wood basics - lunch & learn

Wood Basics

Terminology, Properties & Specification

Wood Basics © 2011 FWPA

Learn more about wood at UTAS

Centre for Sustainable Architecture with WoodGraduate Certificate in Timber (Processing & Building)• 4 units, part time, onlineAreas covered include:• Wood science• Design for durability and service for life• Timber as a renewable resource• Sustainable design and construction• Engineered wood products• International technologies and developments• Plus, selected topics of individual interestMore information: Associate Professor Greg Nolan (03) 6324 4478 or [email protected]


Learning Objectives

• Participants completing this activity will be able to:– Describe the essential timber and wood product types– Describe the essential properties of timber and wood

products– Specify timber and wood products

• For architects - AACA Competencies:– Design– Documentation


This Presentation

• Basics:– Product types– Sizes– Grade & grading

• Structural• Appearance

– Moisture content– Species– Durability and treatment

• Specification


Timber used in its naturally round shape

Product Types: Round timber


Timber cut from the log

Product Types: Sawn timber


Manufactured timber products– Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)– Glulam– I-beams

Product Types: Engineered wood products


Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)



Glulam



I-beams

Product Types: Other wood products


Product Types: Wood panels

Panel products• Plywood• Hardboard• Particleboard • MDF• Veneer


Sizing: Terminology

Timber is ordered by actual or nominal dimensions• Nominal dimensions

– approximate size of timber based on its unseasoned condition and rough dimension that it was originally cut to. • e.g. a sleeper of nominal size of 200 x 50 mm will have

actual dimensions less than this. This is to account for shrinkage and any machining that may have occurred

• Actual dimensions– are actual timber size


Generally;– Seasoned timber - uses actual dimensions – Unseasoned (green) timber– uses nominal

dimensions

Sizing: Terminology


Timber dimensions – Usually nominate the depth first followed by

breadth– “Depth by breadth”– e.g.

• Studs and joists – 90 x 35 mm• Wall plate and battens – 45 x 70 mm• Joist – 190 x 35 mm

– In North America it’s reversed

Sizing: Terminology


Availability• Seasoned structural timber usually only available in

35 mm and 45 mm breadth for both hardwood and softwood

• Check with local suppliers before specification, especially outside metro area

Sizing: Availability


Width (mm)

Thickness (mm)

35 45 70 90

35 - 45 70 90

45 - - 70 90

70 35 45 70 -

90 35 45 70 90

120 35 45 - -

140 35 45 - -

170 35 45 - -

190 35 45 - -

220 35 45 - -

240 35 45 - -

Sizing: Pine Sizes


Width (mm) Thickness (mm)

35 45

70 35 45

90 35 45

120 35 45

140 35 45

170 35 45

190 35 45

220 35 45

240 35 45

Sizing: Hardwood (seasoned) sizes


Width (mm)

Thickness (mm)

25 38 50 75 100

50 x x x 75 100

75 x 38 50 75 100

100 x 38 50 75 100

125 x 38 50 75 100

150 x 38 50 75 100

175 25 38 50 75 x

200 x 38 50 75 x

250 25 38 50 x x

Sizing: Hardwood (unseasoned) sizes


Grade & Grading: Structural

Structural stress grades• F-grades – can be graded visually, mechanically or

proof graded• Applicable to sawn structural timber, round and plywoods

• MGP grades – machine graded, softwoods only• Applicable to sawn structural timber

• GL grades – Glulam grades • LVL and I-beams,

• unique properties to each manufacturer – manufacturers grade


Grade & Grading

Non-structural grades• Merchant (merch) “grade”• Merch was a structural grade in 60’s / 70’s• No longer recognised as a grade


Grade & Grading

Structural stress grades• F Grades

• e.g. F5, F7, F8, F17, F27• Visual and/or mechanical testing process• Applies to all softwood, hardwood, plywood

and rounds

• MGP (Machine graded pine) Grades • e.g. MGP 10, MGP 12, MGP 15• Machine tests stiffness of timber• Applies only to radiata, slash, hoop, Caribbean

pine. Some spruce is available


Grade & Grading

Structural stress grades• Characteristics that affect stress grade:

• Sloping grain• Knots• Fractures

• Some companies also sort on appearance after stress grading (e.g. for pergola framing timbers)


