LECTURE #09

Timber

Definition: Wood suitable for building or other engineering purposes is called timber.

When wood forms part of a living tree it is called standing timber whereas it is called
rough timber when the tree has been felled.

The wood is called converted timber when it has been sawn to various market forms
such as beams, battens and planks etc

These parts of the cross-section are described below :

• At the very center is the pith. In some trees, this is much softer and possibly a
different color than the surrounding heartwood. Heartwood is made up of dead
cells that no longer serve any purpose except to support the tree
• Next is the sapwood, which carries water, minerals, and plant sugars between
the roots and the leaves. This is often lighter in color than the heartwood.
Outside the sapwood, close to the surface, is the cambium, a thin layer of living
cells. These cells manufacture the wood as they grow
• The cambium is covered by a protective layer of bark. The cambium grows
rapidly at the beginning of each growing season, creating light
colored springwood. As the climate warms, it slows down and produces
darker summerwood

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD TIMBER

Following are the characteristics or qualities of a good timber.

(i) It should be free from sap.

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(ii) It should have straight and close fibres.

(iii) It should give a clear ringing sound when struck. Dull heavy sound is a sign of
internal decay.
(iv) It should be of uniform dark colour. Light colour usually indicates timber with
low strength.
(v) It should have regular annual rings.
(vi) Timbers with narrow annual rings are generally the strongest.
(vii) Freshly cut surface should give sweet smell.
(viii) It should have bright and smooth surface when planed. Dull appearance is a
sign of defective timber.
(ix) Teeth of saw should not get clogged while sawing.
(x) Out of same variety of timber, darker and heavier pieces are stronger.
(xi) It should be free from dead knots, from too many knots, shakes or other
defects.
(xii) It should have firm adhesion of fibers and compact medullary rays.
(xiii) A good timber should be durable. It should be capable of resisting the actions
of fungi, insects, chemicals etc.
(xiv) A good timber should be capable of retaining its shape during conversion or
seasoning. It should not bow or warp or split.
(xv) A good timber should be capable of offering resistance to shocks due to
vibrations

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Characteristics and uses of common Pakistani timber

1) Babul

It is a thorny tree with small leaves and having yellow flowers.it grows all over
Pakistan.it can grow in poor soil even without water.

Characteristics

It is close grained tough and pale red coloured wood

Its weight is 880Kg/m3

Uses:It is used for making tool handles and for inferior building work.

2) Chir (nakhtar in Pashto)

It is generally found in Himalayas at heights generally ranging from 500m to 2500m.

Characteristics

Its colour is dark brown when soft, but it is reddish brown when hard.evergreen pinus
tree.

It is easily worked and seasons well.

It weighs 560Kg/m3

It is inferior to deodar in all respects.

Uses: It has oily smell and is used for interior work in the house.

It should not be used for exterior work.

3) Deodar (diyar)

It is tall tree with pointed leaves found in western Himalayas from 1000 to 3000 m high

Characteristics

It is yellow in colour but darkens on exposure.

It is strong and durable.it is easily worked.it is closely grained.

On planning and varnishing it looks beautiful.

It weighs 560kg/m3

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Uses: It is used for making furniture, windows, etc.used for construction of railway
sleepers, bridges and piles.

4) Sal

It grows in sub-Himalaya ranges and in Madhya Pradesh.

Characteristics

It is in rose brown colour and slowly turns into dark brown colour.

It is strong and durable.

It is free from attack of white ants and is very difficult to work.

It has poor finish.

Uses: It is excellent timber for almost all uses but as it does not give a good finish so it is
unsuitable for ornamental work.

5) Shisham

It is widely available in northern Pakistan at a height range of 1000 to 1500m.it is one of

the most valuable timber of Pakistan

Characteristics:

(i) It is dark brown in colour.

(ii) It is close grained
(iii) It is quite tough and hard
(iv) It take polish well
(v) It weighs 880kg/m3

Uses:it is mainly used for making of

furniture, tool handles, beds, cabinet, plywood, etc.

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6) Walnut(akhrot)

It grows in Himalayas

Characteristics

(i) It is strong, hard, tough and elastic

(ii) It is uniform in texture
(iii) It take polish well
(iv) It is easily worked and does not split.
(v) It weighs 650kg/m3

Uses: Excellent timber for high class furniture, cabinet work, carving work and for
making veneers and plywood.

