Woods & manufactured boards
Practical Woodworking · National 5 · mrkellydt.co.uk
What you're learning in this topic
Learning intention WALT
We are learning about woods & manufactured boards, specifically to:
know
- manufactured boards from their edges and give their uses
understand
- a material choice by linking a property to the use
be able to
- identify and choose softwoods: pine, cedar, larch
- identify and choose hardwoods: ash, oak, beech, mahogany, meranti
Success criteria WILF
- I can identify and choose softwoods: pine, cedar, larch
- I can identify and choose hardwoods: ash, oak, beech, mahogany, meranti
- I can identify manufactured boards from their edges and give their uses
- I can justify a material choice by linking a property to the use
Softwoods and hardwoods
Softwoods come from conifers (needles, cones, evergreen). They grow quickly, so they're cheaper and more sustainable. Hardwoods come from broad-leaved trees; they grow slowly, are usually harder and more expensive.
| Wood | Type | Properties and uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pine | Softwood | Light colour, easy to work, knots; low-cost furniture, frames, school projects |
| Cedar | Softwood | Reddish, natural oils make it durable outdoors; sheds, cladding, garden furniture |
| Larch | Softwood | Tough and durable outdoors; fencing, boats, cladding |
| Oak | Hardwood | Very strong, hard, durable, attractive grain; quality furniture, flooring, outdoor use |
| Ash | Hardwood | Tough and flexible, absorbs shock; tool handles, sports equipment |
| Beech | Hardwood | Hard, close grain, turns well; mallets, chairs, toys, workbenches |
| Mahogany | Hardwood | Reddish-brown, easy to work, polishes well; quality furniture |
| Meranti | Hardwood | Reddish, relatively inexpensive; window frames, doors, mouldings |
Manufactured boards
| Board | Made from | Properties and uses |
|---|---|---|
| Plywood | Thin layers (veneers) glued with grain at 90°, odd number of layers | Strong in all directions, won't split; drawer bases, backs, exterior grades for outdoors |
| MDF | Fine wood fibres and resin, pressed | Smooth, no grain, machines and paints well; edges absorb water; dust is harmful |
| Chipboard | Wood chips and resin | Low cost, often veneered or laminated; edges crumble; flat-pack furniture with KD fittings |
| Blockboard | Strips of softwood between veneers | Stiff, doesn't sag; shelves, worktops |
| Hardboard | Compressed fibres, one smooth face | Low cost and thin; drawer bases, cabinet backs |
Advantages of boards: available in large sizes, stable (don't warp or shrink), cheaper, use waste wood. You can identify them from their edge: layers (plywood), chips (chipboard), strips (blockboard), uniform fibres (MDF).
Choosing a wood
When asked to choose a wood and justify it, name the wood and link a property to the use, e.g. "Cedar, because its natural oils make it durable outdoors, so the bird box won't rot." Don't just repeat the table: compare and explain.
Dowel rod
Dowel rod is round hardwood (often ramin or beech) in standard diameters (6, 8, 10 mm…). Used for dowel joints, pegs and rails.
Key terms
| Softwood | From conifers: grows fast, cheaper, more sustainable |
|---|---|
| Hardwood | From broad-leaved trees: grows slowly, usually harder and dearer |
| Cedar property | Natural oils make it durable outdoors |
| Ash property | Tough and flexible: tool handles |
| Beech property | Hard and close grained: turns well, mallets |
| Plywood | Veneers with grain at 90°: strong in all directions |
| MDF | Fibres and resin: smooth, no grain, paints well |
| Chipboard | Chips and resin: low cost, edges crumble |
| Blockboard | Softwood strips between veneers: stiff shelves |
| Advantage of manufactured boards | Large sizes, stable, cheaper, use waste wood |
Quick check
1. Which wood is naturally durable outdoors because of its oils?
- Cedar
- Pine
- Beech
- MDF
Show answer
2. Which board has layers with the grain at 90° to each other?
- MDF
- Plywood
- Chipboard
- Hardboard
Show answer
3. Which wood suits a tool handle that must absorb shock?
- Pine
- Mahogany
- Ash
- Meranti
Show answer
4. Which board's edges crumble and are best joined with KD fittings?
- Plywood
- Blockboard
- Oak
- Chipboard
Show answer
5. Which is a hardwood?
- Beech
- Pine
- Larch
- Cedar
Show answer
6. Which is an advantage of manufactured boards?
- Attractive grain
- Available in large, stable sheets
- Always waterproof
- Always stronger than solid wood
Show answer
Printable worksheet
An I do, we do, you do worksheet for this topic, with a separate answer sheet.