WWT552 TIMBER TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING 1

Semester 1, 2020
TUTORIAL Week 7 – 17/03/20
TIMBER DEFECTS
Natural forces
1. Knots – knots are bases of branches being cut off from the tree and gives a dark formation due
to the nourishment being removed from the branch from where it was removed reduces its
strength.
2. Shakes- shakes are longitudinal separation in woods between annual rings and are partly or
completely separating fibres of wood that affects the appearance and strength of the wood.
3. Twisted Fibres – this twisted fibre is caused by the twisting of young trees by fast flowing
winds which lowers its durability and utility.
4. Upsets – Upsets is when wood fibres are damaged and compressed upsetting the structure
lowering its durability and appearance
5. Burls- Burls occur when a tree receives shocks in its young age and injures the growth of the
tree which lowers it utility, strength and durability.
Fungi
Fungi is caused by dry rot, which is one of the most serious defects that wood can develop. The fungus
grows by consuming wood fiber, and the wood becomes soft. This affects the poor appearance,
reduces its strength and causes decay.
Insects
Insects such as beetles, Termites and wood bores are insects that eat the sapwood and infest the timber
affecting its appearance and strength and decay creating tunnels in the wood and breed up to ten years
before emerging.
Conversion
During this process the following defect may occur; chip marks, shallow depression or indentation
caused by shavings or chips embedded in the surface during the process of dressing. This affects the
timbers appearance and durability.
Seasoning
Defects in seasoning is cupping, twisting, crook, bowing formed in the direction of the length of
timber. This affects the durability, utility

TIMBER DEFECTS
Timber defects is defined as the irregularities or abnormalities occurring in wood which is
responsible for:
1 strength reduction – Fungi & Natural Force
2 lowering of durability – Natural Force, Fungi
3 lowering of utility (usefulness) – Fungi, Insects & Conversion
4 poor appearance – Natural Force
5 decay – Fungi & Insects