types of woods and techniques on wood works
Wood is a kind of material obtained from plants. It’s usually from the part known as the trunk. There are three basic types, namely hardwood, softwood, and engineered wood. They have various uses, but its most prominent role is in building and furniture making. It’s one of the most abundant natural materials and has many desirable properties.
These properties make it a sought after material. Wood can even be transformed or processed to other useful things, and examples include paper and pulp. It’s also applicable as an essential fuel source. There are many operations involved in obtaining and processing woods and wood products. And these processes result in various types.
Kinds of Woods Used for Furniture
As aforementioned, we have three general types of wood. We get hardwood from the kind of trees known as angiosperms or deciduous trees. These trees have broad leaves, and they don’t produce cones or needles. Their popular species include maple, oak, cherry, walnut, and mahogany. We can distinguish them by their specific grain patterns.
Meanwhile, we get softwood from gymnosperms or conifer trees. They’re so named because they produce cones and have needles. They aren’t necessarily softer than hardwood, although it’s usually more comfortable to work with them. They’re also known for their resistance to insect attacks and rotting. Softwoods include redwood, cedar, spruce, fir, and pine.
Conversely, engineered wood is manufactured, and not found naturally or gotten directly from trees. They mostly make them from waste wood that they arrange and engineer to have certain desired features. Also known as composite wood, they treat them with heat or chemical processes to achieve qualities that wouldn’t occur naturally. They include plywood, fiberboard, and veneer.
Popular Wooden Items of Furniture
People have been using wooden furniture for centuries, and it’s still as popular as ever these days. That’s because wood is easy to work with, and they provide natural aesthetic appeal. They are durable, provide sleek comfort, and can always be refinished or repurposed. Some of these furniture include chairs, tables, shelves, cupboards, drawer chests, and bed frames.
Tips for Wood Furniture Making
Wood furniture making is something that anyone can learn to do, even though it requires specific skills. The first thing is to have the right tools for woodwork. This step includes cutting tools like saws, smoothening tools like scrapers, and clamps. Secondly, the proper handling of tools is crucial for your safety and getting the right products. Also, ensure creativity and appropriate finishing.
Techniques in Wood Works
The woodworking process requires many tools and techniques to bring about the desired product. Wood is versatile and comes in different shapes and sizes. You then have to tailor it to get the specifications that you want. These techniques include sawing, drilling, joining, smoothening, finishing, and decorating. We’ll discuss them subsequently.
Cutting
The cutting techniques include both sawing and drilling. Sawing is usually one of the first steps in furniture making. It involves cutting up the wood into the shapes and dimensions for whatever you’re trying to make. Hence, there are various sawing methods and different types of cuts. Drilling is the act of making holes in the wood for individual fixtures. Depending on the item, drilling may not be necessary.
Smoothening
Smoothening involves either of three processes or a combination. They are sanding, scraping, and filing. We use these techniques to eliminate roughness and repair bruises on the wood surface. As the group name implies, they make the wood clean and smooth and prepare it for finishing. People have preferred methods, the choice of which to use could depend on the type of wood and the product.
Finishing
Finishing is the last stage of the furniture manufacturing process. Its purpose is to enhance the item’s appearance and give it specific properties that make it durable. They are usually to make them moisture resistant and proffer some other protective functions. There are various finishing techniques, and some methods include spraying, coloring, and bleaching.
Joining
Methods for joining woodwork include using fasteners like screws and nails, gluing or using adhesives, and other binding processes. Various wood joints are depending on the desired appearance, flexibility, and strength. They make some joints without adhesive or fastening materials, such as a pinned mortise and tenon joint.
Decorating
There are many wood decorative methods. We use them to add particular details and emphasize the beauty of the design. Some of them include scrollwork, bending, shaping, and molding, lathe turning and laminating. Sometimes, you can also paint furniture. This process can be both a finishing and a decorating technique.