Wood: properties of wood of different breeds

One of the most important natural materials widely used by man in various branches of economic activity is wood. Properties of wood of a particular breed determine the possibility of its use in a particular production. From the correct choice of material depends on the final appearance of the product, its quality and durability.

Wood: properties of hardwood

Wood of hardwoods is characterized by expressive structure and almost complete absence of odor. It is felt mostly immediately after cutting, as well as during processing. Most often, wood is used as decorative and decorative material. Distinguish between ring-osseous (oak, ash, elm, etc.) and disseminated varieties of hardwood (birch, beech, walnut, aspen, linden, etc.). They have a different character of the arrangement of the vessels in the annual layer. Let us consider in more detail the properties and structure of some hardwood species.

Oak

Oak wood has an expressive structure and beautiful coloring. The breed is sound. Has well-viewed annual layers, narrow sapwood, significantly different in color from the core, which can be light brown or dark brown.

Oak wood is characterized by high strength and ability to bend. Due to the presence of tannins (in large quantities) has the greatest resistance to decay in comparison with all hardwoods.

Properties of oak wood contribute to easy processing of the material, good colorability and polishing. It is widely used for carving, decoration and furniture manufacturing. Due to the large vessels, the material is characterized by a good bendability without destroying the fibers. The mechanical properties of wood allow the use of oak for the production of bent furniture.

A valuable material for finishing is a stained oak, which as a result of a long stay in the water acquires a very high strength and in most cases is almost black in color.

Beech

The breed is non-nucleated. Wood has a beautiful texture, white with a yellowish-red hue. The annual layers are clearly visible. Beech wood is similar in some physical and mechanical properties with oak. It is strong, dense, firm, it is easily bent, cut, processed with varnishes and paints. However, when drying, it tends to warp, and is also unstable to decay, which is why it is practically not used for making furniture.

More demand for beech wood for the manufacture of musical instruments, for certain finishing works, in carving, and so on.

Ash

It has a dark-brown core and a light yellow wide sapwood with a beautiful pattern of fibers. Wood is characterized by high strength and viscosity. Has a good ability to bend when steaming, is slightly inclined to cracking, practically does not warp when drying. Resistant to rotting.

In value, the wood of ash is equated with mahogany. Used for decoration of furniture and musical instruments. From the ash-tree outgrowths (kapov) they make valuable hand-made articles.

Birch

The most widely used in industry is birch warty. The breed is non-nucleated, has white wood with a yellowish or reddish tinge. Characterized by good strength and toughness. Hardness and density are average.

It is convenient to work with the material. It is well cut, drilled, and also easily polished, glued and colored. However, despite all the positive properties of birch wood, there are some disadvantages. It is practically unstable to decay, it dries hard, warps. But this does not affect the demand for this material for finishing works, because the properties of birch wood allow imitating various valuable species. Also, the material is used to produce a number of other products (carpentry, veneer plywood, shoes, skis, etc.).

A very unusual texture is wood birch Karelian. Broken heart-shaped rays, wavy annual layers and dormant buds in the form of dark strips in combination give a beautiful speckled surface. The material is used for making artistic products, furniture veneering.

Elm

It has a dark-brown core and a yellowish-white sapwood. The material is durable, hard, dense, viscous. In the process of drying does not crack and does not warp. However, because of the too dense structure permeated with small pores, the processing process (in particular polishing) of this material is considerably complicated.

It is used in carpentry. When steaming, it is well curable, so it is used to make curved parts. For lathe crafts are especially valuable sags (kapy) on elm.

Walnut

Wood has a rich tonal range, as well as a variety of textures. The color varies from light brownish-gray to almost black. In freshly cut wood, light wood, gradually darkens over time. Characterized by strength, moderate hardness, high resistance to decay. Keeps shape, does not warp, it is easy to process. Well polished, cut, glued and soaked.

It is used mainly for decorating rooms, furniture, hunting rifles, for making carvings.

Aspen

In the process of storage in the felled form, the aspen wood acquires a white color with a slightly noticeable greenish tinge. Heart rays and annual layers are almost invisible. A distinctive feature of aspen wood is the almost complete absence of knots. Has a high resistance to moisture, does not warp, almost does not crack. With an aspen it is easy to work. It is soft, supple, well cut, glossy, easy to polish, securely glued together. The disadvantage of aspen is the rapid drying.

Properties and structure of wood determine its use for the production of plywood, making matches, dishes, toys and other small items.

Alder

The natural color of alder wood varies from white to pale brown. After logging, as a result of interaction with air, it changes to a reddish brown for a short time.

Wood is not very strong, it can crumble during drying, but it has a number of positive technological properties, since it is characterized by lightness, moderate hygroscopicity and softness. Without problems, it can be cut, polished, glued and painted. Has no smell and does not absorb extraneous scents. It is characterized by strong resistance to rot, which is often used to equip wells and pantries. In addition, it is used for carving and decoration works. The physical properties of alder wood make it possible to imitate some tree species (for example, red and ebony).

