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What is Ash?
This type of wood has very similar characteristics to Oak. They are so closely related that there has been some debate recently about the similarities between Oak and Ash. Ash has been used for many years in furniture production. Both oak and ash are extremely dense but ash tends to have a tighter grain and has less knots. As timber dries knots tend to lead to splits resulting in surface deformation and in extreme cases the knot falls out leaving a hole. This is far less prevalent with ash which dries more uniformly and has a more pleasing pippy look to the grain with less variation in colour and strength. One of the main reasons that Oak has been associated with strength and quality is that for years it was the most prolific indigenous hardwood and easiest to obtain a high usable yield. In fact the British Empire was said to have been built on the strength of our Oak. However this was generally more to do with its ample supply rather than it being the most suitable timber. The fact is that today Oak is in short supply and therefore considerably more expensive. Ash is now grown commercially throughout the world which means that due to its availability it is not an expensive wood. Therefore, we now have a fantastically versatile and durable hardwood available, allowing furniture to be crafted to a very high standard from a traditional hardwood at extremely affordable prices.
What is Oak?
Oaks are hard wood has a high density , great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very attractive grain markings, particularly when quarter-sawn. Wide, boards of oak have been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior panelling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the British House of Commons in, and in the construction of fine furniture. Oak wood, from Quercus robur and Q. petraea, was used in Europe for the construction of ships until the 19th century, and was the principal timber used in the construction of European timber-framed buildings. Today oak wood is still commonly used for furniture making and flooring, and for veneer production. Barrels in which red wines, sherry, brandy and spirits such as Scotch whiskey and Bourbon whiskey are aged are made from European and American oak. The barrels, which may be charred before use, contribute to the color taste and aroma, of the contents, imparting a desirable oaky vanillin flavour to these drinks. The great dilemma for wine producers is to choose between French and American oakwoods. French oaks (Quercus robur, Q. petraea) give the wine greater refinement and are chosen for best wines since they increase the price compared to those aged in American oak wood. American oak contributes greater texture and resistance to ageing, but produces more violent wine bouquets.Oak wood chips are used for smokingfish, meat, cheeses and other foods. |
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| Sherry maturing in oak barrels |
A section of the trunk of a cork oak, Quercus suber |
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Japanese oak is used in the making of professional drums from manufacturer Yamaha Drums. The rough, hard surface of oak gives the drum a brighter and louder tone compared to traditional drum materials such as maple and birch.
What is Plywood?
Plywood was the first type of engineered wood to be invented. It is made from thin sheets of wood veneer , called plies or veneers. These are stacked together with the direction of each ply's grain differing from its neighbors' by 90° (cross-banding). The plies are bonded under heat and pressure with strong adhesives, usually pheno formaldehyde resin making plywood a type of composite material. A common reason for using plywood instead of plain wood is its resistance to cracking, shrinkage, twisting/warping, and its general high degree of strength. It has replaced many dimensional lumbers on construction applications for these reasons
What is MDF?
Particleboard is cheaper, denser and more uniform than conventional wood and plywood and is substituted for them when appearance and strength are less important than cost. However, particleboard can be made more attractive by painting or the use of wood veneers that are glued onto surfaces that will be visible. Though it is denser than conventional wood, it is the lightest and weakest type of fiberboard, except for insulation board. Medium-density fibreboard and hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard, are stronger and denser than particleboard. A major disadvantage of particleboard is that it is very prone to expansion and discoloration due to moisture, particularly when it is not covered with paint or another sealer. Therefore, it is rarely used outdoors or places that have high levels of moisture, with the exception of some bathrooms, kitchens and laundries, where it is commonly used as an underlayment beneath a continuous sheet of vinyl floor covering. In such an installation the edges must be properly covered upward against the wall and joints and non-covered edges must be properly sealed against moisture penetration. A higher quality material not subject to expansion is underlayment-grade plywood, which is constructed without interior voids in its layers to better resist the high local pressure from objects such as stiletto heels Particleboard has had an enormous influence on furniture design. In the early 1950s, particleboard kitchens started to come into use in furniture construction but, in many cases, it remained more expensive than solid wood. A particleboard kitchen was only available to the very wealthy. Once the technology was more developed, particleboard became cheaper. Large companies such base their strategies around providing well-designed furniture, at a low price. In almost all cases, this means particleboard. Well known Furniture retailers main mission is to “create well-designed home furniture at prices so low as many people as possible will be able to afford them”. They do this by using the cheapest materials possible, as do most other major furniture providers. As a result, solid wood furniture has become an expensive luxury and particleboard the norm.
This need not be the case with Iwfurniture.
What is Particleboard (chipboard)?
This is an engineered wood product manufactured from wood particles, such as wood chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust, and a synthetic resin or other suitable binder, which is pressed and extruded. Particle board is a type of fiberboard, a composite material, but it is made up of larger pieces of wood than medium-density fibreboard and hardboard.
Particle board is cheaper, denser and more uniform than conventional wood and plywood and is substituted for them when appearance and strength are less important than cost. However, particle board can be made more attractive by painting or the use of wood veneers that are glued onto surfaces that will be visible. Though it is denser than conventional wood, it is the lightest and weakest type of fiberboard, except for insulation board. Medium-density fibreboard and hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard, are stronger and denser than particle board.
A major disadvantage of particle board is that it is very prone to expansion and discoloration due to moisture, particularly when it is not covered with paint or another sealer.Therefore, it is rarely used outdoors or places that have high levels of moisture.
When working with veneered particleboard, greater care must be taken not to chip the veneer. If chipped, the particleboard underneath is exposed and cannot be sanded back as with solid wood.
Solid wood or particleboard?
