as a material wood has been the favoured material for ages and for furniture even more so. This resource file is a guide to identifying different woods, physical attributes and the usage in India and elsewhere.

1. Ar. Surashmie Kaalmegh
Associate Professor
BID ,LAD College , Nagpur

2. Material selection for a product or
furniture depends on …………..
 Performance
optimization
 Ease of
processing
 Material cost
 Premature risk /
failure
required from the
material . i.e.
product quality &
performance .
•••
••

3. Material selection is a process which is
performed to select the best materials which
may have the potential to perform well.
 Selection of materials is an important part of
industrial designs because the competition in
the market is heavy
 Failures arising from bad material selection
 Improper material selection affects the product
life which tends to get unpredictable.
Why ??????
Reducing wt.?
Reducing cost. ?.... Or … something else ?
Design is
increasingly
driven by the
objectives
of performance,
cost and
environmental
sensitivity.
All three, very
frequently, are
limited by
materials.

4. Advantages :
 Material Selection Ensures
the Integrity at Design
 Structural Integrity for
Lifetime
 Competitive Advantage
and Cost
 Design Flexibility
 MECHANICAL –
Strength, modulus etc.
 PHYSICAL –
Density, melting point.
 ELECTRICAL –
Conductivity, resistivity.
 AESTHETIC –
Appearance, texture, colour
 PROCESSABILITY –
Ductility, mouldability
 And last, but not least……….
COST, COST, COST!
Properties

5. material
classes:
 metals,
 polymers &
 elastomers,
 ceramics,
 glasses,
 composites
and ……….
 Many more

6. Materials in
design
 choice design.
But sometimes it is the other
way round:
The new product, or the evolution of
the existing one, was suggested or
made possible by the new material.
 The number of materials available to
the designer / engineer is vast:
in thousands
Though standardization strives to
reduce the number,
The continuing appearance of new
materials with novel, exploitable,
properties expands the options
further.
 Design is the process of
translating a new idea or a
market need into the detailed
information from which a product
can be manufactured.
Each stage requires
decisions about materials from
which the product is to be made
& the process for making it.

7. How, then, does the engineer/ designer choose
the material best suited to the purpose?
 The question has to be
answered at a number of levels,
corresponding to the stage the
design has reached.rely on experience?
Can a systematic procedure be
formulated for making a
rational choice?

8.  Then more accurate data are
required (although for a lesser
number of materials) & a
different way of analyzing the
choice must be used.
 As the design becomes more
focused the selection criteria
sharpens & the shortlist of
materials which can satisfy
them narrows.
 At the beginning the design is
fluid and the options are wide;
all materials must be
considered.

9.  In the final stages of design,
precise data are needed,
but for still fewer materials -
perhaps only one.
 The procedure must
recognize the initial
richness of choice and
narrow this to a small
subset,
to
provide the precision and
detail on which final design
calculations can be based.

10. The choice of material
 Depends on the choice of process by which the material is to be formed,
joined, finished, and otherwise treated.
 Cost enters, both in the choice of material and in the way the material is
processed. And it must be recognized –
GOOD ENGINEERING DESIGN ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH TO SELL A PRODUCT.
The Process
Joining & finishing
Treatment of material
Cost  material & of process

11.  In almost everything
from home appliances
through automobiles to
aircraft………..
The form, texture, feel,
colour, decoration of the
product- the satisfaction
it gives the person who
buys or uses it -are
important.
Good designs work;
excellent designs  give
pleasure.

12. Design problems, almost always, are
open-ended.
 They do not have a
unique or 'correct'
solution, although some
solutions will clearly be
better than others.
 They differ from the
analytical problems used in
teaching mechanics, or
structures, or
thermodynamics, or even
materials, which generally
do have single, correct
answers.

13. So the first tool a
designer needs is
an open mind:
 The
willingness to
consider all
possibilities.
 But
remember..
 A net cast
widely draws
in many fish.
 Hence a
procedure is
necessary for
selecting the
excellent from
the merely
good.

