WOOD

Fibrous substance which composes the trunk and branches of a tree that lies
between the pitch and the bark.

Wood is defined as the lignified water conducting, strengthening, and storage

tissues of branches, stem and roots of trees.

WOOD / TIMBER / LUMBER AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

Wood has been used as a building material for thousands of years, being second
only to stone in terms of its rich and storied history in the world of construction.

LUMBER OR TIMBER?
The words "lumber" and "timber" are often used interchangeably to refer to wood
used in construction work, but there has been considerable debate as to which
term should apply in a given scenario.

Pieces of wood that are smaller than 5 inches wide by 5 inches thick (regardless of
length) are generally referred to as LUMBER.

Pieces of wood over 5 inches wide by 5 inches thick (regardless of length) are
referred to as TIMBER.
Any timber pieces that exceed 8" wide by 8" thick are referred to as BEAMS.

ENGINEERED WOOD

As its name implies, engineered wood is the product of a more intricate

fabrication process in which various wood strands, fibers, veneers, or other forms
of wood are glued together to form a type of composite material that is used for
specific construction applications.
Common examples of engineered wood include plywood, glued laminated timber
(a.k.a. "glulam"), oriented strand board, fiberboard, and particle board.

TYPES OF WOOD
Wood has traditionally been classified into two primary categories: Hardwood (any
leaf-bearing tree) and softwood (any cone-bearing tree).

HARD WOOD

Hardwoods are ones that come from broad-leaved (deciduous) trees (those that
drop their leaves each fall)

Examples include ash, beech, birch, mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut.

SOFT WOOD

Softwoods come from evergreen (coniferous) trees (those that have needles and
cones and retain them year-round).

Examples include cedar, cypress, fir, pine, spruce, and redwood.

HARD WOOD AND
SOFT WOOD

It's generally true that hardwoods are harder than softwoods, but not always.
Balsa is the best-known example of a hardwood that is actually very soft.

softwoods often come from very tall, straight trees, and are better suited for
construction work (in the form of planks, poles, and so on).

Hardwoods have lovely, attractive grains and are used for such things as making
fine furniture and decorative woodwork

BENEFITS OF WOOD
Thermal Properties
Acoustic Properties
Electrical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Aesthetic Properties
Oxidation Properties
Working Properties
Variation

THERMAL PROPERTY
One such benefit is its thermal properties, which give it an advantage in terms of
its resistance to high temperatures. Unlike steel, which can expand or even
collapse in high heat, wood actually dries out and becomes stronger as the heat
increases.

ACOUSTIC PROPERTY
Wood also contains highly-sought-after acoustic properties. It can absorb sound
and echoes, and is a favorite material of choice for the construction of structures
where proper acoustics is important, such as concert halls.

ELECTRICAL PROPERTY
Wood is resistant to electrical currents, making it an optimal material for electrical
insulation. Unfortunately electrical resistance of wood is lowered by increasing the
moisture content. The resistance of wood saturated with water. Static electricity
that is dangerous for human is not observed in wood unlike metal, and other
materials.

MECHANICAL PROPERTY
An important characteristic of wood is its tensile strength, which is its ability to
bend under pressure without breaking. Wood is exceptionally light in proportion to
its tensile strength, making it the preferred construction choice for surfaces that
take a constant beating such as basketball courts and bowling lanes.

AESTHETIC PROPERTY
Wood is a decorative material when considered as an aesthetic material. Each
tree has its own color, design and smell the design of a tree does change
according to the way it is sliced.

OXIDATION PROPERTY
Although wood has oxidation characteristics in some way, it is not the kind of
oxidation seen in metals. Metals get rust, wood doesnt.
WORKING PROPERTY
It is easy to repair and maintain wood. While old woods can be renewed by special
touches other materials are highly difficult and costly to maintain and to repair.

VARIATIONS
There are more than 5000 kinds of woods in the world. Their specific gravity,
macroscopic and microscopic structures are different. Accordingly, their physical,
thermal, acoustic, electrical and mechanical properties are also different. Because
of this variety, it is possible to find wood suitable for needs.