Table of Contents
Types of Wood
Wood and trees have played a crucial function in our society’s improvement. It is an essential material that is used in our daily life.
Since the early Paleolithic period, many kinds of wood have been employed in the construction of houses, carpentry, and do-it-yourself projects, as the production of tools, construction machinery, weapons, and furniture.
The usage of wood has always been influenced by its price, quality, and accessibility.
Trees and plants’ trunks and branches are made of the hard, fibrous material known as wood.
There are numerous structural and non-structural uses for the timber utilized in construction.
Given that the word “wood” is a general one, it is crucial to comprehend how it is used in construction.
Stone is the only other material used more frequently in construction than wood.
It is a frequently chosen substance when it comes to constructing homes, shelters, and boats.
Despite the difficulty of utilizing the complicated chemical properties of wood to create a range of composite structures, we have been successful in doing so.
Let’s examine the reasons for the widespread use of wood in building and interior design.
What is Wood?
Wood is a material formed by trees. Different tree species produce wood with different characteristics, which is used in a number of ways in daily life.
Advantages of Wood in Construction
- Natural wood is a versatile material that is simple to deal with, abundant, and comes in a variety. There are specialized uses for each variety of wood.
- It is strong and lightweight. It also appears natural and comes in a variety of designs.
- The substance has been utilized for centuries. As a result, trained laborers with sufficient knowledge of the many varieties of wood are widely accessible worldwide.
- Wood keeps its thermal characteristics. It is hence extremely resistant to high temperatures.
- Wood has a comparatively low heat conductivity as compared to materials like glass, steel, aluminum, marble, or steel.
- It is a preferred material for building homes and buildings because it can reduce echo and absorb sound.
- Electric waves do not conduct well through the wood. As a result, it’s ideal for insulating a living or workspace.
- Wooden homes are inexpensive to build and expand, and they have low ongoing operating and maintenance costs. The supply of wood nearby, nevertheless, also plays a role in this.
- For hiding flaws, reducing maintenance, and making the installation of lighting and ventilation systems simpler, wood paneling is particularly well-liked for ceilings.
Different Types of Wood And their Uses
Wood can be broadly divided into two types: softwood and hardwood. The strength of wood is mostly determined by its density.
Softwoods are less dense than hardwoods, making hardwoods stronger and more resilient.
The distinction between hardwood and softwood is not just based on the density of the wood. This is due to the fact that a few hardwoods are lighter than softwoods.
Typically, the botanical properties of these two species of wood are used to distinguish them from one another.
Let’s explore the various sorts of wood that are used to make furniture and other structures.
Natural wood comes in many varieties, each with unique characteristics like color, texture, and strength.
Knowing the many types of wood used in building and construction as well as their uses is crucial for homeowners.
Softwood
Conifers are the source of softwood. As new leaves do not fall until the old ones have finished growing, these trees are also referred to as evergreen trees.
Cold-climate zones are typically where softwood flourishes. Coniferous trees are less expensive than hardwood trees because they develop quickly.
Since they are simpler to grow, they are more sustainable. There are various kinds of softwood, as follows:
Cedar Wood
Cedarwood is a softwood with knots that is reddish-brown in color and has fine lines. Compared to other softwoods, cedar is soft.
The consistent grain of the wood makes it extremely resistant to rot and insects. They have a fragrant quality. It can be found in Kashmir and Assam in India.
Uses
One of the well-known wood varieties used to line boxes, chests, and drawers are this one. Also made from this wood are basic cases and storage closets.
Spruce wood
Strong and durable, spruce wood is. It has a good finish and little decay resistance. It weighs little and shrinks only slightly.
Canada, America, Asia, Europe, and Alaska are all home to spruce. It can be found in Sikkim and the Western Himalayas in India.
Uses
It is frequently used for ladders, crates, boxes, paneling, cladding, and the masts and spars of ships and airplanes.
Pine Wood
Pinewood is a straight-grained, lightweight wood with a mellow, white, or light-yellow color.