14. HAVE A REPERTOIRE OF
POSSIBLE MATERIALS
HAVE A GOOD / FAIR IDEA OF ITS
QUALITIES PHYSICAL , CHEMICAL
AND MECHANICAL
HAVE A GOOD FAIR IDEA OF THE
COST FACTOR
AND ITS AVAILABILITY FOR THE
PROJECT .
HAVE A GOOD / FAIR IDEA OF
PROCESSING OF THE MATERIAL.
HAVE A FAIR / GOOD IDEA OF
COST OF WORKMANSHIP ON THE
MATREIAL
STEP 1
THE
PROCESS

15. STEP 2UNDERSTAND THE NEED
UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTION
PRIMARY AND OTHERS
UNDERSTAND THE AVAILABLE
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT
UNDERSTAND THE USER
UNDERSTAND THE AVAILABLE
SKILL AND UNSKILLED LABOUR
INPUTS REQUIRED AND AVAILABLE
….. CAPACITY
LOCAL , REGIONAL, NATIONAL,
GLOBAL
UNDERSTAND THE TIME
AVAILABLE
THE
PROCESS

16. The materials for furniture
MECHANICAL
PROPERTIES
 Strength,
 hardness,
 toughness,
 elasticity,
 plasticity,
 brittleness,
 ductility and malleability
are mechanical properties used
as measurements of how
materials behave under a load.
 These properties are
described in terms of the
types of --- force / stress
that the material must
withstand and how these are
resisted.
 Common types of stress :
compression, tension, shear,
torsion, impact, 1-2 or a
combination of these
stresses, fatigue etc.

17. Wood and wood derivatives as
materials for furniture
The Material (part two )

18.  Wood provides color and texture, strength and
beauty to furniture- whether it's home furniture or office
furniture.
 There are different types of wood for furniture making.
 Wood properties differ from one type of wood to another
type of wood.
 The wood which is required for making wooden beds or
outdoor furniture must be more durable as compared to
the wood used for making smaller decorative items like
wooden mirror frames.
 All types of woods are divided into two broad
categories- hardwoods and softwoods.

20. Dalbergia sissoo :
Shisham logs  Shisham  internationally as a
premier timber species of
the rosewood genus,
 also used  fuel wood & shade
/ shelter.
 multiple products can be made .
 high tolerance of light frosts
and long dry seasons,
 it is the most cultivated timber
tree of Bihar, (largest producer
of shisham timber in India. )
 It is also commonly planted in
southern Indian cities

21. Shisham
 Shisham is among the finest
cabinet and veneer timbers. Good
for percussion instrument. it is
used for plywood, agricultural
tools, carvings, boats, skis,
flooring, etc.
 The heartwood is golden to dark
brown; the sapwood, white to pale
brownish white. The heartwood is
extremely durable (the specific
gravity is 0.7 – 0.8) and is very
resistant to dry-wood termites; but
the sapwood is readily attacked
by fungi and borers.
 The wood is straight grained ,
often has a coarse texture. It is
brittle , tends to split at the ends,
unless air-dried very carefully.

22.  Upon drying, the wood
becomes elastic, hard and
strong, with low moisture
content, making it easy to work
with and saw. Shisham wood
responds very well to
polishing, screwing, gluing and
turning.
 The well-defined grain pattern
of sheesham wood gives it
unique colouring that makes
each piece of sheesham wood
furniture unique and exquisite.
Shisham

23. Properties of Teak Wood
Botanical name : Techtona grandis.
Teak is used
extensively in India
to make doors and
window frames,
furniture, and
columns and beams
in old type houses.
It is very resistant to
termite attacks.
Mature teak fetches
a very good price. It
is grown extensively
by forest
departments of
different states in
forest areas

24. Teak Wood

25. It is used in the manufacture of
outdoor furniture, boat decks, and
other articles where weather
resistance is desired.
It is also used for cutting boards,
indoor flooring, countertops and as
a veneer for indoor furnishings.
Teak Wood

26. •Properties of Walnut Wood
Botanical name: Juglans nigra
China , Iran, United States,
Turkey, Ukraine, Mexico,
Romania, India, France
and Chile. Temperate
zones
Deciduos
 The common walnut and
the black walnut and its
allies, are important for
their attractive timber,
which is hard, dense,
tight-grained and
polishes to a very
smooth finish.

