Solid Wood
By Joelle Maatouk
Wood
Outline:
1- Definition of solid wood …………………………………………………......... 1
2- Hardwood …………………………………........................................................ 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11
12-13-14-15-16-17
3- Softwood ……………………….……………..………………………….......... 18-19-20-21-22-23
4- Hardwood wood vs Softwood ………………………………………………… 24
5- Engineered wood ……………………………………………………………… 25-26-27
6- Table of comparison: Plywood vs MDF vs Particle board …………………… 28
By Joelle Maatouk
Solid wood: is the wood that’s been cut out of a tree. Unlike engineered wood, which consists of wood
fibers that are held along with adhesives, in solid wood the whole piece of lumber is 100% wood cut from
the tree.
The type of solid wood used defines the finished piece's aesthetic and strength. There are several types of
wood available and they are labeled under two categories hardwood and softwood.
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The type of solid wood used defines the finished piece's aesthetic and strength. There are several types of
wood available and they are labeled under two categories hardwood and softwood.
So what's the difference?
Hardwoods are angiosperm trees, or plants that produce seeds encased in a shell. To reproduce, they usually
develop flowers. Birds and insects transmit pollen to other trees, and when the trees are fertilized, they produce
fruits, nuts, or seeds.
Hardwood trees, in general, are deciduous, which implies they lose their leaves every year.
Because they grow more slowly than softwoods, they are usually denser. Hardwoods are used in constructions
such as decks, floors, beams, paneling, and high-quality furnishings. Hardwood trees include:
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Oak: oak is popularly chosen because of its strength, hardness, and durability. Attractive grain adds to the
suitability of furniture. In the case of hardwood flooring, it can be treated and finished to look and perform like
most other hardwoods at a lower cost.
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Oak and Beech are closely related. yet Beech has a straighter grain, a more even texture, and a distinctive
fleck in it. The color is pinkish, ranging from fawn to brown, and when steamed, it can acquire an appealing
reddish brown.
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Walnut: a popular exotic hardwood that is valued and desired for its strength, durability, and brilliant and rich
brown colors. Because of its versatility, walnut wood is a popular choice for furniture, including formal office
furniture and mid-century modern designs.
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Ash: has a lovely mild honey color that ranges from pale to creamy brown. It is well-known for its strength
and durability, which is why it is commonly used in shops and offices.
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Mahogany: was formerly the cabinetmaker's preferred wood due to its beauty, durability, and color. It can also
be given a rich patina to appear burnished gold. It is a reddish-brown, straight-grained wood native to Central
and South America.
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Maple is native to Canada. It has a delicate, subtle grain that is scarcely visible in its evenness of color. It will
gradually mellow to a lovely golden tone. Because of its color, texture, and durability, it is an excellent choice
for residential.
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Cherry: has a lovely warmth to it, however the color is heavily influenced by light. After a while, sections
exposed to light tend to turn an auburn color, but areas in the shade remain a lighter tint.
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Elm is a newcomer to this list of hardwoods. It has a creamy color and an appealing grain, but it is not long-
lasting. That doesn't imply it can't be used as floor material; spaces with minimal traffic can look fantastic with
an Elm floor.
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IPE is a South American wood and it is one of the densest and strongest. It is often used for decking since it is
resistant to insects and water. The Ipe decking at Coney Island in New York for example survived for 25 years
until parts of it were replaced
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Massaranduba is a purple-colored hardwood with a red center and is widely forested in Brazil. It is so thick
that it sinks in water and, if nails are used, holes must be drilled to accommodate the nail. It is also known as
Bullet wood.
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Wenge is a Central African hardwood that is heavy and extremely hard, making it ideal for floors and
staircases. It has a distinctive deep brown color that is used as a common descriptive term in many color
palettes.
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Zebrano sometimes known as Zebrawood, is native to Central Africa. It is a pale brown wood with distinct
streaks of dark brown or black, hence the name. This interesting aspect makes it a unique and eye-catching
wood for flooring and staircases.
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Bubinga: a dark tropical wood comparable to Rosewood that is often utilized in the manufacture of guitars and
other musical instruments. Its grain patterns vary greatly, with the rarer ones commanding high prices. The
uncommon nature of the wood results in really unique hardwood floors.
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Kampas is native to the Far East's tropics. It is very hard, roughly 80% as hard as Mahogany, and the color is
similar, a reddish brown with a shadow of a darker grain. It is distinguished by its extreme toughness, which
resists scuffing and decay.
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Teak is an Asian timber with a reddish red heartwood and a pale custard-colored grain. It smells like freshly
cut wood or leather. It is water resistant and, due to its hardness, lends itself to use on boats, floors, and
decking that must withstand high weather and foot traffic.
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Softwood trees are gymnosperms, which reproduce by creating cones, the pollen of which is carried by the wind
to other trees. Pollinated trees produce “naked seeds,” which fall to the ground or are carried by the wind and
grow elsewhere.
