TIMBER

❑ INTRODUCTION
❑ CLASSIFICATION OF TREE
❑ STRUCTURE OF TREE
❑ PROPERTIES OF TIMBER
❑ DEFECTS IN TIMBER
❑ PRESERVATION OF TIMBER
❑ FIRE RESISTANCE
❑ SEASONING OF TIMBER
❑ WOOD PRODUCTS
INTRODUCTION
Benefits of timber:-
➢ Efficient & fast installation.
➢ Environment friendly.
➢ Easy to craft with hand.
➢ High strength/weight ratio

Disadvantages:-
➢ Decay
➢ Variation in strength
➢ Moisture changes
CLASSIFICATION OF TREE

TREES

EXOGENOUS TREES ENDOGENOUS TREES

CONIFER DECIDUOUS
(SOFT WOODS) (HARD WOODS)
CLASSIFICATION OF TREE
PROPERTY SOFT WOOD HARD WOOD
COLOUR Lighter Darker
GROWTH Faster Slower
WEIGHT Lighter Heavier
DENSITY Low High
CONVERSION Easy Difficult
RESINOUS MATERIAL Exist Do not exist
ANNUAL RINGS Distinct Indistinct
EXAMPLES Chir, fir, deodar etc. Teak, sal, shishum etc.
STRUCTURE OF TREE
MACROSTRUCTURE

Crown

Stem

Roots
CROSS SECTION OF TREE
PROPERTIES OF TIMBER
1. DENSITY & SPECIFIC GRAVITY
➢ The average density(apparent specific gravity)
ranges from 450-950 kg/m3.
➢ The true specific gravity of wood is 1.5

2. MOISTURE CONTENT
➢ It is hygroscopic in nature.
➢ Recommended moisture content for structural
elements is 10-20%.
➢ Drying below fibre saturation point causes
shrinkage.
PROPERTIES OF TIMBER
3. SOUND CONDUCTIVITY
➢ Timber has high sound conductivity.
➢ Speed of sound ranges 3000-5000 m/s.

4. HEAT CONDUCTIVITY
➢ It is low.
➢ More along fibres than across fibres.

5. ELASTIC MODULUS
➢ It ranges between 5000-15000 kN/m3.
➢ Longitudinal direction > Transverse direction
PROPERTIES OF TIMBER
6. STRENGTH OF TIMBER
➢ TENSILE STRENGTH
Along the fibres > Across the fibres
➢ COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
Along the fibres < Across the fibres
➢ SHEAR STRENGTH
Along the fibres < Across the fibres

ORDER OF STRENGTH
Tensile strength > Bending strength > Compressive strength
CHARACTERSTICS OF GOOD TIMBER
➢ High strength.
➢ Durable.
➢ High fire resistance.
➢ Sweet smell.
➢ Clear ringing sound.
➢ Straight fibres.
➢ Tough(High impact resistance)
➢ Hard medullary rays.
➢Regular annular rings.
➢Low water permeability.
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
➢DEFECTS DUE TO CONVERSION

➢DEFECTS DUE TO FUNGI

➢DEFECTS DUE TO INSECTS

➢DEFECTS DUE TO NATURAL FORCES

➢DEFECTS DUE TO SEASONING

DEFECTS IN TIMBER

Wane
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
TYPES OF SHAKES----
DEFECTS IN TIMBER

• Callus- indicates soft tissue around wound.

Rind galls- indicates abnormal growth,

peculiar curved swellings. It develops
when branches are improperly cut off.

• Twisted fibres- caused by twisting of young

trees by fast blowing wind.
DEFECTS IN TIMBER

• Upsets- Ruptures occur when fibres are

injured by crushing or compression.

Burls(excrescences)- formed when a tree receives

shock in its young age, irregular projections appear
on body.