27. Walnut
 The colour ranges from creamy
white in the sapwood to a dark
chocolate colour in the heartwood.
When kiln-dried, walnut wood tends
toward a dull brown colour, but when
air-dried can become a rich purplish-
brown. Because of its colour,
hardness and grain, it is a prized
furniture and carving wood.
 Walnut burls (or 'burrs' in Europe)
are used in bowls , other turned
pieces. Veneer sliced from walnut
burl is one of the most valuable and
highly prized by cabinet makers &
prestige car manufacturers. Walnut
wood has been the timber of choice
for gun makers

28. Properties of MAHOGANY WOOD
Botanical name: Swientenia Macrophylla
southern Mexico, Central America and into South
America (with southern limits in Brazil and Bolivia).
 Used for high-quality
furniture and musical
instruments – v
 valued for deep reddish
color, durability and beauty.
 removal  tree often leads
to erosion and soil
degradation, it’s difficult for
the species to grow in the
same location -- largely the
result of insufficient light, a
condition necessary for
regeneration.

31. Properties of Ebony
Botanical name: Diospyros ebenum
Ebony is a dense
black wood, most
commonly yielded
by several
different species
in the genus
Diospyros.it is
dense enough to
sink in water,
finely-textured ,
has a very
smooth finish
when polished,
making it valuable
as an ornamental
wood

32. Ebony
 widely distributed in the
tropics. Native to Africa and
Indonesia
 The best is very heavy, almost
black, and derived from
heartwood only.
 prized for its luxuriant, multi-
colored wood grain, densest .
 Used in cabinets , carving
ornamentation , instruments,
chess sets ………
 Its dark colour, durability,
hardness, and ability to take a
high polish, highly valued .

33. Ebony

34. Pine Wood
pinus fragilissima
Live up to 1000 yrs
or more .
Oldest known 4900
4600 - Methuselah USA

35.  Bark: Purple grey peeling in irregular
plates, orange and flaking towards top
of plant.
 Native region: Asia and Europe.
 Natural habitat: Mountains.
 Weight: Green 700 kg/m3. Air dried
530 kg/m3.
 Maturity: 15 years.
 Soil type: Sandy or gravely soil.
 Wood type: Softwood.
 Timber colour: Very pale, but
distinctive yellow, will darken with age.
 Durability: Slightly durable.
 Treatable: Extremely difficult.
 Moisture movement: Medium.
 Environmental: Not listed as an
endangered species.
 Availability: Readily available at good
timber merchants.
 Cost: Low.

36. Pine
 Pines are evergreen,
coniferous resinous trees
(or rarely shrubs)
growing 3–80 m tall, with
the majority of species
reaching 15–45 m tall
 The bark of most pines is
thick and scaly, but some
species have thin, flaking
bark.
 valued for their timber
and wood pulp
throughout the world.
 Most regions of the
Northern Hemisphere
host some native species
of pines.

37. Kail timber : Himalayan Blue Pine,
Himalayan Pine
Botanical name : Pinus wallichiana

38. HALDU
botanical name : Aldina cordifolia
 Rubiaceae (madder,
bedstraw, or coffee family)
 commonly known as:
yellow teak, haldu, saffron
teak, turmeric wood •
 Native to: China,
Bangladesh, India, Nepal,
Sri Lanka, Indo-China

39. Haldu
 timber is
yellowish, with a
fine even grain. It
is moderately
durable. It is used
for carving,
bobbins, furniture,
panelling and
household
fixtures, and is
one of the species
preferred by
Newari wood-
carvers in the
Kathmandu
Valley.

40. : east Indian satinwood / ceylon satinwood
Girya , Billu , Bhirra , bihra , Huldu
Satinwood tree glossy yellowish timber
from a tropical tree, valued
for cabinetmaking.