Particleboard’s selling point is its price. However, it has several other advantages, one of which is its stability. Solid wood is prone to warping and splitting with changes in humidity, whereas particleboard is not. This stability enables new design possibilities, without having to take into account the seasonal variation. When exposed to high levels of moisture however, untreated particleboard will disintegrate.
Solid wood has structural advantages. It is stronger than particleboard, allowing it to support greater weights in shelves or other furniture; unless braced or built with thick material, particle board shelves may visibly sag over time. Solid wood is also more durable. Most damage to wood can be repaired easily, often by sanding. Any damage to particleboard is difficult to repair.
Many people consider solid wood furniture to be more attractive than particleboard. However, the veneer on particleboard is usually cut from wood selected for its appearance and so has the potential of being more attractive
What is Hard & Soft woods?
The most common and popular softwood is pine – its colour and density vary according to which part of the world it is from (European or South American). It is has always been fashionable but recently is being replaced by hardwoods such as Oak & Ash. It can be sanded and shaped amd stained and painted. Furthermore it is fairly cheap and is solid timber! Main disadvantage – it dents and marks easily.
Hardwoods – Mahogany, Teak, Oak, Ash & rubberwood – to name but a few. Many are tropical in Origin and also expensive. Their look tends to be quite old fashioned and thus they are less fashionable than before. Rubberwood is different, despite being a tropical timber, because it is plantation grown – to tap rubber for tyres etc, the timber is cheap – often used for firewood in the East! Further advantages are that it can be stained to any colour – from pine to mahogany, it is strong, and it is solid timber.
Oak & Ash are increasingly popular hardwoods and are more expensive than both pine and rubber. Extremely durable and hardwearing they create a very upmarket yet fashionable look. Increasingly present in both solid woods and veneers (thin laminate applied to the top of furniture eg dining tables to give a uniform and patterned appearance).
What are the different types of Joints?
1. DOVETAIL JOINT
This is very strong because of the way the ‘tails’ and ‘pins’ are shaped. This makes it difficult to pull the joint apart and virtually impossible when glue is added. This type of joint is used in box constructions such as drawers, jewellery boxes, cabinets and other pieces of furniture where strength is required. There are different types of dovetail joint and when cut accurately they are very impressive and attractive. |
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2. TONGUE & GROOVE JOINT
Tongue and groove refers to a method of joining strips of wood. Each strip has a deep ridge or “tongue” and a slot or “groove” on the opposite edge. Two or more strips can then be pushed together closely to provide a secure and smooth joint. This is especially useful in drawer bases whereby the base will not bow and fall out or break with heavy loading – as is often the case with hardboard bases and sometimes even with plywood. Tongue and groove is also often used to finish wardrobe backs, here again its strength improves the stability of the unit.
3. MORTICE & TENON JOINT
This simple and strong joint has been used for centuries to join two pieces of wood (usually at a 90o angle. The basic idea is that the end of one piece of wood is inserted into a hole cut in the other piece. The end of the first piece is the tenon, which is usually narrowed slightly. The hole in the secong piece of wood is the mortice. The joint may be glued, pinned or wedged to lock it into place. |
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4. FINGER JOINT
A finger joint or box combing or box joint is a woodworking technique used to join two pieces of wood at right angles to each other. It is much like a dovetail joint except that the pins are square and not angled and usually equally spaced. The joint relies on glue for holding together as it does not have the mechanical strength of a dovetail. This a good example of a ‘finger’ or ‘comb’ joint. It is ideal for box constructions and is suitable for use with natural woods such as pine and mahogany or even manmade boards such as plywood and MDF. The joint is strong especially when used with a good quality glue such as PVA (woodworkers adhesive) or cascamite. |
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Other Jargons Explained
• Kiln-dried wood:
As wood comes from a living thing, it contains a great deal of moisture. This must be removed prior to use in furniture construction. The most common method is Kiln-drying. A kiln is simply a very large oven, into which the wood is placed for weeks or months to dry out (usually to less than 10% moisture content).
The effects of drying are:
Easier cutting, shaping and staining of the wood
Prevents rot
Reduces insect life living in the timber
The other major reason for kiln drying wood used in furniture; is that the furniture will be largely used indoors, and central heating creates a very dry atmosphere. If not suitably dried the wood will dry further and warp, causing joints to crack and boards to bend!
This is also why all furniture should be kept at least 30cms away from heat sources eg radiators as they can cause excessive drying and cracking.
• Distressed wood:
This recreates an antique appearance on furniture. The result is a rustic finish that softens the look of new wood or enhances old. The appearance is created by spraying chemicals onto the wood, which then leave burn marks. It is often present on pine furniture creating a mexican look and appears as clusters of black marks on the wood – IT IS NOT WOODWORM – although it may look like it!
What are the different wood finishes available?
Waxing:
Most waxes contain a mixture of carnauba wax from Brazil, paraffin wax, and beeswax. It is applied with fine sand paper and steel wool to rub out finishes that have imperfections from the drying process. The result is a low gloss protective finish on many cracked and faded wood surfaces. It can also be applied as a spray. It is generally used with pine or oak furniture, but does not give a heat or scratch resistant finish and may need frequent re-application.
Varnish:
Varnishes are one of the most protective finishes available. This level of protection increases with additional layers. These can be transparent or stained, with a good gloss finish. They provide excellent protection from wear and tear and need little or no maintenance. It should be noted that any wood which has been treated in any way, will require thorough sanding and chemical de-greasing before it can be painted or re-lacquered, in order for there to be a key (sufficient grip) for the new finish to take to the wood. Otherwise flaking and cracking of the new finish will occur.
In the white (ITW):
This refers to unfinished pine which is very pale (white), there is no wax or lacquer (varnish) present |
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