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Because these trees have needles and cones, you'll identify them as conifers like spruce or pine trees. Most
softwoods have a lower density than hardwoods because they grow faster than most hardwoods, making them
easier to cut. They are also less expensive to harvest. Softwood trees include:
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Cedar: The western red cedar is the most common type of cedar. Western red cedar, as the name suggests, is
reddish in color. This wood is relatively soft, with a straight grain and a mildly aromatic odor. it can withstand
damp settings without rotting, for this reason it is commonly used for outdoor projects such as furniture, decks,
and building exteriors.
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Fir: this wood, often known as Douglas Fir, has a straight, noticeable grain and a reddish brown color to it. Fir is
commonly used in construction, but it is also affordable and can be used to make some furniture. It doesn't have
the most intriguing grain pattern and doesn't take stain well, so use it only if you plan to paint the finished
product.
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Pine: comes in a variety of wood species, including Ponderosa, Sugar, White, and Yellow, and all create excellent
furniture. Pine is a fairly easy wood to work with, and because most types are soft, it lends itself well to carving.
Pine normally takes stain extremely well (as long as the wood is sealed first)
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Redwood: Because of its moisture resilience, redwood, like cedar, is typically used for outdoor construction.
Redwood has a straight grain and is relatively soft. It has a reddish tint, as the name suggests. Redwood is simple
to work with, relatively soft, and reasonably priced.
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So which one is better?
Softwood or hardwood?
In practice, dense timbers are more likely to split when nails are driven into them, whereas softer lumber does
not split as easily. So, while it may be tempting to believe that denser, harder woods are better for construction,
this is not always the case. Because softwoods are soft and light, and will easily accept a nail without splitting,
they might be ideal for typical construction projects that require drilling or screwing together hardwood boards.
In fact, softwood accounts for over 80% of all lumber, and it may be found in building components such as
windows and doors, as well as medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
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Engineered wood:
Plywood is a form of panel product created by gluing individual plies or layers of veneer together vertically
and horizontally. Veneer is a thin sheet of wood that is mechanically peeled from a log on a lathe, closely
related to how a toilet paper is unrolled. Plywood can be crafted from both hardwood and softwood species
and can be used with several types of adhesives. The veneer sheets are spread out with glue and then placed
into a frame and packed under pressure. The panel lay-up defines the thickens of the composite sheet and its
properties. Frequently used as a solid wood replacement, due to the strong resistance to splitting, cracking and
wrapping, in regards to its cost-effectiveness in covering large areas. Thin plywood sheets assembled with
bead or V details, and lap joints at the ends, are more secure, cheaper and go up fast.
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Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF)
The type of wood panel consists of mixing wood fibers, wax and resin or other cellulose fibers and pressing
under hear to create panels with different end-use qualities. The surface of the MDF panel is relatively flat,
straight and more consistent than that of particleboard, which makes it easier to finish with paint, thin
laminates or a printed paper. Due to its cohesive density profile as a particleboard, the MDF panel is almost
always the choice for products demanding large machinability. MDf is frequently used in the construction
of cabinets, furniture, moldings, millwork and doors.
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Hardboard (HDF)
Hardboard is a type of fiberboard that is pressed to a higher density than MDF and is further refined to
achieve improved properties. Hardboard is produced by a dry process, as defined for MDF, or by wet
process, where the water is used to develop the fibers into a mat instead of air. The standards specific for
hardboard often helps to identify minimum properties such as strength, stiffness, water resistance,
dimensional stability, surface quality, machinability, the ability to hold screws and other features.
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Particleboard or Chipboard
Particleboard is a panel product made from wood particles (wood chips, saw dust, wood shavings) that are
soaked with was and adhesive, created into a mat, and then compacted under heat. A particleboard may be
manufactured with a smooth surface coating (yet its usually rougher than MDF) for decorative or
functional surfaces such as shelves, kitchen countertops and cabinets.
Particleboard consistency varies for various applications and can be optimized by changing the particle
configuration, the thickness of the resin, the additives and the stiffness of the panel resulting in pressing.
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Plywood MDF Particle board
Plywood is composed of thin layers which are MDF (medium density fiberboard) is produced Particleboard is a combination of wood chips,
glued in opposite directions. of very small wood fibers that are glued under shavings, fibers, and adhesives
high pressure and packed tightly.
Has Excellent strength. For structures, MDF is not as strong as plywood and Particle board has Limited strength and cannot
plywood is great at ensuring rigidity potentially be harmed when handled roughly. handle heavy loads.
By limiting expansion and shrinkage, the cross The lighter, more fragile, composition of Because of moisture, particleboard can
MDF might not always hold up
graining of plywood enhances strength well against nails and screws. generously expand.
properties.
Due to its greater cross grain pattern, nails and MDF does not hold screws very well as Particleboard is susceptible to dimensional
it's composed of such fine
screws will strongly hold In Plywood. particles, and the deletion of screw changes as the humidity differs.
holes can occur in the long run.
Pricing: Lower than solid wood But Higher Cheaper than plywood but higher in price One the cheapest wood planks
than other engineered wood. range than other engineered wood
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