Material Categories and Properties

• Types of papers and boards

  • Bleed proof paper
  • Cartridge paper
  • Grid paper
  • Layout paper
  • Tracing paper
  • Corrugated card
  • Duplex board
  • Foil-lined board
  • Foam core board
  • Inkjet card
  • Solid white board
• Bleed proof paper


  • White, can be textured, thin
  • Coated to stop colour seeping, ink stays bright on the surface
• Cartridge paper


  • Thick, textured, rough
  • Expensive and opaque, used for ink and watercolour
• Grid paper


  • White paper printed with a variety of grids, eg isometric, graph etc
  • Lines are usually blue but can be darker to trace through
• Layout paper


  • Smooth finish, off-white colour, translucent (see-through)
  • Takes most media well
• Tracing paper


  • Translucent (see-through), smooth
  • Shiny, takes pencil well
• Corrugated card


  • Paper bonded to the outside
  • Corrugations make it strong, protective and insulating; used in packaging
• Duplex board


  • Two layers of card bonded together
  • Stiff, lightweight and printable for packaging
• Foil-lined board


  • White card with foil backing
  • Stiff and oil resistant, foil backing reflects heat, used for food containers
• Foam core board


  • Smooth surface, laminated with white board
  • Thick and rigid, available in a variety of thicknesses, prone to creasing and cracking, used for models and mounting photographs
• Inkjet card


  • Bright white and smooth on both sides
  • Deep colours as the photographic ink sits on the surface
• Solid white board


  • Smooth on both sides
  • Stiff, can be cut or scored
• Types of timber-based materials

  • Hardwood
  • Softwood
  • Manufactured board
• Hardwood


  Deciduous trees that lose their leaves during autumn to prepare for winter
• Softwood


  Coniferous trees that do not lose their leaves during autumn to prepare for winter
• Manufactured board


  Usually made from timber waste and adhesive, often veneered to be more aesthetically pleasing
• Hardwood


  • Take longer to grow, not easily sourced, expensive to buy
• Softwood

  • Faster growing than hardwoods, cheaper to buy, considered a sustainable material
• Hardwood types


  • Ash
  • Beech
  • Mahogany
  • Oak
  • Balsa
• Ash


  Pale coloured, narrow grain, flexible and good for steam bending, tough, used for sports equipment
• Beech


  Slight pink tint, close grain, tough, durable and smooth to finish
• Mahogany


  Dark-reddish colour, very close grain, cuts and polishes easily, gives a fine finish, used for high-quality furniture
• Oak


  Moderate-brown colour with unique and attractive grain markings, tough and durable, polishes well, used for quality furniture
• Balsa


  Pale and wide-spaced grain due to it being a fast-growing hardwood, very soft and easy to form, often used to make models
• Softwood types


  • Larch
  • Pine
  • Spruce
• Larch


  Pale coloured with a contrasting darker grain, knotty, durable, easy to machine, high sap content gives it good water resistance, used for exterior building and flooring
• Pine


  Pale coloured with aesthetically pleasing grain, lightweight, easy to form, used for construction and decking
• Spruce


  Pale cream with an even grain, easy to form, takes stain colour well, used for construction and furniture
• Manufactured board types

  • Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)
  • Plywood
  • Chipboard
• Medium-density fibreboard (MDF)


  Smooth, light brown, can be veneered, smooth and easy to finish, absorbs moisture so not suitable for outdoor use, used for kitchens and flat pack furniture
• Plywood


  Odd number of layers of veneer glued at 90 degree angles for strength, aesthetically pleasing outer layer, easy to cut and finish, can be stained or painted, used for shelving, construction and toys
• Chipboard


  Compacted wood chips, laminated with a variety of coverings, end cuts are difficult to finish, strong but absorbent to water, used for veneered worktops and flooring
• Types of metal-based materials

  • Ferrous metals
  • Non-ferrous metals
  • Alloys
• Ferrous metals


  • Contain iron and are magnetic
  • Prone to rust
• Low-carbon steel (mild steel)


  • Grey and smooth, rusts if not protected
  • Ductile and tough, easy to form, braze and weld, versatile, useful for construction, nuts, bolts, bike frames
• Cast iron

  • Dull grey, rusts easily
  • Brittle if thin, can be cast in a mould, used for manhole covers, pans and gates
• High-carbon steel (tool steel)


  • Grey, smooth and does not rust easily
  • Hard-wearing, harder than low-carbon steel so less ductile but good for making tools, sharpens well
• Non-ferrous metals


  • Do not contain iron and are not magnetic
  • Do not rust
• Aluminium


  • Light grey with a matt finish
  • Lightweight but strong and ductile, used for drink cans, kitchen utensils and some parts in transport
• Copper


  • Rose coloured, polishes well but can oxidise to a green colour (verdigris)
  • Good electrical conductor, can be polished, welds easily, used for plumbing parts and electrical cable