Timber

• Softwoods: Coniferous
• Hardwoods: Deciduous
• Hardwoods are: More dense
• Hardwoods are: not evergreen
• Hardwoods have broad leaves that are lost in winter
• Hardwoods are slow growing : 75+ years to reach maturity
• Hardwoods are: not sustainable
• Hardwoods are: more expensive than softwood
• Hardwoods have generally good resistance to decay
• Softwoods are: less dense
• Softwoods are (tree wise) : evergreen
• Softwoods have needles
• Softwoods are quick growing: 10 years to reach maturity
• Softwoods are: sustainable
• Softwoods have poor resistance to decay
• Softwoods have: wider growth rings
• Hardwoods have: smaller growth rings
• Hardwoods have seeds housed in fruit
• Hardwoods are used for furniture
• Softwoods are used for joinery
• Hard woods : Oak, Beech, Ash, Mahogany

  
  

  Not Hard woods: Balsa
• Oak is tough and can be finished to a high standard
• Oak is used for high quality furniture and flooring
• Beech is tough and has high tensile strength

  
  

  Prone to: Warping and Splitting
• Beech is used for kids toys and benchtops
• Ash is tough and flexible. (springy)
• Ash is used for ladders and sports equipment
• Mahogany is easy to work with and is available in wide planks

  
  

  can have interlocking grain
• Mahogany is used for panelling and veneers (good quality furniture)
• Balsa is lightweight and durable.

  
  

  Not dense , hard, tough
• Balsa is used for model making and rafts
• Spruce has closed grains and small knots. (creamy white in colour)
• Spruce is used for stringed musical instruments and bedroom furniture (Christmas trees too!)
• Pine is rigid and soft.

  
  

  Can be knotty and will take stains
• Pine is used for interior joinery and window frames
• Larch has a striking grain pattern and is reddish in colour

  
  

  Prone to splitting.

  Tough but easy to work with

  Resistant to rotting
• Larch is used for fencing and decking
• Chipboards are used for kitchen units and flooring (ikea bookshelves too!)
• MDF = Medium Density Fibreboard
• MDF is very dense and stable