It is warp-, swell-, and shrinkage-resistant. Staining and shaping pine is fairly simple. When exposed to soil, pine quickly decomposes.
In most of the Northern Hemisphere, it grows. It can be found in Nagpur, Assam, and the western Himalayas of India.
Uses
Furniture for both indoor and outdoor spaces of various kinds is made using it. Along with flooring and paving materials, it is also employed to create window and door frames.
For decorative purposes, knotty pine is frequently utilized. It also serves as one of turpentine’s suppliers.
Hemlock Wood
Hemlock wood has medium strength and is lightweight. It has limited resistance to degradation and is non-resinous.
Alaska, Canada, England, Eastern Asia, and the United States are all places where you can find it. Like other softwoods like firewood, it is quite prone to shrinking.
Use
Planks, crates, doors, joinery, and subflooring are all made with it.
Firwood
Another name for firewood is Douglas fir. Fir has a reddish-brown tint and a straight grain. It has a homogeneous texture, is non-resinous, and has a low level of decay resistance.
Compared to other softwoods, fir is tough. Since it is difficult to stain, it is typically utilized unfinished or as a painted surface.
North Africa, Europe, Asia, Central America, and North America are all places where you can find fir. It can be found in Himachal Pradesh in India.
Uses
It is utilized for interior trim, doors, frames, windows, plywood, and veneer in addition to furniture.
Hardwood
Deciduous trees with large leaves, fruit or nut production and a generally dormant winter season are the source of hardwood.
Compared to softwoods, hardwoods have a denser structure. The various hardwood varieties are mentioned here.
Ash Wood
Ashwood is a dense, ring-pored, durable wood. Ash is renowned for its strength and flexibility. It is a white to light brown tone with a noticeable oakwood-like texture.
The use of screws, nails, and glue makes maintenance simple. It results in a lovely finish. Ash is typically less expensive than other hardwoods due to its lower demand, which also makes it less desirable.
Uses
Ash is frequently used for furniture that has been steam bent and for structural frameworks. It is employed in the construction of ladders, baseball bats, frames, sports equipment, and guitars. Ash is used to making beautiful veneers because of its unique grain.
Acacia wood
The acacia tree, which is native to Australia and Africa but is also found in tropical and subtropical areas all over the world, has more than a thousand different kinds.
This quickly-growing hardwood can grow to a height of up to 40 feet, depending on the species.
Although its heartwood leans more toward reddish brown, acacia wood can range in hue from light brown to dark mahogany.
The uneven, erratic, and usually wavy grain patterns of acacia are renowned for their beauty, toughness, and durability.
Dense acacia is a rot-, insect-, water-, and insect-resistant wood. However, it needs to be properly sealed, safeguarded and maintained if it’s being used outside.
Acacia can be difficult to deal with because of its weight and hardness, and it can split or expand when exposed to extreme temperature changes.
Uses
Acacia wood’s durability and beauty make it perfect for furniture and everyday things like cutting boards and bowls. As a result of its durability and lovely grain, it offers a distinctive alternative for flooring.
Balsa Wood
Balsa is a very lightweight wood that is widely used in hobbies and craft projects.
Balsa wood is often underappreciated and has many useful applications, but many skilled woodworkers tend to have a poor opinion of it because it is not very strong.
Typically, South and Central America export balsa wood to North America. Balsa wood has a low density and is typically not particularly robust. Most trees only yield useful lumber before they are 10 years old, but balsa wood develops exceedingly quickly and has a short lifespan.
Uses
Since balsa wood is so buoyant, many people are shocked to realize that it’s frequently used to construct rafts, life jackets, and other floating objects.
Balsa wood can be used to create some incredibly well-crafted products, such as surfboards.
Beech Wood
Beechwood is a dense, hefty, and densely pored wood. It is reasonably priced and has a light pink color. Although robust, beech is dimensionally unstable.
Due to its extreme resistance to splitting, it is quite simple to deal with. For extensive outdoor use, beech is less durable. Asia, North America, and Europe are where you can get it.
