timber in internal applications

Timber and Wood Products

Basic material properties and characteristics.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

The nature of timber

Timber is a natural product, drawn from the wood in the trunks of trees. Its character is consistent with the species of tree and the form and growth over time of the wood in it.
Regrowth in a native forest
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Tree growth
New wood on outside of tree
oldest wood on the inside youngest wood on the outside diameter largest at the base one ring (layer) per growing season

Tree in forest grows toward light

trunk is straight lower branches die leaving small knots in wood

Bark protects wood from damage

the tree sheds bark each year

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Production of wood
Pith - the start of growth in the tree
the original sapling

Cambium - growth cells

wood cells created on the inside bark cells created on the outside

Sapwood - newest wood

on the outside of tree (~ 1-3 cm) takes nutrients from root to leaves

Heartwood - older wood

cells closed - cant pass nutrients storage for waste - extractives

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Variation: fibre & grain

vessels

hardwood

fibres cells

earlywood rays

softwood

latewood

rays

rays

The cell structure is designed to serve particular functions in a tree. Its properties vary in different directions.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Variation: species & growth

Species and genetics:
selected stock or natural seed.

Climate:
wet or dry, cold or warm.

Arrangement:
native forest or plantation.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Each piece is unique

Quarter sawn hardwood

Myrtle burl veneer

Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Properties are variable

Drying (seasoning) & shrinkage Strength & hardness Durability Appearance

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Moisture and drying in wood cells

100% MC

Growing tree

Unseasoned timber

free water 25% MC

Partially seasoned timber bound water

fibre saturation removed bound water

www.timber.org.au

Seasoned timber
Material Basics

15% MC

timber in internal applications

Benefits of drying
Drying timber increases its:
strength; stiffness; stability durability; & ease of fastening.

It is ideally dried to a moisture content in equilibrium with its service environment.

Checking the moisture content
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber shrinks as it dries

It shrinks at different rates in different directions. Radial Once dry, it will expand & shrinkage contract to be in equilibrium with changing local conditions.
Shrinkage from 12% to 25% MC Radiata pine Hoop pine Cypress Rad 3.5% Rad 2.5% Rad 3.5% Tang 4% Tang 3.5% Tang 4%

Tangential shrinkage

Longitudinal shrinkage

Spotted gum Rad 4.5% Karri Rad 4.5% Sydney blue gum Rad 5% Grey Ironbark Rad 5.5% Mountain ash Rad 6.5%
Material Basics

Tang 6% Tang 10% Tang 9% Tang 7.5% Tang 13%

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Shrinkage in sawn sections

Tangential shrinkage is the highest; So, the growth rings tend to shorten as the timber dries.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber dries at different rates

Pines have a porous cell structure:
They can be dried very quickly. Turnaround time from saw to store can be as low as a week.

Hardwoods have a non-porous cell structure:

The moisture must diffuse through the cell wall. Drying can be very slow. It must be done carefully.
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Grain, strength & stiffness

Properties of the grain
Direction of grain

Strong parallel to grain & stiff parallel to grain

Weak perpendicular to grain

Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Summary of characteristics
Timber is a natural material Each piece is unique in fibre, texture and colour Its strength is dependant on the properties of the wood and the slope of the grain It takes up and gives up moisture It expands and shrinks as it does so It deteriorates in line with exposure
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products
Timber is available in a wide range of products and species including:
Solid sawn, moulded and laminated timber; Veneer; Plywood; and Wood panels.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: sawn

Hardwood or softwood. Solid timber cut from a log and dried. It is a versatile material used for moulding, frames and exposed structures. Size is restricted.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: mouldings

Hardwood or softwood. Solid seasoned timber milled to a wide variety of shapes.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: glue laminated

beam

bench top

Small pieces of timber glued together to form a larger element. Used as both a structural and finishing element. Size is limited only by transport capacity.
www.timber.org.au

Material Basics

timber in internal applications

Timber products: curved glulam

Glue laminated material can be curved.

Curved bar
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: veneer

Thin layers of solid wood sliced from a flitch or peeled from a log and dried. High quality material is used as a decorative finish. Lower grade material is used to make plywood, LVL and similar products.
Veneer leaf
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: plywood

Layers of veneer glued together so that the grain direction alternates between layers. Usually produced in sheets. Very good in a structure, as a lining and as a flooring surface.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Timber products: wood panels

Panels made from wood or wood fibres bound together with glue, or other binder:
Particleboard Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) Hardboard Core board

MDF sheet

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Appearance grading
Production process of sorting products into groups with similar characteristics & properties. Timber identified by calling up a specific grade.
Visual grading
Material Basics www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Grading standards
AS 1810-1995 Timber - Seasoned cypress pine - Milled products AS 2796-1999 Timber - Hardwood Sawn and milled products AS 4785-2002 Timber - Softwood Sawn and milled products

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 2796 Hardwood - Sawn & milled

This standard defines the requirements for hardwood used for visual applications: architectural (flooring, etc), lining & cladding; & It is in two main sections:
product requirements; & visual grades.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Appearance grading - rules

Establish permissible limits on:
gum vein knot size & frequency (location unimportant) splits, cracks, checks (size and frequency) stain (colour), grain uniformity utility: want, wane, cup, bow, spring, twist

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Grade range
From select grade
uniform wood with few natural features

Through to high feature grade

including lively natural feature as part of a desirable aesthetic.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 2796 Hardwood - Sawn & milled

Tolerances are established for the major product groups (not grades):
Joinery and dressed boards; Strip and overlay flooring, mouldings, sawn boards for feedstock; & Light decking, lining boards, cladding, facia, bargeboards.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 2796 Part 1 - distortion

Bow - depends on thickness Spring - dependent on width Twist - separate limits for less or more than 25 mm thick Cup - 1mm per 100 mm width

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 2796 Part 1
No lyctid susceptible sapwood is allowed. (Lyctids are small wood eating insects.) MC anywhere in a piece must be between:
9-14% for most products including flooring. 8-13% for parquet & furniture components.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 2796 Hardwood - Sawn & milled

The standard recognises feature as a desirable visual characteristic; Therefore, distortion and machining tolerances are associated with product, not grade; & The timber can then be specified with the desired appearance for any function.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

AS 4785 Softwood - Sawn & milled

Layout is similar to AS 2796 with product requirements & visual grades; Visual grades are Clear, Appearance, Select, Standard, Utility Grade; With radiata, there is a much greater use of industry grades; & Terms can vary between companies.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Jointing
Timber is a highly versatile material that can be shaped and joined easily.
Half housed

Mortice and tenon

Material Basics

Housed
www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Jointing methods

Biscuit

Dowel

Overlap
Material Basics

Fixing blocks
www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Conclusions
Timber is a natural product. It has been used for centuries. Skilled use and understanding of the material can yield excellent results.

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au

timber in internal applications

Material Basics

www.timber.org.au