Types of Defects
in Timber as a
Construction
Material
Common Defects in Sawn Timber (Lumbers)
No tree is perfect. It’s subject to defects from are artificial and mechanical defects caused by
the time it emerges as a seedling to the last incorrect sawing or machining (conversion),
stages of Seasoning/drying. A defect is simply improper drying (seasoning), or improper
an abnormality or irregularity found in wood. hand ling and storage. Defects may be
There are many d ifferent types of defects responsible for reducing wood’s economic value,
arising from many d ifferent causes. For lowering its strength, durability and usefulness,
instance, there are natural and acquired defects marring its appearance, and in some cases,
caused by a broken limb or other injury, insect causing its decay.
and fungal attack, or rapid tree growth. There
are innate defects caused by the natural This document is an attempt to classify the
characteristic of wood to shrink or expand in inherent defects in the wood with reference to
response to water vapor in the air. And, there causation of such defects.
Defects in Sawn Timber (Lumbers)
during kiln drying process
1. Bow
When the converted timber is
stored for a longer time, some
timber planks may have a curve
along its length without sufficient
block support, which is known as
Bow.
2. Cup
If the timber planks curve along its
width, then it is called Cupping of
timber.
3. Check
Check is the formation of a crack in the wood, which
will separate the wood fibers. They form due to over
seasoning of timber.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected] 4. Split
Split forms when a check extends from
one end to the other end, which will
split the wood into a number of pieces.
5. Twist
Twist forms when the timber piece is
distorted spirally along its length. It
looks like a propeller blade after
twisting.
6. Honeycombing
Honey combing occurs in the inner part
of the timber, which cannot be identified
by just seeing. It is mainly due to stresses
developed during the drying of timber.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected] 7. Case Hardening
Case is nothing but the top surface of wood, which
dries rapidly during seasoning, but the inner part
didn’t. Then this defect is called as case hardening.
8. Collapse
During drying, some parts of the wood may dry
rapidly while some may not. Because of this,
improper drying shrinkage of wood occurs, that
results in the defect called collapse.
9. Warp
Warping is the loss of shape of wood
due to stresses developed during
drying. Cupping bowing, twisting of
wood come under warping.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected] 9. Radial Shakes
Radial shakes develop after the tree
being felled down and exposed to
the sun for seasoning. In this case,
the cracks run radially from bark to
the pith through annual rings.
Wood Defects During Sawing
1. Diagonal Grain 2. Torn Grain 3. Chip Mark 4. Wane 5. Slope of Grain
1. Diagonal Grain Defect in Timber
During the conversion of timber, different cutting saws are
used. The cutting should be done properly. If there is any
improper cutting by the saw, then a diagonal grains will
appear.
2. Torn Grain
In the conversion, many tools are used. If
any of the tools or any other heavy things
are dropped accidentally on the finished
surface of timber it will cause small
depression, which is called torn grain.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected] 3. Chip Mark
When the timber is cut through the planning
machine, the parts of the machine may form chip
marks on it. Usually, they are indicated by chips
on the finished surface.
4. Wane
The edge part of the timber log contains a
rounded edge on one side because of its
original rounded surface. This rounded edge is
called wane.
5. Slope of Grain
Localised slope of grain can be caused by knots. Slope of grain can also be caused by a slight
bend in the tree, which means that when a straight board is cut out of it, there is a bend in
the grain. This tends to be a longer feature and may go unnoticed in an appearance product.
Some species of Australian hardwoods (such as Jarrah and Blackbutt) can have “wavy grain”.
This gives a very attractive rippled appearance in high surface finish applications.
Where timber is “backsawn”, the slope of grain can give interesting effects in the growth
rings that enhance the appearance of the timber for some applications.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected] Defects in timber due to Insects
1. Termites in Timber
Termites also known as white ants
which form a colony inside the timber
and eat the core part of the timber
rapidly. They do not disturb the outer
layer of timber, so one cannot identify
their presence. The trees in tropical and sub-tropical regions are mostly affected by these termites.
However, some trees like teak, Sal, etc. cannot be attacked by termites because of the presence
of termite preventing chemicals in their cellulose part.
2. Beetles in Timber
Beetles are a type of insects that destroy the
sapwood of the tree and make a tunnel-like hole
from the bark. Usually, the diameter of the hole is
around 2 mm. They convert sapwood into powder
form, and larvae of these beetles use these holes.
Almost all hardwood trees can be prone to
damage by these beetles.
3. Marine Borers in Timber
Marine borers are found near coastal areas. They
do not consume wood, but they make large holes
of diameter up to 25mm in the timber to live
inside it. They excavated up to 60mm deep in the
wood. The wood attacked by marine borers is of
less strength and discolored. They can attack all
types of trees present in their region.
Eximcorp India Pvt. Ltd., 88/14-17 Mundka Industrial Area,
Road No. 12, Delhi Rohtak Road, New Delhi 110 041
Phone: +91 11 4061 0065, Fax: +91 11 4106 3444,
Mobile: +91 98910 38202 | E-mail
[email protected]