Uses
Bent and turned pieces, as well as frames, are frequently made of beech. Beech veneers with a quarter-sliced and half-round cut are frequently utilized.
Additionally, it is utilized in plywood, flooring, and other home furnishings. As a decorative veneer, it is seldom ever employed. It is excellent as firewood.
Cherry Wood
Fruitwood is another name for cherry wood. It is fine-grained, warp-resistant, durable, and light to reddish-brown in color.
It does not warp or check. It is simple to polish and carve. Cherry is primarily prevalent throughout Asia and Europe.
These trees can be found in Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh’s mountainous terrain.
Uses
It works well for sturdy furniture construction, such as cabinets, shelves, and tables, as well as beautiful carving.
Maple Wood
Maple wood is strong and has a nice texture. It is frequently used to build walkways since it is extremely durable and shock-resistant.
Maple is incredibly robust, resistant to splitting, and simple to maintain. Asia, Europe, Canada, and North Africa, are all places where you can see maple trees. In Ooty and other mountainous areas of India, you can discover maple trees.
Use
It is widely used to create furniture for homes, including bedside tables, wall shelves, and console tables. The back of the violin is also made of maple, which has a curly grain.
Mango Wood
Mango wood has a uniquely appealing grain pattern and is a solid, robust hardwood. It is significantly more water-resistant and lighter than other varieties of wood.
Its grain is distinctive because it embodies a variety of tones and hues, from pale tones like dark brown with hints of light pink or green to dark shades like black.
Uses
Furniture for the living room and bedroom, nesting tables, kitchen cabinets, entertainment centers, and bookshelves are among its best uses.
Mahogany Wood
Honduras wood is another name for mahogany. Reddish-brown is the hue of the wood. It has a consistent pore structure, is strong, and has ill-defined yearly rings.
It polishes wonderfully and makes a great carving wood. It absorbs stains very effectively, giving the piece of furniture a fantastic finish.
The fact that it doesn’t warp, inflate, or shrink is just one of its numerous benefits. It can also be applied underwater.
These days, it can be found all over India but is most prevalent in Corbett, Kaziranga, and Thattekkad Wildlife Sanctuary.
Uses
The most typical applications for it include dining table sets, nesting tables, fashion cabinets, and other sorts of interior furniture. Additionally, window frames, sills, and veneers are made of mahogany.
OAK Wood
One of the most popular hardwood varieties is oak. White and red oak are the two fundamental kinds that can be recognized.
Red oak is another name for black oak. Its grain and finish are really distinctive.
A heavy, robust, and light-colored hardwood is oak. It is quite simple to work on. It resists dampness, fungi, and yeast effectively.
Various regions of North Africa, Asia, Europe, and America are home to oak. In India’s northern and eastern regions, one can find several kinds of hardwood trees.
Uses
It is a great option for home and business furniture like cabinets and bookcases. It is also frequently chosen for patio furniture.
It is utilized in boats and ships due to its moisture resistance. Experts in interior design are now using oak for veneer manufacture, flooring, and timber-framed buildings.
Poplar Wood
Poplar is a popular and affordable hardwood that may be used for many various types of construction projects and applications. The wood is quite pale and can almost appear to be white.
Poplar doesn’t have a very unique or necessarily attractive wood grain, hence it is usually painted or used in locations where its wood grain is not visible.
Poplar is the softest of all hardwoods, which makes it easiest to work with but also makes it susceptible to dents and nicks. Poplar is less likely to move or distort.
Uses
It is not the most beautiful of woods, thus it is usually used in furniture parts that are hidden from views, such as drawer slides and the interior of dresser frames.
In addition to being used for many wood crafts, poplar is frequently utilized in model construction.
Rose Wood
Rosewood is extremely tough and has a rich reddish brown shade. It has a distinctive scent. It requires a lot of polishing and is difficult to work on.
There are various types of rosewood, including Brazilian, East Indian, Honduran, Amazon, Madagascar, and others.
