Timber grows all over the world but most commonly in the USA and the Far-East.
Soft woods:
fast growing
open grained (therefore weaker and splits easier)
cheaper
can produce long straight lenghs
are in supply all the time (evergreen )
Hardwoods:
slow growing (around 60-100 years)
generally more expensive
close grained (stronger)
bears fruit
The heart of the tree is called the pith, which is surrounded by the heartwood the heartwood is surrounded by sapwood that is still growing and that is coated in a final layer of bark. You can tell how old a tree is by looking at the annual rings.
Grain is the flow of trachieds. The tracheids are the cells in the wood. The lignin is the natural resin.
Woods have to be seasoned (controlled drying) to prevent cupping, bowing, or twisting. All wood is seasoned as it produces a higher quality material.
Examples of soft woods are:
· Scots pine
· spruce
· Douglas fur
Examples of hardwoods:
· Beech
· Oak
· Ash
· Mahogany
· Teak
· Balsa (odd one out)
Soft woods:
fast growing
open grained (therefore weaker and splits easier)
cheaper
can produce long straight lenghs
are in supply all the time (evergreen )
Hardwoods:
slow growing (around 60-100 years)
generally more expensive
close grained (stronger)
bears fruit
The heart of the tree is called the pith, which is surrounded by the heartwood the heartwood is surrounded by sapwood that is still growing and that is coated in a final layer of bark. You can tell how old a tree is by looking at the annual rings.
Grain is the flow of trachieds. The tracheids are the cells in the wood. The lignin is the natural resin.
Woods have to be seasoned (controlled drying) to prevent cupping, bowing, or twisting. All wood is seasoned as it produces a higher quality material.
Examples of soft woods are:
· Scots pine
· spruce
· Douglas fur
Examples of hardwoods:
· Beech
· Oak
· Ash
· Mahogany
· Teak
· Balsa (odd one out)