7) Kail wood

It is large evergreen tree found in the Himalayas at heights ranging from 2000m to
4000m

Characteristics

Wood is of pale brown colour

Wood is close grained
It is quite durable
It seasons well

It is less brittle and more free from oil than deodar.

Uses: used for house buildings, water channels, and railway sleepers.

8) Bamboo
It is available in hills and almost all over Pakistan
Characteristics:
It is flexible, very strong and durable.
Bamboo of smaller diameter with a thin hole are stronger than those of bigger dia with
bigger holes.
Uses: it is used for scaffolding, construction of temporary bridges and in the construction
of cheap and big sheds.
9) Mulberry
It grows in Punjab,KPK
Characteristics:
It seasons well.
It is of brown colour.
It is strong, tough and durable.

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Weighs 670 kg/m3

Uses: used mostly for making sports goods like tennis and badminton rackets, hocky
strikes and cricket bats
10) Jack tree
It is large evergreen tree found in the warmer regions all over Pakistan
Characteristics
It is of bright yellow colour
When dry it is moderately hard but is brittle.
It is close and crooked grains.
It seasons well
It weighs 590kg/m3
Uses: it is used for making musical instruments, furniture and well kerns, carts and
wheels
11) Toon wood
It is large evergreen tree found in sub Himalayan tracts and western Ghats.
Characteristics
Its colour is dull red.
It is easy to work
It gives smooth finish
It is light but not strong
It seasons well
It weighs 550kg/m3
Uses:Used mostly for furniture making.
Also for planking and door panels.
12) Haldu
It is large deciduous tree found in deciduous forests in Pakistan
Characteristics
It is of yellow colour
It is moderately hard
It gives smooth finish
It is fairly durable
It seasons well
It weighs 670kg/m3
Uses:used for furniture and for making agricultural implements
Suitable for ornamental and cabinet work.
Hard boards, plywood and chipboars
1) Hard boards
These are manufactured from wood waste obtained from saw mills, inferior timbers or
short logs etc.
Other materials may be added to improve its properties

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Width of sheets is usually1.25m but even 1.75m.wide sheets too are availbale.the
maximum length is 4.75m.the thickness varies from 2mm to 20mm.
Advantages
Unlike sawn wood these can be made of any size.
As these are homogenous so their strength is uniform in all directions.
These are free from natural defects of timber like shakes and knots etc.
2) Plywood
Plywood are made by glueing together plies in odd numbers.glueing is done under
pressure.plywood are generally available upto 1.5m in width and 13.4m in
length.thickness of plywood ranges from 3mm to 6mm.
Advantages
It gives better appearance
It is stronger
It can be easily bent to give any shape
It is elastic material
It gives uniform tensile strength
It is available in larger sizes
Uses: it is used for covering or paneling walls, for doors, furnitures
3) Chipboard:

A chipboard is built by wood pieces glued and compressed together. There are three
types of chipboards - normal density, high density, medium density. Normal density
chipboards are fairly soft, high density chipboards are solid and hard, and medium
density chipboards are in between.

Advantage: The advantages of a chipboard are that they are cheaper than other
manufactured boards, as they have a smooth texture and do not require much tooling.
Also, their wood fibers do not run uniformly down the length of wood, so chipboards
don't splinter easily.
However, the disadvantage is that when waterlogged, the wood fibers of chipboards
swell, giving the piece of wood a bloated, bumpy texture.

SEASONING OF TIMBER

The art of seasoning is to extract the moisture under controlled conditions as nearly as
possible at a uniform rate from all parts of timber and to leave the remaining moisture
that cannot be extracted, uniformly distributed throughout the mass.

Objects of Seasoning

(i) Seasoning makes timber resistant to decay.

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(ii) Seasoning makes timber lighter.

(iii) It becomes easier to paint and polish seasoned timber.

(iv) It is easier to treat seasoned timber with preservatives.

(v) Seasoned timber becomes stronger and more stable.

(vi) Seasoning stops shrinkage of timber on drying.

(vii) Seasoned timber has better electrical resistance.

Methods of Seasoning

(i) Natural seasoning or Air Seasoning

(ii) Artificial seasoning or Kiln Seasoning

(i) Natural seasoning or Air Seasoning

The log is converted by sawing it into battens and planks etc. as soon as possible after
felling of tree. These are then stacked on a well drained place in the shade. Care should
be taken to ensure free circulation of fresh air all around each piece while stacking. The
stacking should be done on masonry or concrete supports a few centimeters above the
ground..

