sawmill scraps, recycled wood, low-grade timbers, and sawdust
• How are manufactured boards created?

  Wood pieces are bound together with adhesives
• What is a disadvantage of manufactured boards?

  They can be susceptible to moisture
• What are two types of manufactured board?

  MDF and plywood
• What are the properties of hardwood?

  • Expensive and rare
  • Harder to work with than softwood
  • Corrodes iron and steel
  • Attractive finish
  • Used for toys, cooking implements, and solid laminated furniture
• What are the properties of softwood?

  • Grows faster than hardwoods
  • Cheaper and easier to work with
  • Mostly grown in Northern Europe
  • Grain can cause issues in block modelling
• What are the properties of manufactured boards?

  • Very durable and easy to work with
  • Quite cheap and reasonably strong
  • Smooth, ungrained surface good for painting
  • Susceptible to water damage if wrong grades are used
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of oak wood?

  Strong, durable, attractive grain but expensive and corrodes iron
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of mahogany wood?

  Attractive finish and easy to work with but expensive and has sourcing issues
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of beech wood?

  Tough and does not crack easily but expensive and not moisture resistant
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of balsa wood?

  Very lightweight and easy to cut but too soft for most products
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of pine wood?

  Very durable and easy to work with but can warp and crack
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of cedar wood?

  Natural oils make it resistant to water but more expensive than pine
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of MDF?

  Cheap and easy to machine but weak compared to real wood
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of plywood?

  Flat and strong but quite expensive and susceptible to water damage
• What are the uses of plywood?

  • Building panels
  • Furniture panels that need strength
• What are the uses of MDF?

  • Cheap flat pack furniture
  • Wall display cabinets
  • Storage units
• What are the uses of cedar wood?

  • Outdoor furniture
  • Fences
  • Sheds
  • Boats
• What are the uses of pine wood?

  • House construction
  • Roof joists
  • Floorboards
  • Furniture doors
  • Interior woodwork
• What are the uses of beech wood?

  • Toys
  • Cooking implements
  • Solid laminated furniture
• What are the advantages of oak wood?

  Strong and durable with an attractive grain
• Why is oak considered expensive and rare?

  Due to its limited availability and the difficulty in working with it compared to softwood
• What is a disadvantage of oak wood regarding metal?

  It corrodes iron and steel
• What are the uses of oak wood?

  • Buildings and ships (historically)
  • High-end furniture
  • Wine and whisky barrels
• What is an advantage of mahogany wood?

  It has an attractive finish and is quite easy to work with
• What is a disadvantage of mahogany wood related to environmental issues?

  There are environmental problems with sourcing it from tropical forests