Timbers

• What are the types of manufactured timber?

  Plywood: A tree trunk is sliced into thin layers called veneer, these layers are glued together with the grain lines going in alternate directions.

  MDF: Wood dust and fibres are mixed with a glue and pressed into flat sheets under extreme heat and pressure
• What is veneer?

  A thin slice of wood, about 1mm thick. Its used as a decorative surface and to make plywood
• What are the advantages, disadvantages and uses of Plywood?

  Advantages: Flat and structurally strong, surface looks like wood & resistant to warping, cracking and twisting

  Disadvantages: Quite expensive, edges can look rough, susceptible to water damage if wrong grade is used

  Uses: Building and furniture panels that need some strength
• What are the advantages, disadvantages and uses of MDF?

  Advantages: Cheap, smooth ungrained surface is good for painting or staining & easy to machine

  Disadvantages: Does not look good so coating is needed, weak compared to real wood or plywood & tools blunt quickly due to the glue

  Uses: Cheap flat-pack furniture, wall panels, display cabinets & storage units