Timber is a fundamental material in the construction industry, renowned for its versatility, strength, and aesthetic appeal. Sourced from various trees, timber is essential in building structures, crafting furniture, and creating decorative elements. This article explores several timber-producing trees, highlighting their unique properties and uses in construction.
Different Timber-Producing Trees and Their Uses in Construction
1. Teak
- Color: Deep yellow to dark brown
- Properties: Teak is one of the world’s most valuable timber species. It is known for its durability and fire resistance. Notably, teak wood does not corrode iron fastenings, making it ideal for various applications. Its seasoning is straightforward, and it is easy to work with.
- Uses: Teak is commonly used in house construction, railway carriages, flooring, and shipbuilding, as well as for making wood piles.
2. Rosewood (Blackwood)
- Color: Dark
- Properties: This tree produces tough, close-grained timber known for its strength and beautiful finish after polishing. It allows for the creation of large-sized products.
- Uses: Rosewood is often utilized in high-quality furniture and ornamental carvings.
3. Sandal
- Color: White/Red
- Properties: Sandalwood is hard and strong, with a weight of about 9300 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is primarily used to make agricultural instruments, wheels, and mallets.
4. Mahogany
- Color: Reddish brown
- Properties: Mahogany is durable, even in underwater conditions, and is easily workable. It weighs approximately 7200 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: Commonly used for furniture, fancy goods, and ornamental paneling.
5. Oak
- Color: Yellowish brown
- Properties: Oak is strong and durable, featuring silvery grains. Its weight after seasoning is around 8650 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: Oak is popular for sporting goods, such as cricket bats.
6. Pine
- Color: Pale yellow/White
- Properties: Pine comes in different varieties, with pale yellow pine being heavy and coarse-grained, while white pine is light and straight-grained.
- Uses: It is widely used in door and window frames, the matches industry, and as a paving material.
7. Bamboo
- Color: Pale yellow
- Properties: Bamboo is a unique endogenous tree that is strong, flexible, and highly durable.
- Uses: It is often used in scaffolding, rafters, and temporary bridges.
8. Banyan
- Color: Brown
- Properties: Banyan wood is primarily durable in underwater conditions, weighing about 5800 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used for poles, well kerbs, and door panels.
9. Ironwood
- Color: Reddish brown
- Properties: Ironwood is very hard and not easily workable, but it has high durability, weighing around 10400 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: Commonly employed in railway wagons, house construction, and bridges.
10. Axle Wood
- Color: Pale yellow/White
- Properties: This timber is strong and tough, offering a smooth finish. It weighs approximately 9300 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: Used for agricultural tools and packing.
11. Red Cedar
- Color: Red
- Properties: Red cedar produces soft, ever-grained timber suitable for moist and underwater conditions, weighing about 4800 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is often used in bridge constructions, railway sleepers, and piles.
12. Deodar
- Color: Yellowish brown
- Properties: Deodar wood is soft and lightweight, weighing approximately 5600 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: This wood is suitable for cheap furniture, railway carriages, and packing boxes.
13. Irul
- Color: Light brown
- Properties: Irul timber is very hard and heavy with high durability, requiring more time for seasoning and weighing about 8350 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: It is utilized in railway sleepers, paving blocks, and agricultural tools.
14. Aini
- Color: Yellowish brown
- Properties: Aini wood is strong, close-grained, and elastic, weighing around 5950 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: Commonly used in ordinary house construction and as paving material.
15. Bakul
- Color: Reddish brown
- Properties: Bakul produces strong, close-grained timber with a weight of about 8800 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: It is suitable for building construction, bridges, and piles.
16. Babul
- Color: Whitish red
- Properties: Babul timber is strong, hard, and durable, weighing around 8350 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: It is used in cart wheels and agricultural tools.
17. Guava
- Color: Greyish brown
- Properties: Guava wood is hard but not very strong; it is flexible and fine-grained, weighing approximately 7500 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used for instrument handles and toys.
18. Mango
- Color: Deep grey
- Properties: Mango wood is moderately strong, with a good shape. It weighs about 6550 N/m³ at 12% moisture content after seasoning.
- Uses: Commonly used for door and window panels, toys, and packing boxes.
19. Sissoo
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Sissoo timber is tough, durable, and presents a pleasant appearance, although it can be difficult to work with. Its weight after seasoning is about 7700 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: It is utilized in high-class furniture, plywood, and decorative works.
20. Spruce
- Color: Yellow
- Properties: Spruce is strong against saltwater and can be twisted and wrapped easily, weighing about 4800 N/m³ at 12% moisture content.
- Uses: It is suitable for underwater structures and the aerospace industry.