41. Resembles  the woven
fabric satin, has a smooth,
lustrous face.
A few Characteristics that are
common to most types of
satinwood:
• Yellow/gold colour
• Medium to high density
• Fine textured
• High natural lustre
• Interlocked grain
(producing mottle figure—
especially on quarter sawn
surfaces)

42. Satin like finish native to INDIA , SRI
LANKA ,
Africa.
Suitable for marquetry and furniture
Finishes.

43. Deodar :
Botanical name : Cedrus deodara
• Cedars are adapted to
mountainous climates the
Mediterranean & the western
Himalayas.
• Deodar is in great demand as
building material because of its
durability, rot-resistant character
and fine, close grain, which is
capable of taking a high polish.

44. •Properties of ROSEWOOD
Botanical name: Dalbergia latfilia
 often brownish with
darker veining but
found in many
different hues.
 This wood has a
strong sweet smell,
which persists over
the years, explaining
the name
"rosewood“.
 It is stable and
excellent decay
resistance

45. Rosewood
 are strong and heavy, taking an
excellent polish, being suitable
for guitars, marimbas, turnery,
handles, furniture, luxury
flooring.
 The dust created from sanding
rosewood is considered an
irritant and can cause asthma.
The more a person is exposed
to it, the more sensitive they can
become

46. Rubber wood
botanical name: Hevea brasiliensis
 also called parawood, or
"Hevea"
 This wood is plantation-grown
in tropical countries, particularly
in the Amazon. The trees' sap
is used for latex production. A
rubber tree is useful for about
30 years, at which time it slows
in creating latex. The trees are
then cut down to make room for
newly planted trees. This eco-
friendly timber is very durable,
and resistant to most varieties
of fungi, bacteria, and mold. It
is comparable to teak.

47. Rubber wood
 Rubberwood has dense grain
that is easily controlled in the
kiln drying process. It has very
little shrinkage hence is
more stable for furniture, toys
and kitchen accessories.
 NOT SUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR
USAGE.
 Rubberwood is used only after
it completes its latex producing
cycle, generally when it is 25-
30 years old. The trees are
felled, new ones are usually
planted. This wood is therefore
eco-friendly in the sense that it
is being used when it would
normally be thrown away.
 As with all hardwoods, it
comes in varying degrees of
quality.

48. Rubberwood
 Common Uses:
Furniture, cabinetry,
interior millwork,
kitchen woodware
(cutting boards, knife
blocks, etc.), and other
small, specialty wood
items.

49. Properties of Maple Wood
botanical name : Acer saccharum ,
Acer pseudoplatanus
 54 species
 a very light-colored medium-
to-hard wood, abundant in the
eastern USA .
 Known for its shock
resistance, maple has
diffused, evenly-sized pores
that give the wood a fine
texture and an even grain.
Eastern maples are generally
harder than western maples,
due to the colder winters and
shorter growing seasons.
 Highly durable
 Take any stain well.
 Maple can be finished to
resemble walnut, cherry, or
other more expensive
hardwoods.

50. Maple
 hard maple" — is the wood of
choice for bowling pins,
bowling alley lanes, pool cue
shafts, and butcher's blocks.
Maple wood is also used for
the manufacture of wooden
baseball bats, though less
often than ash or hickory due
to the tendency of maple bats
to shatter when broken
 Some maple wood has a highly
decorative wood grain, known as flame
maple, quilt maple, birdseye maple and
burl wood. This condition occurs
randomly in individual trees of several
species, and often cannot be detected
until the wood has been sawn, though it is
sometimes visible in the standing tree as
a rippled pattern in the bark.

51. Birch
botanical name : Betula pendula,
B. alleghaniensis ………
• Birch is a stiff, close-
grained hardwood that
grows primarily in
northeast U.S. and
Canada.
• A heavy wood, it has a
high shock resistance.
• Birch is very light in
color (predominantly a
light yellow)
• and takes any stain
well.

52. Birch

53. Oak
botanical name : Quercus
alba; Q. nigra,………
 Oak is the wood most
commonly used for
finer, more durable
furniture.
 It’s a very hard, heavy,
open-grained wood that
grows from deciduous
and evergreen trees in
the United States,
Canada, and Europe.
 It's found in both red
and white varieties.

54. Oak
 Red oak (also known
as black oak) has a
pinkish cast and is the
more popular of the
two.
 White oak has a
slightly greenish cast.
Prominent rings and
large pores give oak a
coarse texture and
prominent grain.
 It stains well in any
color.

