Hardwoods are from deciduous trees and include beech, ash, mahogany and oak.
Softwoods are from coniferous trees (evergreens) such as pine, spruce and fir.
Plywood is made from thin sheets of wood glued together with the grain at right angles to create strength.
Beechwood is hard, strong, tough and bends well
Ashwood is flexible, tough and bends well
Mahogany wood is medium-weight, quite strong, durable and easy to work with
Mahogany wood warps easily
Teak wood is light, strong, waterproof and resists rot
Oak is tough, heavy and durable. It also hardens with age.
Red pine is straight grained but knotty
Red pine is easy to work with and quite strong
Softwoods are more sustainable than hardwoods
Spruce wood is straight grained and contains few knots
Spruce wood is easy to work with and quite strong
Spruce wood is not every durable, and will scratch and wear.
Wood can be treated by painting or staining it
Flexi-ply is the same as plywood but is more flexible
Veneered boards have the same properties as their core material
Block boards are used for worktops and fire doors. They are made from wood blocks and glue.
MDF (medium density fibreboard) is made from sawdust and resin. It has good strength and durability, and is often painted or veneered. It is not waterproof but is easily machined.
Chipboard is made of wood chips and glue, it is cheap and easy to work with. Its strength is dependant on the density of the wood chips and is heavy.
Hardboard is similar to cardboard but harder. It is weak and brittle.
Two examples of composites are glass-reinforced plastic and carbon -fibre plastics.
Carbon fibre plastics are very strong and stiff. They are lightweight and corrosion free. They are expensive and difficult to recycle.
Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) is strong and durable. It can be moulded into any shape and is lightweight. It is expensive and difficult to recycle.
Metals are ductile and malleable. They conduct heat and electricity well. They are recyclable and long lasting. They are also expensive and heavy.
Non-ferrous metals are metals that do not contain iron.
Ferrous metals are magnetic and are made of iron.
Alloys are metals that have been mixed with other elements to combine their properties.
Copper is used in electrical wiring due to its good conduction of electricity.
Zinc is used to galvanise other metals to weatherproof them
Zinc is soft, ductile and malleable. It also has a high resistance to corrosion.
Tin is soft, ductile and heavy. It also resists corrosion.
Aluminium is strong and lightweight, so it is used in aircraft and cars.
Copper is tough, ductile and malleable, but expensive.
Brass is a copper and zinc alloy that is used for musical instruments and decorative objects.
Brass polishes and casts well, is hard, easily joined and corrosion resistant.
Iron or cast iron is prone to rust.
Cast iron is a brittle but strong material that is used for engines and vices.
Mild steel is malleable and ductile, and so is used for screws and bolts, and car bodies.