3. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF TIMBER:
Durability
Depends on-
Natural and artificial defects
Thickness, length and straightness
Regular annual ring
Uniform and dense
Well seasoned
“Any wood used in engineering construction is
termed as timber.”
Strength
1. Tensile strength
2. Compressive strength
Main stress
Depends on anatomical structure
and moisture content
3. Flexural strength
Found in timber beams
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
4. •Easy to work
•Comparatively stronger than other common materials compared in
proportion to weight
•Both load bearing and non-load bearing
•Very economic and low wastage
•Low thermal conductivity
•High electrical resistance
•Good sound proofing property
•Unquestionably durable when properly treated
•Contemporary timber products can add lightness and beauty
•Great resale value
ADVANTAGES (Using Timber as a building material)
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
5. Annual growth rings
Rapid growth in spring and slow in
summer, no wood added during winter
Spring wood and Summer wood
Pith
The center
Sapwood and Heartwood
SOME IMPORTANT TERMS (About Timber/ Timber
processing)
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
6. Principal methods of sawing logs are-
1. Ordinary or cross sawing
2. Radial or Rift sawing
3. Quarter sawing
4. Tangential or Slash sawing
SAWING OF TIMBER
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
“The conversion of logs into various market forms of timber is generally
done by sawing.”
7. Natural defects
Knots
Twisted fiber
Shakes
•Radial shake
•Through shake
•Ring shake
•Cup shake
Upsets
Foxiness
Rind galls
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
Knots
Twisted Fiber
Shakes
Foxiness
Rind galls
Upsets
9. SEASONING IN TIMBER
• As fresh timber contains about 30 to 40
% sap or moisture.
• This sap is very harmful for the life of a
timber
• All those methods which are used for
removing the sap from timber are
collectively termed as seasoning of
timber.
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
Methods of Seasoning of Timber
1. Natural (air seasoning )
• Long outdoor exposure to air
• Staked on dry elevated platform, covered from
rain
• Turned frequently for equal drying
• Very slow process, takes 2 to 3 years
10. Methods of Seasoning of
Timber
2. Natural (water seasoning )
• Immerged in water and stands for
couple of days
• Then dried in natural air
• Well suited for timber, containing lots
of sap
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
11. Methods of Seasoning of
Timber
2. Artificial seasoning
Kiln seasoning
• Temperature 70 to 82 degree Celsius
• Requires 4-6 days or 3-6 months for first
shrinkage. Then exposed to higher
temperature for 6-12 days
• Two types of kiln…Compartment kiln and
Progressive kiln
• Used in Bangladesh
Chemical seasoning
• Also known as “salt seasoning”
• Before placed in the kiln, timber is soaked
into salt bath (generally Urea)
• Uniform and fast drying
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
Kiln seasoning
12. Methods of Seasoning of
Timber
2. Artificial seasoning
Electrical seasoning
• High frequency alternative currents are
passed through timber
• Quick process but not used in Bangladesh
Steaming
• Takes 4-6 hours
• Reduces elasticity and strength of timber
Boiling
• Emerged in boiling water for certain period
of time
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
Smoke seasoning
• Used in boat making industry
13. • Strong, stiff, tough, durable
• Free from both natural and artificial defects
• Regular, uniform annual growth ring
• Uniform and lustrous color
• When struck with hammer, timber should give a clear sound
• Being obtained from the heart of a full grown tree
• High density
• Good workability
• Should be elastic
• Resistance to compression
• Should be fire resistant, thus dense not light and porous.
• It should retain the shape during the period of use
CHARACTERISTICS of Good Timber
A Text Book of Engineering Materials- by Dr. M. A. Aziz
15. Wood Products
Following are the few products of wood which are widely used for
furniture, partitions, etc.:
1. Veneer
2. Plywood
3. Particle board
4. Laminated wood
16. Veneer
• Veneer refers to thin slices of wood, usually thinner than
3 mm (1/8 inch), that typically are glued onto core
panels (typically, wood, particle board or medium-
density fibreboard) to produce flat panels such as doors
etc.
• Walnut is a very suitable wood for veneering.
Plywood
• Plywood is a manufactured wood panel made from
thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most
widely used wood products.
• Plywood is commercially available in thickness ranging
from 4mm 25mm
17. Particle Board
• Particleboard is a composite product of wood
manufactured from wood particles, such as wood
chips, sawmill shavings, or even saw dust, and a
synthetic resin or other suitable binder.
• it is rarely used outdoors or places that have high
levels of moisture.
Laminated Board-
• Laminated wood is an engineered wood
product composed of thin layers of wood, or
veneers, that are glued together to make a
stronger wood product.
• The inner core consists of wooden strips of
thickness not exceeding 7mm.
18. Furniture
• Whether this is buying in or creating from
scratch, furniture is a fundamental aspect of
interior design. From chairs and tables, to
sideboards and bookcases, the furniture a
homeowner chooses is very much a
of their personality.
Walls/Ceilings
• Decorating the walls and ceilings of a home
can be as simple as a quick paint job, or as
complicated as altering the layout of a
property via the creation and demolition of
said walls and ceilings. In this case, you may
find that timber is an ideal material for
strengthening structural integrity, as well as
being aesthetically pleasing.
19. Flooring
• This is definitely an area of design that's
especially suited to wood. Whilst carpeted
rooms are still very much in use, many
people are having wooden floors installed
to increase the value of their homes. Solid
wooden floors are aesthetically pleasing,
offering the best of modern chic combined
with a timeless beauty. They are also easy
maintain and complement most (if not all)
design choices.
• Another great advantage is that, when
properly maintained, they can potentially
last a very long time.
20. Paneling
• Ideal for both external and internal
design, panelling (also known as
cladding) provides a professional and
visually stimulating way to add on to
the exterior of fixtures.
• The benefits extend beyond how it
looks. Wooden panelling is renewable,
consumes less energy and any carbon
retained by the tree's growth is locked
into the timber - making it an ideal
choice for the environmentally-
homeowner.
21. Decking
With more and more people staying at home, the garden is becoming a place to be.
is proving very popular as terraces, roof gardens and balconies are being incorporated into
home design. Softwood is a very common material in decking.
22. Wooden house in Holland from Onix Architects Wooden house in Austria
23. RECOMENDED REFERENCES
Aziz. M. A: Engineering Materials.
Smith, R. C: Material of construction.
Andres, C. K: Manufactures manuals and brochures,