55. Cherry :
botanical name : Prunus Serotina
 Also known as fruitwood,
 cherry is a strong, fine-
grained hardwood with a
pink undertone, often played
up with a medium or dark
finish to enhance its
mahogany-red tones.
 Its rich coloring darkens with
age and exposure to light.
 Resists warping and is easy
to carve and polish.
 Used in furniture,
considered a luxury wood.

56.  Fine-grained
hardwoods, such as
maple and alder, are
common substitutes
for cherry.
 grows in Canada, the
United States, and
Central America;
European Cherry is
distributed
throughout Europe
and southeast Asia.
Cherry :

57. GMELINA ARBOREA ( SHIVAN )
 Gmelina arborea is a fast-growing tree, which grows on different
localities and prefers moist fertile valleys with 750–4500 mm rainfall.
It does not thrive on ill-drained soils and remains stunted on dry,
sandy or poor soils; drought also reduces it to a shrubby form. The
tree attains moderate to large heights of up to 30 m, with a girth of
1.2 to 4 m. It has a chlorophyll layer just under the outer bark, which
is pale yellow on the outside and white inside.
 Gmelina arborea wood is pale yellow to cream-coloured or pinkish-
buff when fresh, turning yellowish brown on exposure and is soft to
moderately hard, light to moderately heavy, lustrous when fresh,
usually straight to irregular or rarely wavy grained and medium
course textured. Flowering takes place during February to April
when the tree is more or less leafless whereas fruiting starts from
May onwards up to June. The fruit is up to 2.5 cm long, smooth,
dark green, turning yellow when ripe and has a fruity smell.
 This tree is commonly planted as a garden and an avenue tree;
growing in villages along agricultural land and on village community
lands and wastelands. It is light demander, tolerant of excessive
drought, but moderately frost hardy. It has good capacity to recover
from frost injury. Gamhar trees coppices very well with vigorous
growth. Saplings and young plants need protection from deer and
cattle.

59. Rattan
botanical name :Calamus rotang L
 native to tropical regions of Africa,
Asia and Australasia. 600 Species

61. Raw rattan is processed into several
products to be used as materials
in furniture making.
 The various species of rattan range
from several millimetres up to 5–
7 cm in diameter. Length 600 ft . or
longer .
 The skin is usually peeled to be
used as rattan weaving material.
 The remaining "core" is used for
various purposes in furniture
making.
 Very good material  lightweight,
durable, suitable for outdoor and
Flexible.
Rattan

62. Rattan
 Rattans are extensively used
for making furniture and
baskets.
 When cut into sections,
rattan can be used as wood
to make furniture.
 Accepts paints and stains like
many other kinds of wood, so
it is available in many
colours;
 Can be worked into many
styles.
 The inner core can be
separated and worked
into wicker.

63. Rattan
 Unsustainable harvesting of
rattan can lead to forest
degradation, affecting overall
forest ecosystem services.
Processing can also be
polluting. The use of toxic
chemicals and petrol in the
processing of rattan affects
soil, air and water resources,
and also ultimately people's
health. Meanwhile, the
conventional method of
rattan production is
threatening the plant's long-
term supply, and the income
of workers

64. Rattan furniture
 Rattan furniture has been
produced since Roman times.
 The furniture is elegant, stylish
and highly popular in many
countries.
 During the early part of the 20th
century most of the rattan
furniture was produced in
affluent countries that imported
raw rattan from producing
countries.
 Nowadays furniture is
manufactured in the raw
material producing countries
and so the benefits of the high
value-addition that
manufacturing imparts remain in
the producing country

66. Caning
 Cane for chair
caning is actually
the peeled bark
of the rattan vine.

72. STEAMING
 Production starts with
steaming of the rattan.
 Upon cleansing after the
harvest time, rattan poles
need to be heated up in order
to soften them, allowing for
bending and shaping.
 The fibres in the rattan core
go supple when the rattan
poles are steamed for fifteen
minutes..

