Microsoft Word - Text - Advanced Woodworking

WOODWORKING

Chapter 6

WOOD TYPES

Introduction
To simply grab a piece of lumber and begin building a project before understanding a little about wood is
not wise. The environmental effects on your project, the desired strength of your product, the workability of
the lumber, and the overall appearance you want to achieve all must be considered. This unit is devoted to
help you understand wood, the process by which it is fashioned, and the specific characteristics and
properties of different wood types.

First of all, it is important to understand how wood is classified. Wood is categorized into two distinct

groups: Hardwood and Softwood. Though one would think this identification has something to do with

how hard a piece of lumber is, that is not the case. The characteristics of each are listed below.

Hardwood

 Come from broadleaf trees (typically lose their leaves in the winter)

 Reproduce through seeds inside a shell or covering (i.e. fruits and nuts)

 Typically more dense than softwood

 Usually harder than softwoods, but not always

 Hardwoods have pores, vessels

 Typically harder to work with (i.e. cut, sand, drill, etc.)

 Great variety in range of colors: purple, red, green, orange, brown, black

 Key difference: Grows slower than softwood, and is hard to replenish. Is, therefore, costly and

considered less environmentally friendly. Chosen for color and beautiful grain patterns.

Softwood

 Comes from conifer trees (usually needle trees, or evergreens)

 Reproduce through seeds that fall to the ground as is

 Typically less dense than hardwood

 Usually softer than hardwoods, but not always

 Softwoods have open cells through which food passes to the leaves

 Typically easier to work with (i.e. cut, sand, drill, etc.)

 Little range of color: pale yellow and browns

 Key difference: Grows faster than hardwood and is therefore less expensive. As a result it is

considered more environmentally friendly. Chosen because of plain color and long, simple,

non-distracting grain patterns

Lumber selection

When selecting the type of lumber you will use, consider the following questions:

 Grain selection: What type of pattern do you want (simple, busy, long, circular, etc.)?

 Color: What type of color do you want?

 Durability selection: What will your project be used for? Does it need to be durable?

Hardwoods are typically more durable than softwood, and therefore

don’t break or split as easily. Douglas fir, however, is one of the

strongest woods and it is softwood.

 Cost: How much do you want to spend? Hardwoods are typically more expensive.

 Environment: Will your project be used indoors or outdoors? Certain woods stand up to moisture

better than others. Redwood, for instance, has long been used for outdoor

applications.

Unit II: Understanding Wood