Linden

The wood is white, with a slight pinkish tinge. Annual rings are almost not visible. Characterized by a homogeneous structure and strength. Such properties of lime wood as lightness, softness and viscosity make it possible to easily process the material in all directions, both manually and on a lathe. It is well colored, glued, keeps in shape. Wood is resistant to decay, does not crack during drying, and does not warp.

Due to its strong structure and low deformation, the linden is used for making large parts of carved furniture. Drawing boards, pencils, utensils and so on are made of this material.

Pear

Wood has a reddish-white or pinkish-brown color. The younger the tree, the color is lighter. The texture is uniform in density, the core rays and the annual rings are poorly visible. The material is solid, dense, heavy, characterized by high impact strength, and also compressive strength. Mechanical properties of pear wood surpass oak and ash. In the drying process, it practically does not warp and does not crack. Quite good cuts in all directions. It is easy to polish and color.

Often used as a material for decorating furniture, for carving, mosaic work. The physical properties of pear wood make it possible to make imitations of ebony from it.

Apple tree

The wood is pink with bright red veins, solid, heavy, rather viscous, has a homogeneous structure. Characterized by high strength and durability. Apple tree is prone to strong drying and warping, so use it better in dried form. The material is well polished, polished, painted. When impregnated with linseed oil or linseed oil, it becomes a dark brown color. It is used mainly for the manufacture of threaded and joinery products.

Basic properties of coniferous wood

Wood in coniferous species is characterized by a specific smoldering smell, more clearly manifested by macrostructure and greater biostability in comparison with deciduous species. These properties of wood of various species related to conifers contribute to their wide application in the construction and production of various consumer goods. To pine trees include pine, spruce, larch, yew, fir, cedar and juniper.

Pine

The sapwood color of the pine can be from pale yellow to reddish-yellow, the core from pink to brownish-red. Characterized by a rather pronounced striped texture. Core rays are not visible. Annual rings can be easily seen on all sections.

The wood is strong, soft, light, very sticky. Due to the large amount of resin is characterized by increased resistance to decay. After drying, it practically does not warp. It can be easily processed, well sawed and cut, relatively well glued.

High technological properties of pine wood and wide distribution make it the most frequently used of all coniferous species. The material is used in construction (both in civil and industrial), in furniture, carpentry and parquet production. In addition, pine tools make musical instruments, plywood, barrels and so on.

Spruce

Fir wood is characterized by softness, lightness, good tingling. A distinctive feature is the exceptionally uniform distribution of fibers. The physical and mechanical properties of spruce wood are inferior to those of pine in a number of indices. It has less strength, as well as resin content, which makes it less resistant to precipitation and other atmospheric influences. Due to the less pliable structure and a large number of knots, spruce is more difficult to process.

The material is used mainly in the production of furniture. Also, string instruments (in particular violins) are made from spruce, since no other tree is able to give such a resonance.

Larch

Has a narrow light sapwood and a reddish-brown core. Solid, resilient, resinous, extremely resistant to rotting wood. The properties of larch wood, both physical and mechanical, are quite high. Distinctive features of the material are strength and durability. Characterized also by high density, which significantly increases with drying (to such an extent that it does not clog a nail).

Due to its high physical and mechanical properties, larch is widely used. Is an indispensable material for construction work. Parquet, made of larch wood, is distinguished by its high strength and very long life. Beautiful texture and high resistance to warpage make it a valuable material in the production of furniture.

Siberian cedar

The wood is a pinkish color with a beautiful pattern of texture. Annual rings are clearly visible in all sections. It is characterized by lightness and softness. According to its technological properties, the cedar is inferior to the pine, but it wins at the spruce. The material is easy to handle, but not very resistant to rot.

Cedar wood has resonant properties, due to which musical instruments (guitars, harps, grand pianos) are made of it. In addition, it is used for furniture manufacturing, in the production of pencils and so on.

Fir

The structure of fir wood is close to pine. It is quite strong and dense, easy to handle. But it contains few resinous substances, which is why it is characterized by low resistance to decay and requires additional processing.

Fir wood is often used in the construction of houses for the production of window and door blocks, the implementation of flooring. Also this material is widely used for carving works.

Yew

Has a narrow Yellow-white sapwood and brownish-red core. Annual layers are characterized by a sinuous shape, can be easily seen in all sections. Tis is included in the list of breeds called "mahogany". Hard, heavy, dense wood. The properties of wood are mostly positive. Has high resistance to decay. Good in processing, polishing and painting. It is considered one of the best materials used in finishing, turning and carpentry. Very valuable kapy, often formed on the trunks of yew and used mainly as a finishing material.

Juniper

Wood bush is characterized by sapwood Pinkish white and a yellowish-brown core. It has wavy annual layers, which are clearly visible in all sections. Heart-shaped rays are not visible.

The wood is strong and heavy. It is resistant to rotting, almost does not lose volume during drying and practically does not swell when it interacts with moisture. The more dried the material, the more beautiful the cut. It can be processed, polished and painted.

The use of the material is somewhat limited due to the small size of the bushes. Most often, juniper wood is used for carving, making decorative items, small crafts, toys, turning products and so on.