73. BENDING
 Softened rattan poles are
ready to be bent and shaped
to fit the design of the
furniture. The ironchick serves
as the formatting unit for the
poles, each one is made to fit
one model of shape.
 The ironchick is secure and
hardwearing to handle the
bending.
 Exact fitting is essential to
ensure proper assembly in the
end.

74.  FLAMING : After taking
shape in the ironchick, the
production team does not
stop there. Thoroughly
and delicately, the poles
are flamed and adjusted to
millimetres of scale till they
reach the perfect bend at
perfect angle and slant.
Flaming is a delicate
process, poles need to be
flamed at precise heat and
time to yield the desired
result.

75.  DRILLING :
 A special technique of
drilling.
 Drilling also should be done
with caution not to damage
the core of the pole.
 Guided by precision tools,
every hole is made
smoothly and distinctively.
 JOINING THE POLES
When each pole has been bent
and shaped accordingly, every hole
has been drilled and every joint has
been smoothened, the next step is to
assembly the furniture by joining the
poles. Joints are strengthened with
glue and again, accurate placement
is a must in this part.

76. GLUING &
DOWELING :
 using nails or
screws, or
glue and dowels.
 The porous quality of
the rattan and its
absorbent fibres
react with the glue to
form an indestructible
bond.
 Every dowel used in
the furniture is made
of first quality
hardwood known for
its strength and
solidity.

77.  A LIFETIME BOND
Gluing has an incredible effect on
rattan fibres. Once glued and joined,
fibres shall interlock and tangled with
one another, making it lasts a lifetime.
This bond of rattan has proven to
stand the test of time and strength,
which no other material can produce
 INTERTWINED SOLIDITY
Two rattan poles intertwined in
such manner results in powerful and
solid connection that no other
materials can do. The crossing allows
for strong grip and hold. With the
effect of the glue, these two are
inseparable.

78.  LEATHER – BINDING
& weaving
 A nice final touch to
the joints and corners
of furniture, leather
gives an accent of
luxury. This distinctive
binding requires an
exceptional technique
and it adds value to
the furniture piece,
making it one of its
kind.

79.  SANDING ---
 Done by hand using soft
sanding – paper , it is a
process of bringing out the
natural colour of rattan itself.
 It takes a skilled hand to be
able to produce the effect of
sanding on rattan.
 Experiences and skills
contribute to the ability to
create the desired outcome.
 Sanding is a much
elaborate process compared
to staining and it preserves
the rattan in its natural
colour.
 Good sanding yields higher
value in the furniture.

83. Bamboobotanical name : bambuseae
Phyllostachys edulis, moso bamboo, or tortoise-shell
bamboo…………
1,450 species.
 Bamboo species are found
in diverse climates, from
cold mountains to hot
tropical regions.
 Bamboo has a very high
strength to weight ratio.
 Slats are cut in a vertical
(or quarter-sawn) manner,
and laminated together
for use in solid dimensional
lumber, or for veneers.

84. Bamboo :
 The woody, hollow aerial
stems (culms) of bamboo
grow in branching clusters
from a thick underground
stem (rhizome). The culms
often form a dense
undergrowth that excludes
other plants. Bamboo
culms can attain heights
ranging from 10 to 15 cm
(about 4 to 6 inches) in the
smallest species to more
than 40 m (about 130 feet)
in the largest.

86. It is also used
for musical
instruments,
boats, weapons,
fabric,
toys and even
making
paper.

87.  The strength of
bamboo and
its rapid rate
of growth
have made it a
popular
building
material for
centuries.

88.  Mature bamboos sprout horizontal
branches that bear sword-shaped
leaves on stalked blades; the
leaves on young culms arise
directly from the stem.
 Though the culms of some
species grow quickly (as much as
1 foot [0.3 m] per day), most
bamboos flower and produce
seeds only after 12–120 years’
growth, and then only once in
their lifetime.

89.  While the color of natural
(non-carbonized) bamboo
Varies with different
growing conditions and
harvesting processes.
it is generally blonde,
but will become golden or
darken slightly overtime.
 A range of grain patterns
and colors may appear on
the same panel, and
adjacent door and drawer
fronts may not match each
other, all natural
characteristics of Bamboo.