• Wind cracks- Shrinkage of external

surface leads to cracks.
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
PRESERVATION OF TIMBER
➢ It is done to increase the life of timber
➢ make durable
➢ To protect it from fungi, insects, etc.
➢ It doesn't increase strength & doesn’t remove moisture.
Types of preservatives:-
1. As Cu treatment
Composition:-
1 part of Arsenic pentoxide +
3 part of copper sulphate +
4 part of potassium dichromate.
This solution is used to protect from white ants.
PRESERVATION OF TIMBER
2. Chemical Salts
Salt solution is applied on timber surface.

3. Coal tar
Timber surface coated with coal tar.
- fire resistant
- unpleasant smell
- unsuitable for painting
PRESERVATION OF TIMBER
4. Creosote oil
➢It is tar oil type(distillation of tar)
➢It works as an antiseptic and poisonous for wood attacking
fungi.
➢Highly unpleasant smell.

5. Oil paints
➢2 to 3 coats of oil paints are applied.
➢Preserve from moisture and make it durable.

6. Solignum paints
➢Mixed with colour pigments and applied in hot state with brush.
➢Preserve from white ants and are highly toxic.
FIRE RESISTANCE

1. Special chemicals
➢ Ammonium sulphate soaking.
➢ Treated with antipyrine containing salts of
ammonia or boric or phosphoric acids.

2. Sir Abel's process

➢ Weak solution of sodium silicate (2 coats) +
slaked lime brush solution.
SEASONING OF TIMBER
➢Process of reducing moisture content of
freshly cut trees (moisture 50-60%) to make it
suitable for use.

Objective of seasoning:
▪ Reduce shrinkage & warping
▪ To increase strength, durability, workability of
dimensional stability.
▪ Make is suitable for painting
▪ Protection against fungi & insects
▪ Reduce its weight
METHODS OF SEASONING

METHODS

NATURAL SEASONING ARTIFICIAL SEASONING

➢ AIR SEASONING
➢ BOILING
➢ CHEMICAL SEASONING
➢ ELECTRICAL SEASONING
➢ KILN SEASONING
➢ WATER SEASONING
METHODS OF SEASONING
AIR SEASONING
➢ Rate of drying is slow.
➢ Cheap & simple.
➢ It reduces moisture content
of wood upto 12-15%.
➢ It makes timber durable,
tough & elastic.
METHODS OF SEASONING
BOILING
➢ It is a very quick method.
➢ Shrinkage is reduced, but strength
& elasticity is reduced.

CHEMICAL SEASONING
➢ Timber is immersed in salt solution.
➢ The time required is 30 to 40 days.
METHODS OF SEASONING
ELECTRICAL SEASONING
➢High frequency AC is passed across
timber.
➢The time required is 5 to 8 hours.
➢It is the most rapid method.

KILN SEASONING
➢Drying is carried in airtight chamber.
➢Strength & dimensional stability is
increased.
➢Less liable to attack of insects, fungi
METHODS OF SEASONING
WATER SEASONING
➢ Timber pieces partly immersed
in running water.
➢ Timber is taken out after a
period of about 2 to 4 weeks.
WOOD PRODUCTS

1. Veneers

2. Ply board
WOOD PRODUCTS
3. Fibre board

4. Block board
TIMBER & ITS USES
➢CHIR – Low quality work.
➢DEODAR – Light weight, Piles, Railway sleeper.
➢SAL – Ornamental work
➢TEAK – Strongest timber, high quality furniture, railway sleeper.
➢SHISHUM – Quality furniture(Heavy timber)
➢MULBERRY – sports goods.
➢BENTEAK – for boats.
➢KAIL - for making match boxes.
➢MANGO – cheap furniture, toys, cabinet works
QUESTIONS
Q1. Which component of trunk indicates dead portion?
A. Heart wood
B. Sap wood
C. Cambium layer
D. None

Q2. Which component of trunk indicates living portion?

