1.WOOD.

PREPARATION OF TIMBER:The ‘felling’ of a tree, is the first stage of

preparing the timber for commercial use. This is normally carried
out in winter, when the tree has less moisture content. In the
summer months, trees can have more then fifty percent water
content. This increased weight adds to the cost of transport,
handling and initial preparation for the sawmill. Even in winter,
trees have a high water content.
STAGE TWO:
The tree trunks (logs) are stored / stacked in a clearing. Sometimes
logs are stored in the forest until they are needed at the sawmill.
This also allows some of the ‘free’ water content to evaporate,
reducing the weight of the tree / log.
2. STAGE THREE:
The logs are transported to the sawmill, using vehicles equipped
with lifting gear. In the Tropics, large numbers of logs are
transported by floating them in rivers and allowing them to be
carried down stream by the current, to sawmills.
STAGE FOUR:
At the sawmill, the logs are cut into ‘boards’ using equipment such
as circular saws and band saws. This is called ‘conversion’. The first
stage of conversion is a process called ‘breaking down’, which
means rough sawing. The second stage is called ‘resawing’ and
refers to more accurate / precise cutting and finishing, such as
planning and further machining. Two types of rough sawing for the
breaking down process, are shown below.
3. Large circular saws are then used to further process the boards,
removing the curved edges. Each processed piece of wood now
looks like a board.
4.Seasoning
STAGE FIVE: WHAT IS SEASONING AND WHY IS IT NECESSARY?
When a tree is felled, it contains a large proportion of water /
moisture. Many felled trees have forty to fifty percent water content.
Seasoning of natural wood, is the process through which excess
water / moisture is removed, leaving typically fifteen to twenty
percent water content.
Wood that has not been seasoned and still has a high water content
is called ‘green wood’. Wood that has had its water content reduced
is called ‘seasoned wood’.
5.SEASONING Cont..
Water is held inside a tree in two ways. ‘Free Water’ is water that is
held in the vessels and cells and its purpose is to distribute nutrients
inside the tree. ‘Cell’ water (also known as ‘bound’ water), is an
intrinsic part of the tree’s cell walls. During the seasoning process a
tree loses its ‘free’ water and a high proportion of its ‘cell’ / ‘bound’
water.
Seasoned wood is used to make furniture and most other wood
based products, because it is less likely to ‘deform’ and ‘warp’. It can
be shaped accurately with tools such as planes, saws, routers and
hand tools. Adhesives can also be used with seasoned woods.

On the other hand ‘green wood’ (unseasoned wood), has a

tendency to warp and change shape, making it difficult to make
precise products. Working with green wood is a skilled craft in its on
right, requiring years of training and dedication.
6.AIR SEASONING
The easiest way, but not the most effective method of seasoning
timber, is to stack it outside. It is normally placed in a hut / building,
with two sides open to allow air to circulate. The roof and two other
sides keep the timber relatively dry. The circulation of the air slowly
dries the timer. However, this techniques does not give a precise
moisture content. This is because air circulates freely and carries
moisture, depending on the weather and the time of year.

The seasoning time varies depending on the thickness of the wood

boards and the time of year. Usually three to four months for 25mm
softwoods. The time is doubled, for wood twice as thick. Hardwoods
of 25mm thickness require about six months and up to at least a
year for 50mm boards.
7.AIR SEASONING: OPEN AIR

A typical ‘air seasoning shed’ is seen IN NEXT SLIDE. It provides

adequate cover from the rain but allows air to flow through the
stacked boards. It allows nature to season the boards and does
not require heating. The shed is preserved to protect it against
the elements.
8.SHED SEASONING.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR SEASONING. i. Cheap method, since only
cost is of shed construction. Little attention. Little seasoning
degrade (warping, checks, and split case hardening, collapse) –
adverse weather elements excluded.
DISADVANTAGES OF AIR SEASONING. i. Drying rate depends on
prevailing weather conditions as well as on density of wood and
efficiency of stacking. Difficult to dry wood to specific .Large
spaces required for stacking. Timber susceptible to fungal and
insect attacks
9.KILN SEASONING
The seasoning time for wood can be reduced considerably through
the use of a specialist kiln. Often air seasoning and kiln seasoning
are used together. There are different types of kiln. A ‘forced
draught’ kiln is seen below.
Kilns are used because the process speeds up seasoning and this
method can be used to accurately control the moisture content of
the wood.