90. Engineered wood
Glulam
Particle
Fiber
Veneers
Strands
Adhesives Composite
woods

91. Engineered woods
Advantages
 precise design
specifications
 tested to meet national or
international standards.
 Sawmill scraps and other
wood waste used.
 non-structural species
used too e.g. Poplar. /
bamboo/ rice straw/
sugarcane residue
Disadvantages
 Less durable
 Unsustainable methods
of manufacturing.
 Poor quality would yield
poor quality.
 Adhesives could be toxic
and a health concern .

92. Glulam :
 Glued laminated timber, also called
Glulam, is a type of structural timber
product comprising a number of layers
of dimensioned timber bonded together
with durable, moisture-resistant
structural adhesives.
 By laminating a number of smaller
pieces of timber, a single large,
strong, structural member is
manufactured from smaller pieces.
These structural members are used
as vertical columns or
horizontal beams, as well as
curved, arched shapes
 The laminating process allows timber
to be used for much longer spans,
heavier loads, and complex shapes

93. The adhesives used in engineered wood include:
 Urea-formaldehyde resins
(UF)most common, cheapest, and not
waterproof.
 Phenol-formaldehyde resins
(PF)yellow/brown, and commonly used
for exterior exposure products.
 Melamine-formaldehyde resin
(MF)white, heat and water resistant, and
often used in exposed surfaces in more
costly designs.
 Methylene diphenyl
diisocyanate(MDI)
or polyurethane (PU) resins
xpensive, generally waterproof, and does
not contain formaldehyde.

95. Medium density fibre boards MDF
MDF is made  fine particles of
wood. /cutoffs of dimensional
lumber, it is more commonly
made from logs that aren't
directional lumber.
These logs are debarked, i.e.
cambium layer is removed, 
chipped into fine pieces 
pieces screened, ( any pieces
too large for use are re-chipped)
. removing impurities and
washing, the fine chips are
mixed with waxes and resins, 
pressed into boards.
These  are then dried,
laminated, trimmed and packaged
for distribution.

96. Mdf
BENEFITS
 Is an excellent substrate for
veneers.
 Some varieties are less
expensive than many natural
woods
 Isotropic (its properties are
the same in all directions as a
result of no grain), so no
tendency to split
 Consistent in strength and
size
 Flexible. Can be used for
curved walls or surfaces.
 Shapes well.
 Stable dimensions (won't
expand or contract like wood)
 Easy to finish , looks good
due to even grains (i.e. paint)
DRAWBACKS
 Denser than plywood or chipboard (the resins
are heavy)
 Low grade MDF may swell and break when
saturated with water.
 May warp or expand if not sealed.
 Contains urea-formaldehyde which is a
probable carcinogen and may cause allergy,
eye and lung irritation when cutting and
sanding[7]
 Dulls blades more quickly than many woods
 Though it does not have a grain in the plane of
the board, it does have one into the board.
Screwing into the edge of a board will generally
cause it to split in a fashion similar to
delaminating.
 Subject to significant shrinkage in low humidity
environments.
 Trim (i.e. baseboards) comes pre-primed but
this is insufficient for fine finish painting.
Painting with latex paints is difficult due to rapid
water absorption. Most finishes appear uneven
and nail holes tend to pucker

97. Particle boards
 Cheaper, Denser, uniform
than conventional wood and
ply .
 Is substituted for them when
appearance and strength
are less important than cost.
 Can be made more
attractive by painting or the
use of wood VENEERS that
are glued onto surfaces that
will be visible.
 Though denser than
conventional wood, it is
lightest and weakest type of
fiberboard, except for
insulation board.
 Disadvantage --- very prone to
expansion , discoloration due to
moisture, particularly when it is not
covered with paint or another sealer.
 Hence 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 coverings.
 MDF and hardboard, also called high-
density fiberboard, are stronger and
denser than particleboard. Different
grades of particleboard have different
densities, with higher density meaning
greater strength and greater
resistance to failure of screw
fasteners.