Hindi speakers also refer to East Indian rosewood as Sheesham. The wood known as rosewood is highly prized.
Assam, Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Mysore, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh are often the states in India where it is most prevalent.
Uses
It is utilized in art projects, beautiful veneers, furniture, tool handles, musical instruments, and piano cases.
Leprosy, as well as other diseases, can be treated with the help of Indian rosewood or Sheesham extracts.
Teak wood
One of the most well-liked hardwood varieties is teakwood. It is exceptionally heavy, strong, long-lasting, warp-resistant, and has a yellow to dark brown color.
It also does not decompose. Teak is frequently highly figured and may have a straight grain pattern. Teak is pest- and termite-resistant because of its natural oils.
Teak is difficult to burn. Comparing it to other types of wood reveals that it is fairly pricey. Typically, it can be found throughout central and southern India. Additionally, it is among India’s top choices for furniture-making wood.
Uses
It is frequently employed as a structural wood for partitions, doors, and windows as well as for wooden-framed homes.
It is a great option for patio furniture like garden seats and lounge furniture. For their bedroom furniture and wardrobes, most homeowners favor teak. The manufacturing of veneer also uses it.
Walnut Wood
Walnut, which has a very fine texture, is one of the most practical and popular wood species. The wood’s color ranges from light to dark chocolate brown, and the trunk has a straight grain.
Walnut is resistant to warping and is sturdy, hard, and long-lasting without being overly heavy. It functions admirably as wood and takes treatments effectively.
When compared to other kinds of hardwood, it is relatively pricey. Asia, America, and Europe are all home to walnuts. It can be found in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir in India.
Uses
It is the perfect wood to use for building veneers, musical instruments, gunstocks, dining room sets, coffee tables, and decorations.
Final Words
Prior to the invention of cement, wood was utilized as a building material for a very long time.
According to the Forest Service of the US Department of Agriculture, more than half of the wood species taken from forests are utilized as building materials in the US.
Wood’s timeless beauty and durability may provide coziness and elegance to the interior design of our houses. As a result, wood is a widely used building material in India.
Out of all the different building materials available, wood stands out as a special product with a remarkable range of uses.
It is the perfect option for a wide range of construction applications due to its visual appeal, strength, insulating properties, and ease of production.
A homeowner must decide on the type of wood based on the project’s needs and intended use.
FAQs
What are the main wood types?
Hardwood and softwood are two different forms of wood. Evergreen or coniferous trees including fir, pine, spruce, redwood, and cedar are the source of softwood lumber. The following are a handful of the most widely used hardwood species for timber production:
Ashwood
Balsa wood
Maple wood – hard and soft
Oakwood
Poplar wood
Walnut wood
How many wood types are there?
Softwoods, hardwoods, and engineered wood make up these three groups. These numerous varieties of wood can each be used for various tasks.
What is the most common type of wood?
Red oak is by far the most often utilized type of wood for flooring in the US. In the US, it grows in profusion. As a result, oak is a cheap hardwood.
Which is the best wood for furniture?
The best furniture can be found in the following categories:
1. Cherry Wood: It is straight-grained, reddish-brown in color, and may contain pith flakes.
2. Pine Wood: Pinewood is extremely prone to deterioration and denting, particularly in areas with high traffic.
3. Maple Wood: It is heavy, hardy, and very impact-resistant.
4. Oak Wood: Oakwood is substantial, durable, and quite strong.
Which wood type is best?
Hardwood is the ideal type of wood for furniture. Hardwood furniture, which is getting harder to find, has a combination of beauty and toughness that is unsurpassed by softwood or manufactured wood. Softwoods could be pretty, but they aren’t quite as durable as hardwoods.
Also, Read
Seasoning of Timber – Purpose, Advantages, And Methods
What is WPC Board? Advantages, Disadvantages, Uses
What is CMU Wall? CMU Wall Construction|CMU Block|Cinder Block
What is a Gable Roof? Types of Gable Roof
Standard Room Sizes And Their Location In A House