A. Heart wood
B. Sap wood
C. Pith
D. Outer bark
QUESTIONS
Q3. Timber used for engineering & heavy construction are
derived from
A. Exogenous trees
B. Evergreen trees
C. Coniferous trees
D. Deciduous trees

Q4. The weight of the timber is measured at a moisture

content of……….
A. 5%
B. 12%
C. 20%
D. 50%
QUESTIONS
Q5. Fibre saturation point is a point at which there
is no free water in...............(cell cavities/cell walls)
& …............( cell cavities/cell walls) are fully
saturated.
A. cell cavities, cell cavities
B. cell cavities, cell walls
C. cell walls, cell walls
D. cell walls, cell cavities

Q6. Which is softer & lighter?

A. Sapwood
B. Heartwood
C. None
QUESTIONS
Q7. Which dries faster?
A. Sapwood
B. Heartwood
C. Both dries at same rate.
D. Ham Nahin Jante

Q8. A thin layer of sap which has not yet converted into
sap wood?
A. Inner bark
B. Outer bark
C. Sap wood
D. Cambium layer
QUESTIONS
Q9. Due to attack of dry rot, the timber:
A. Cracks
B. Shrinks
C. Reduces to powder
D. None

Q10. The timber having maximum resistance against white ants is

obtained from-
A. Chir
B. Sal
C. Shishum
D. Teak
QUESTIONS
Q 11. For manufacture of plywood, veneers are-
A. At right angles
B. Parallel
C. Inclined at 45o
D. Inclined at 75o

Q12. The most valuable timber may be obtained from

A. Chir
B. Sal
C. Teak
D. Maple
QUESTIONS
Q13. A well seasoned timber has a moisture content
.......
A. 10-12%
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. >50%
Q14. Kiln seasoning results in ...... density & better
dimensional stability.
A. Reduced
B. increased
QUESTIONS
Q15. Cambium layer is situated between inner bark &..........
A. Sap wood
B. Heart wood
C. Pith
D. None

Q16. Which method of sawing gives the strongest timber pieces?

A. Tangential method
B. Radial method
C. Ordinary sawing
D. Quarter sawing
QUESTIONS
Q17. Wood is soaked in ammonium sulphate to make it
A. Fungi resistant
B. Fire resistance
C. Insect resistance
D. None

Q18. Wood is impregnated in creosote oil in order to protect

against...
A. Fungi resistant
B. Fire resistance
C. Insect resistance
D. None
QUESTIONS
Q19. AsCu, comprises Arsenic pentoxide, copper
sulphate & potassium dichromate in the
proportion of
A. 1:2:3
B. 1:2:4
C. 1:3:4
D. 1:3:6

Q20. Which method of seasoning is good for

prevention of warping?
A. Kiln seasoning
B. Water seasoning
C. Chemical seasoning
QUESTIONS
Q21. The disease of dry rot in timber is caused by
A. Complete submergence in water.
B. Lack of ventilation
C. Alternate wet & dry conditions
D. None of these

Q22. The age of trees can be determined by:

A. Measuring diameter of pith
B. Thickness of bark
C. Length of medullary rays
D. Counting number of rings
QUESTIONS
Q23. The life of teakwood doors & windows is usually taken to be
A. 30 years
B. 40 years
C. 20 years
D. 60 years

Q24. Which timber is used to make goods used in sports industry?

A. Alder
B. Balsa
C. Mulberry
D. Asanfona
QUESTIONS
Q25. Radial splits in timber originating from bark and
narrowing towards the pith is known as
A. Cup shakes
B. Star shakes
C. Ring shakes
D. None

Q26. Cracks widest at centre which diminishes towards

outer circumference are
A. Cup shakes
B. Star shakes
C. Ring shakes
D. Heart shakes
QUESTIONS
Q27. Which method is adopted for rapid seasoning on large
scale to obtain any desired moisture content?
A. Kiln seasoning
B. Water seasoning
C. Chemical seasoning
D. Air seasoning

Q28. The defect in timber that causes longitudinal

separation between annual rings
A. Knots
B. Rind gall
C. Shakes
D. Twisted fibres
QUESTIONS
Q29. In the air drying process, the practical limit of moisture
content is
A. 0.05
B. 0.15
C. 0.25
D. 0.35

Q30. The hardwood is produced by which tree?

A. Chir
B. Kail
C. Fir
D. Shishum