Types of Wood

There are 3 Types of wood

Man made board

HardwoodSoftwood

Softwood comes from evergreen trees

Evergreen treesHave very thinNeedle likeLeaves that stay on thetree duringwinterPINE

Some softwood shrubs do have wider leaves, but the are hard and waxy

Holly Laurel

Hardwood comes from deciduous trees

BEECHDeciduous trees have broader paper likeleaves that change colour during the year and fall off in the winter

Some other trees whose wood is widely used

Oak Maple Elm

Man made wood is made in factories

We use wood leftovers like sawdust and chippings to make boards

How wood grows and rots

Softwood trees grow quicklyso their growth rings are wider,

which makes the grain wider

Wider wood grain

Hard wood grows slowerso the growth rings are smaller,

which makes the grain closer

Closer wood grain

This is a tree stump where you can see the growth rings.

After a few years the tree stump will rot away, caused by the weather, fungi and insects.

We can prevent wood from rotting away by protecting it. We could use such things as varnish and wax

Ways that wood is used

Because Hardwood grows slower, it ismore expensive. It is resistant to decay and it is

more water resistant because of oils in the wood. Because of this it is used to build garden furniture,

boats and quality furniture

Soft wood is cheaper than hardwood and used to make cheaper furniture and less quality items because it grows quickly and can therefore be

processed and produced quickly.

Man made woods are the cheapest. They are made from wood scraps such as

chippings and sawdust. They make kitchen cupboards and the cheapest furniture