(ii) Artificial seasoning or Kiln Seasoning

This method of seasoning speeds up the seasoning process. This method of seasoning is
must for large scale production of seasoned timber.

Kiln seasoning is done in a chamber equipped with arrangements for heating and
humidifying the air. Usually, it is steam that is used for heating and humidifying the air in
the kiln. The seasoning of the timber is started at a comparatively lower temperature and
high humidity. As the timber dries, these conditions are gradually altered until at the end
of the seasoning. The temperature of the air inside the chamber is fairly high and the
humidity is low. Seasoning of timber by this method takes about four to five days under
normal conditions.

Comparison of Air Seasoning and Kiln Seasoning

Air Seasoning Kiln Seasoning

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It is a slow process It is a quick process

It is a simple and economical It is quite technical and expensive
It is difficult to reduce moisture content below 15 Moisture content can be reduced to any desired
to 18%. level.

Air seasoned timber is more amenable to attacks of Kiln seasoned timber is less amenable to attacks of
insects and fungi. insects and fungi.

It requires more stacking space It requires less stacking space

It gives stronger timber A little weaker timber is obtained

PRESERVATION OF TIMBER

Wood preservation protecting wood, wood products or timbers from deterioration,

decomposition or damage due to pest attacks through application of chemical substances.
Wood is usually deteriorated by fungi (white rot, brown rot, dry rot, soft rot fungi),
insects (termites, beetles, carpenter ants), marine borers (molluscans, crustaceans), and a
host of other agents. No single preservative is available which can meet all desirable
requirements.

Wood preservatives may be oil-borne, water-based or a mixture of different substances.

Timber should be well seasoned before the application of preservatives as otherwise the
preservatives would block the pores of timber thereby causing its decay due to the
entrapped moisture.

Hardwood And Soft Wood

Hard Wood

Definition

Comes from angiosperm trees that are not monocots; trees are usually broad-leaved. Has
vessel elements that transport water throughout the wood; under a microscope, these
elements appear as pores.

Uses

hardwoods are more likely to be found in high-quality furniture, decks, flooring, and

construction that needs to last.

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Examples

Examples of hardwood trees include alder, balsa, beech, hickory, mahogany, maple, oak,
teak, and walnut.

Density

Most hardwoods have a higher density than most softwoods.

Cost

Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood.

Growth

Hardwood has a slower growth rate.

Shedding of leaves

Hardwoods shed their leaves over a period of time in autumn and winter.

Fire Resistance

More

Softwood
Definition: Comes from gymnosperm trees which usually have needles and cones.
Medullary rays and tracheids transport water and produce sap. When viewed under a
microscope, softwoods have no visible pores because of tracheids.

Uses:

About 80% of all timber comes from softwood. Softwoods have a wide range of
applications and are found in building components (e.g., windows, doors), furniture,
medium-density fiberboard (MDF), paper, Christmas trees, and much more.

Examples

Examples of softwood trees are cedar, Douglas fir, juniper, pine, redwood, spruce, and
yew.

Density

Most softwoods have a lower density than most hardwoods.

Cost

Softwood is typically less expensive compared to hardwood.

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Growth

Softwood has a faster rate of growth.

Shedding of leaves

Softwoods tend to keep their needles throughout the year.

Fire Resistance

Poor

Methods of Preservation of Timber

Following are some of the common methods of preservation adopted

a) Charring
b) Tarring
c) Painting
d) Creosoting
e) Wolman salt
f) Ascu treatment
g) Fire proofing of timber
a) Charring
Lower ends of the posts that are to be embedded in ground are generally
charred with a view to prevent dry rot and attack of worms.
b) Tarring

It consists in coating with tar or tar mixed with pitch. Embedded portions of timber fence
posts, ends of door and window frames, battens and beams built in wall are usually
tarred.

c) Painting

A paint when applied to timber acts not only as a good preservative but also it enhances
the appearance of the surface so treated.

d) Creosoting

Creosote oil is a dark brown thick oily liquid. The oil preserves the timber from rot and
from the attacks of white ant.

It is used in case of railway sleepers, piles and transmission poles.

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e) Wolman salt

This salt consists of creosote and sodium fluoride and is soluble in water. These salts
destroy many kinds of fungi that cause timber to rot. This renders the timber extremely
fire resistant too.

f) Ascu treatment

Ascu is available in the form of powder and is made up of three chemicals.

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