Timbers

• Timbers


  • Fundamental and popular choice of materials for many products, furniture and structures
• Functionality


  Application of use, ease of working
• It is important to consider what the timber based material will be used for
• Timbers and manufactured boards can be used for

  • Scaffolding
  • Furniture
  • Door frames
  • Sheds
• Timbers


  • Can be easy to work with when using a wide range of hand tools and machinery
  • Can be used for a variety of applications as it was and still is a material that can be sustained and is a cheap material
• Aesthetics: finishes


  Understanding what finishes, texture and colours you can have with timber based materials
• Timbers have natural colours that can be improved or enhanced through different after treatment processes
• Aesthetics: textures


  Textures can be improved through a wide range of wasting processes and using additional materials
• Aesthetics: colours


  Colours can be completely changed through paints and stains which can make a dramatic difference to timber based materials
• Availability


  Ease of sourcing and purchase
• Wood is easy to source as it comes in many different stock forms
• Wood can be brought from large retail DIY stores or smaller independent timber merchants
• Timber can also be found online and can be delivered to and from around the world
• Wood is very easy to source as long as the material is common to the country or is a native tree (a tree that grows in that country)
• Cost


  Timbers and timber based materials are relatively cheap as a resistant material
• Unit cost


  Price of one of the material
• Total costs


  Price of all the materials as a collective
• Buying in bulk can reduce transportation costs overall
• Companies have the capabilities of transporting large stock and in order to entice consumers, businesses and tradespeople wood merchants offer a buy in bulk pricing strategy
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)


  Ensures there is responsible management of forests
• FSC involves the cultivating and replanting of trees
• Trees being cut down too quickly can result in large areas of deforestation
• Deforestation results in a shortage of wood and a lack of investment in the research of other materials
• Ethical factors: human costs


  Ensuring the living conditions for people that are felling the trees are good, with fair rights and pay
• Environmental factors


  Recyclable or reused materials
• Timbers can be reproduced from recycling such as MDF and composite boards
• Forestry management


  The process of cutting and removing a tree and planting a sapling in its place to ensure there are enough trees in the world to counter global warming by absorbing CO2 and giving out O2
• FSC ensure the proper management of forests so trees are as sustainable as possible
• Reusing materials and upcycling furniture is another technique in which we can reduce the use of wood as a material while still delivering interesting and useful products
• Materials such as chipboard can be economically made to ensure that there is the strength but still retaining value for money
• Social responsibility


  Ensuring there are trees still in this world to ensure social harmony and for the future of this planet
• It is the responsibility of the carpenter and designer to use a reputable and environmentally friendly wholesaler or source
• IKEA is now being more sustainable by owning and managing their own forests
• IKEA tends to use softwoods and use smaller lengths of wood joined together with finger joints which are secured with wood adhesive
• This allows IKEA to use their own stock sizes for materials
• There are many different cultures that want to use native woods
• In some countries, trees are needed for indigenous species and people of that country
• This can bring about homelessness and a lack of insect population
• Some tree species have been transported from countries which have had insect infestations, which have then made its way to other countries
• Over the course of history, Africa has lost many of its older wooden masks, these are now seen in museums