21. Mulberry
- Color: Brown
- Properties: Mulberry wood is known for its elastic nature; it is strong, tough, and easy to carve.
- Uses: This wood is commonly used for making sports goods like cricket bats and hockey sticks.
22. Satinwood
- Color: Yellow
- Properties: Satinwood is close-grained, hard, and durable, weighing around 9600 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is often used for furniture, ornamental carvings, and agricultural tools.
23. Tamarind
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Tamarind wood has full knots and is durable, with a weight of about 12800 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used for making moldings, carts, and agricultural instruments.
24. Toon
- Color: Reddish brown/dull red
- Properties: Toon wood is lightweight and easy to work with, weighing about 5300 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is commonly used for door panels, musical instruments, and furniture.
25. Kathal
- Color: Yellow to deep brown
- Properties: Kathal wood is heavy and hard, with excellent water resistance. However, it cannot withstand direct sunlight, leading to cracks.
- Uses: It is suitable for wooden piles, door and window panels, and wood bridges.
26. Hopea
- Color: Light to deep brown
- Properties: Hopea wood is strong, tough, and difficult to work with, weighing around 10000 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used for making boats, house constructions, and rail sleepers.
27. Laurel
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Laurel wood is strong, hard, and tough, weighing about 8800 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: Commonly used in building construction and various structural works.
28. Bijasal
- Color: Light brown
- Properties: Bijasal timber is strong and durable but coarse-grained, making it difficult to work with. It weighs approximately 8000 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is often used in ordinary building constructions and cart wheels.
29. Arjun
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Arjun wood is strong and heavy, achieving a good polish. It weighs about 8700 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is utilized for beams, rafters, cart wheels, and door frames.
30. Gumar
- Color: Pale yellow
- Properties: Gumar timber is well-known for underwater structures; it is strong and easily workable, weighing around 5800 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used for well kerbs, gunstocks, wood pulp, and carriages.
31. Sundri
- Color: Dark red
- Properties: Sundri wood is very hard and tough, making seasoning and working with it challenging. However, it is durable and elastic.
- Uses: Commonly used for piles, poles, and boat manufacturing.
32. Sal
- Color: Brown
- Properties: Sal wood is hard and close-grained, fibrous, and difficult to polish. It performs well against moist conditions, weighing about 8000 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is often used in railway sleepers, wagons, and bridges.
33. Casuarina
- Color: Reddish brown
- Properties: Casuarina trees grow straight, allowing for long cuts. The wood is strong and fibrous, weighing around 7650 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is suitable for scaffoldings and temporary structures.
34. Palms
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Palm wood is fibrous, strong, and durable, weighing about 10400 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is commonly used for roof coverings, rafters, and joists.
35. Siris
- Color: Dark brown
- Properties: Siris wood is hard and durable, exhibiting good resistance against saltwater. However, it can be challenging to work with and weighs around 10400 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is typically used for well kerbs, beams, and posts.
36. Simul
- Color: White
- Properties: Simul is lightweight and has a loose-grained nature, producing inferior quality wood, weighing about 4500 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is often used for making toys and matchbox industries, as well as well kerbs.
37. Indian Elm
- Color: Red
- Properties: Indian elm timber is of medium quality, moderately hard and strong, weighing approximately 9600 N/m³ after seasoning.
- Uses: It is commonly used for window frames, carts, and agricultural instruments.
38. Jarul
- Color: Light reddish grey
- Properties: Jarul wood is hard and durable, resistant to saltwater effects, and easily workable, weighing about 6400 N/m³ at 12% moisture content after seasoning.
- Uses: It is used in building construction, boat manufacturing, and scaffolding.
39. Jack
- Color: Yellow
- Properties: Jack wood is compact and ever-grained, moderately strong, weighing around 5950 N/m³ at 12% moisture content after seasoning.
- Uses: It is suitable for plain furniture, musical instruments, and cabinet making.
40. Benteak
- Color: Pale yellow
- Properties: Benteak is known for its good strength and smooth surface, weighing approximately 6750 N/m³ at 12% moisture content after seasoning.
- Uses: It is utilized in building constructions, boat making, and furniture crafting.
Conclusion
The diverse range of timber-producing trees offers various properties and applications in the construction industry. From the robust teak to the elegant rosewood and the resilient bamboo, each type of wood serves specific needs, contributing to the versatility and sustainability of timber as a construction material. Understanding the characteristics and uses of these trees not only helps in selecting the right type of timber for various projects but also promotes responsible sourcing and utilization in the construction sector.
This article encompasses the essential details about each type of timber, emphasizing their unique properties and applications in the construction industry.