The wood is carefully stacked inside the brick kiln. Water is heated
and the resulting steam allowed to enter the kiln, circulating inside
and around the wood boards. Over time, the amount of steam
(humidity) is reduced until the wood has the desired moisture
content.
10. KILN SEASONING
The timber remains in the kiln for two to five days, depending
on the species of tree and the time of year that the tree was
felled (Spring, Autumn or Winter). Softwoods season more
rapidly in the kiln, compared to hardwoods. This is due to their
differences in cell structure
11. KILN SEASONING
The timber remains in the kiln for two to five days, depending on the
species of tree and the time of year that the tree was felled (Spring,
Autumn or Winter). Softwoods season more rapidly in the kiln,
compared to hardwoods. This is due to their differences in cell
structure
The wood is carefully stacked inside the brick kiln. Water is heated
and the resulting steam allowed to enter the kiln, circulating inside
and around the wood boards. Over time, the amount of steam
(humidity) is reduced until the wood has the desired moisture
content.
1.CHARACTERISTICS OF CORRECTLY SEASONED TIMBER
1.Increased strength
2.Increased stability
3.Increased resistance to decay.
ADVANTAGES OF AIR SEASONING
• It is cheap and needs less skilled attention
DISADVANTAGES: Takes 3 to 6 years to dry.[Allow 1 yr for every
25mm thickness of wood]
Moisture content can only be reduced to 15-18%.
2.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF KILN SEASONING
3.KILN SEASONING .
Two advantages that kiln dried timber has over air seasoned timber.
Answer: a) A greater percentage of moisture can be removed from
the timber resulting in a better quality end product that is less
prone to movement
4. INITIAL PREPARATION OF TIMBER
ROUGH SAWN TIMBER:
When wood is cut to a basic size on a circular saw, it is called ‘rough
sawn’. The edges and sides are not smooth. This is usually the first
stage of preparing wood for further, more accurate work.
Wood can be purchased rough sawn or planed. Rough sawn timber
is cheaper. Rough sawn wood is often used on building sites, where
the wood surface finish is not critical or not likely to be seen
5.PLANNED TIMBER
PLANED TIMBER:Planed wood is purchased by companies who do
not possess a machine planer or find it is cheaper or more
convenient for timer to arrive on their premises, planed and ready
to use. Planed timer is more expensive than rough saw
6.KILN SEASONING STAGES
7.STOCK FORMS OF WOOD
8.STOCK FORM.
SHEETS - FULL BOARD OR HALF BOARDS
Manmade boards are available in a range of materials such as MDF,
block board and plywood. Full boards are usually 1220 x 2440mm.
Half boards are also available. MOULDS
Wood can be supplied in the form of mouldings which have a variety
of sections.
Moulds are used for decorative edges and can be found on
traditional furniture.
9.MOULDS The below
distortions may be
developed wholly
or partly
depending upon
the thickness of
the board and also
on the extent of
drying.
FAULTS IN TIMBER : WARPS.
Warping is defined as a deformation in the original plane surface of
a board cut from the timber.
This is also attributed to ‘unequal’ shrinkage. It is most commonly
developed in those boards that are cut from green or ‘unseasoned’
timber.
Warping deformations may take various shapes of these, following
are more common:
10.DEFAULTS
WARPING
(i) Bow: It is a curvature of the board developed in a longitudinal
direction. The thin board takes shape resembling a bow.
(ii) Cupping: It is a distortion developed transversely. Length of the
board remains unaffected, but the width suffers distortion.
(iii) Twisting: It is a complex type of distortion in which one end of
the board is so much distorted that it comes to lie over a part of the
other edge.