Main types of lumber, characteristics, classification and scope

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today, almost any branch of the national economy uses wood products for various purposes. This is due to the unique properties of this material. Synthetic products are not yet able to replace it. Therefore, the woodworking industry produces a variety of types of lumber.

Their properties and classification deserve detailed consideration.

Key Features

Wood products are made by cutting. That's where the name comes from. The demand for this material is due to its availability and a number of unique qualities. The existing types of lumber from wood are very diverse. They are environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. In addition, they are durable, characterized by a long service life.

However, wood also has negative features. If lumber has been improperly processed or used in adverse conditions, rotting and destruction may occur.

In the selection process, you need to pay attention tothe quality of their processing. If the wood has been poorly dried, it will warp. Therefore, you should know what properties each type of product has.

Classification

There are many signs that divide the main types of lumber into groups. The most popular is the classification according to the type of cut:

1. Board.
2. Beam.
3. Bar.
4. Sleeper.
5. Slab.

There are also edged and unedged materials. In the first case, the workpiece is processed from all sides, and in the second - only from one side. There are mixed varieties.

According to the method of cutting, workpieces are divided into radial and tangential. This classification depends on the positioning of the cut relative to the growth rings of the tree.

Another important classifying factor is humidity. Dry materials have this indicator at the level of 8-10%. Such products are solid, used for arranging, for example, flooring. Universal lumber has a moisture content of 12-15%. These are blanks for skirting boards, platbands, timber. External lumber has a moisture content of more than 18%. They are suitable for facade cladding, creating a truss system.

Material

The main types and production of lumber depend on the type of wood. There are deciduous and coniferous varieties. The latter are more often used for arranging load-bearing structures and floors. Hardwoods are designed for interior decoration, as they have an aesthetic appearance.

These two types of wood are different in value. Conifers are softer, subject to the influence of the external environment. The range of their application is limited, so they are more affordable.

But hardwoods, though more expensive, are stronger and more durable. Among coniferous woods, usually only pine is used for some finishing work. Among the deciduous varieties, oak, ash, beech, maple, birch and linden are most often used.

Brus

The appearance of lumber for obvious reasons depends not only on the type of wood. The processing process leaves its mark on the characteristics of each product. One of the most common is the bar. It is used in the arrangement of both cladding and independent structures, buildings.

There are several varieties of timber. A simple type (non-profile) looks like a log processed from 4 sides. But other types of similar products are also made. Profiled timber is produced in a clearly defined form. Most often it is a rectangle, which has a notch at the bottom. Solid houses and cottages are assembled from such lumber. They hold heat well, have a low percentage of deformation (if the beam is properly processed). The profile can be very different.

There is also glued timber. It is assembled from lamellas and has improved characteristics. It practically does not shrink, does not crack. Today, rounded timber is also in demand. Hehas high aesthetic qualities.

Board

Types of cutting lumber allow you to create many forms of products. A very popular variety is the board. The range of its application is wide.

Depending on the type of wood and the accuracy of its processing, these products are used both for rough work and for interior decoration. Boards are in demand in the manufacture of furniture, partitions, small buildings in the country, etc. They are divided into 5 grades:

1. Choose - used in luxury interiors, as well as in shipbuilding.
2. First and second grade suitable for creating furniture fronts.
3. Third class applicable in construction.
4. The fourth grade is suitable for creating packaging, boxes.

Dimensions, processing level, material characteristics must be taken into account in the selection process.

Types of boards

There are many ways to classify boards. Each variety has its pros and cons. The parquet board is in demand today. The bottom layer is made of rough wood, and the surface is made of elite species. Also, according to their intended purpose, a terraced, window sill and engineering board is distinguished.

The first type is a lightweight but durable product. It is made most often from tropical woods. The board for window sills has a special impregnation and is characterized by good drying. Engineering varieties have a bottom layer of plywood, and their top is made ofnatural wood.

Clapboard

One of the most popular types of boards today is lining. These types of lumber are used for cladding inside and outside the premises. Even in technical documents, this type of product is called sheathing board.

The profile of the lining may be different. The material from which it is produced is also characterized by a wide range. When choosing it, the operating conditions are taken into account. Softwoods and soft hardwoods are suitable for dry rooms.

If this is a bathhouse, then the use of resinous types of wood is not allowed. Otherwise, you may get burned. For street cladding, hardwoods are used. They are treated with various substances to extend their lifespan.

Sleepers, small moldings

In addition to the considered products, such types of lumber as sleepers, as well as small moldings, are in demand today. These are narrowly focused products, but their importance cannot be overestimated.

Wood sleepers have a number of advantages when compared with reinforced concrete varieties. They dampen the vibration of the train well, hold the rails securely.

The need for regular maintenance of existing communication lines, as well as the installation of new lines, require a large number of high-quality sleepers. They are made from expensive wood species, because the sleepers are subjected to heavy loads and adverse environmental influences. They are impregnated with special substances to avoid decay processes, rapiddestruction. Depending on the type of trains moving along the communication line, sleepers of different strength classes are used.

Also narrowly focused varieties of lumber are small molded products. These include skirting boards, corners, platbands, glazing beads. They are produced in various sizes. This allows you to choose the best option for everyone.

Slab

In the process of manufacturing timber or boards, a slab is obtained. This is the side of the log. These lumber are convex on one side and flat on the other.

This material is also in demand today. For the arrangement of temporary buildings, technical premises, the slab is quite applicable.

It has also become quite popular today to perform decorative finishes with this type of lumber. The slab is mechanically processed only from the single-sided side, therefore, before installation work, it must be impregnated with a special antiseptic. Otherwise, after a couple of years, the slab will turn into dust. The relatively low cost makes it popular. There are new areas in which this material is used.

Sizes

Types of lumber and their application determine the dimensions. Each type of processing has its own well-defined form boundaries. Dimensions sometimes even determine the name of the product. A board is a cut product whose width is greater than twice the thickness.

If this ratio is not met, the product is called a bar. It has a width less than twice the thickness. BUTthe bars generally have a minimum set dimensions. Their thickness and width must exceed 100mm.

The usual length of a beam is 6 m. The width and thickness parameters are standard 100 by 100 mm, 100 by 150 mm or 150 by 150 mm. If the project requires the use of material with even larger dimensions, the product is made to order. But the cost will be much higher than the standard. Therefore, when developing a project, an engineer must take these dimensions into account.

The board is also produced in accordance with the standards. Its thickness is 25, 40, 50 mm. The length is usually 4, 5 or 6 m, and the width is 100 or 150 mm. The bar is usually made with standard dimensions of 40 by 40 or 50 by 50 mm. The length of the blank can be 3, 4, 5 or 6 m.

For the arrangement of flooring today they produce a certain type of boards. They have a width of 85 to 140 mm. Depending on the load level, its thickness is from 27 to 45 mm. Standard dimensions must be taken into account in the design process.

Having considered the main types of lumber, their properties, scope, everyone can choose the best type of product for their conditions. The variety of shapes, sizes and materials allows them to be used in almost any field of human activity.