99. Plywood

100. Oriented strand board
OSB
 Parallel strand
lumber (PSL)
 Laminated
strand lumber
(LSL)
 Laminated
veneer lumber
(LVL)
 Glued laminated
timber (glulam)

101. Flexible MDF,
VENEER………..

102. Other woods ……… in furniture
 Satinwood
 Kathal
 Mango
 Jarul
 Jack
 Hopea
 Coconut
 Benteak
 Bakul
 Aini
 Bakan
 Gambar
Explore your options before you
design ………………………….

103. The furniture market
 The furniture market
keeps on evolving
each day. Apart from
the comfort ,ease and
convenience in using
the furniture the
customers also need
it to suit the interiors
of the house.
 Furniture in India has
also been witnessing
a growing demand in
the market.
WOOD
 used right from the ancient times.
 A material which is of the highest
demand and value.
 With a life period which beats all other
materials, a good finishing and strong
body.
 Wood can yield any type of furniture.
 It can be used even with glass and
leather.
 Furniture made out of Teak,
mahogany, and wood of jack fruit tree
etc are of high price and quality.

104. PLASTIC
 low in weight , price and suit
the needs of a low budget
house.
 Available in many colours.,
suitable for outdoor
and do not easily wear off.
 The colour of plastic chairs
fade over time
 loses its strength, and
 legs begin to bend at the
slightest of weight.
 overcome this problem by
introducing high grades plastic .
 These are available in the
various textures like steel
and some even look like wood.

105. Mild steel
 Mild steel furniture is a
prominent item in the
metal furniture market,
the reason being its cost
effectiveness. They are
available at prices starting
from 800 rupees. The
dining tables with a
powder coating may cost
up to rupees 5000.
 Cast iron
 This furniture is resistant
to all kinds of weathers.
They do not corrode
easily even if used
outdoors.

106. Glass
 They are available in
transparent designs which
allow the passage of light
through it and minimalistic
designs which give the
interiors a classy look.
 One advantage of these is
that they can be washed
and maintained without
any stains for a long time.
 Glass furniture is
manufactured using
toughened glass, which
does not break easily.

107. Poly urethane
 This material which is
available in over a hundred
colours has set off a new
wave.
 Majority of the sofa sets
being imported to Kerala are
made out of poly urethane
material.
 The frame of this furniture
are made out of wood and
then given a coating of poly
urethane.
 They also have an excellent
finishing.

108. Leather and
synthetic leather
 Synthetic leather
 Synthetic leather, is a clone of
leather, is cheaper but is the
same in quality.
 Normally cushions placed over
the wooden furniture are covered
using synthetic leather.
 They don’t require much
maintenance.
 Leather
 Although expensive, there is no
match for the comfort of leather
furniture.
 Offers comfortable seating in
any climate and can be cleaned
using a special leather cleaning
liquid.

109. Fabric
Fabric furniture is a symbol of
sophistication and luxury.
While purchasing Fabric furniture
and sofa sets, take special care
 upholstery can be removed.
This will help in the cleaning of
dirty fabric.
Jute, cotton, velvet and linen are
of the highest demand in the
market.

110. ACRYLIC
 These materials
have a fluid design
and looks very
much like glass.
 These are 17 times
stronger than glass
though they have
only half the
thickness of glass.
 These can be
manufactured in any
shapes and designs
using thermo
setting process.
LASER ENGRAVING

111. Synthetic fibre
 They are very
much light
weight in
nature and are
available in all
colours.
 They do not
get stained
easily and
hence can be
used for
outdoor
purposes.

112. POLYETHYLENE FIBRE
 These polymers
which are
lightweight in
nature are
resistant to
damage, even
while exposed to
rain and sunlight.
 These look like
cane furniture and
are available at
low prices.

113.  The multi-purpose
furniture that can be
folded and kept away
after use is usually
made out of this
material.
 They can be
manufactured in any
shape you desire
using water jet cutting.
They last for a long
time without any
damage or corrosion.
STAINLESS
STEEL

114. Remember  the type of
material you choose makes a
difference ………………..
to how a product works and appeals
or fits a purpose
so make informed choices

115. http://www.wood-database.com/wood-
articles/
Refer for more information ..
http://www.majordifferences.com/
Photo credits to all those talented unnamed photographers
whose output is included in this presentation .