Grade & Grading

Structural stress gradesMain stress grade limiting characteristics

Dead knotsSlope of grain Live knots


Grade & Grading

Structural stress gradesLesser stress grade limiting characteristics

Core wood – pith – weaker wood – lower load capacity

Surface checks / fractures – only a problem if they become splits


Grade & Grading

Structural stress gradesLesser stress grade limiting characteristics

Wane - absence of underbark timberWant – absence of timber other than wane

Bow – curvature along the face Spring – curvature along the edge


Grade & Grading

Structural stress grades Identification• MGP stress grade is marked with either ink marks,

stamp, end tag or sticker- Ink marks may occur every 1.2 m

• Do not rely on the mill colour marks for grade identification

• Rely on actual grade marking or grade on delivery docket

• If there is more than one grade mark on the timber, ALWAYS go with lowest grade


Grade & Grading

Structural stress gradesImportantGrading applies at time of grading• So if:

• Forklift splits / tears a chunk out of timber; or• Timber is re-sawn into smaller dimensions

• Member no longer has any stress grade• Timber needs to be regraded or considered as non-

structural


Grade & Grading: Appearance

Appearance grades products• Flooring and light decking• Lining / panelling• Handrails, balusters, balustrades, stringers, and

treads• Dressed boards, joinery and trim: mouldings,

architraves, skirting boards, shelves, door and window frames

• Cabinets: built in cupboards, benches, furniture• Cladding, fascia


Grade & Grading: Appearance

Appearance grades• Feature, “colonial” meaningless unless it is

accompanied by a grade description• e.g. in Australian Standard for softwood (AS 4785)

and hardwood have appearance grades• Softwood (AS 4785)

• clear, appearance, select, standard or utility

• Hardwood (AS 2796)• select, medium feature, high feature


Grade & Grading

Appearance grades productsHardwood appearance grades (AS2796):

• select• medium feature• high feature


Moisture content

Structural products• Seasoned (S) timber:

• Also called kiln-dried (KD)• Average between 10% and less than or equal to 15%• Minimal additional shrinkage - dimensionally stable• Remain straight - little twisting, cupping or bowing • Well suited for painting

• Unseasoned timber• Also called “green”• >15%


Moisture content

Appearance productsVaries for each product but generally:

- Interior: not more than 14% and not less than 9%- Exterior: not more than 18% and not less than

10%


Species

Hardwoods• NSW/Qld – blackbutts, ironbarks, spotted gum,

stringybarks,• Victorian/Tasmanian – Tassie oak, ash species• WA – jarrah, karri• Imported – oak, merbau/kwila, belian

Softwoods• Australia plantation pines – radiata, hoop, slash• Australian native - cypress • Imported – radiata, baltic pine, spruce, Douglas

fir, SPF, western red cedar


Species

Plantation softwoods• Radiata pine most commonly used plantation grown

softwood timber in Australia• Advantages:

• light-weight• easy to handle and cut• can be finished with a variety of coatings and stains• easily treated to extend durability• high strength to weight ratio • reliable supply and low cost

• Other plantation pines: Slash, Caribbean


Durability: Basics


Durability

Natural durability AS 5604 (Relates to heartwood only)

Natural durability class

Probable heartwood life expectancy (years) AS 5604

Inside above ground

(Fully protected from weather and termites)

Outside above ground In-ground contact

Class 1 50+ 40+ 25+Class 2 50+ 15 to 40 15 to 25Class 3 50+ 7 to 15 5 to 15Class 4 50+ 0 to 7 0 to 5


Durability: Protection from weather

AS 1684: Protected from weather

30 deg

Exposed to weather

Protectedfrom weather


Durability: In-ground

In-groundNatural durability

classSpecies

Class 1 Ironbarks, tallowwood, turpentine, belian

Class 2Spotted gum, blackbutts, cypress, river red

gum, jarrah

Class 3Brush box, Sydney blue gum, rose/flooded

gum, western red cedar, keruing, messmate, karri, stringybarks,

Class 4

Sapwood of any species, radiata pine, Douglas fir (Oregon), mountain ash /

Tasmanian oak, alpine/Vic ash, meranti, baltic pine, unidentified timbers

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Durability: Outside above-ground

Outside above-ground

Natural durability class Species

Class 1Ironbarks, tallowwood, turpentine, belian, cypress,

river red gum, spotted gum, blackbutt, kwila (merbau)

Class 2Western red cedar, Jarrah, Sydney blue gum, New

England blackbutt, rose gum

Class 3Brush box, Rose/flooded gum, Keruing, Messmate, Karri, Silver topped stringybark, Kempas, American

white oak

Class 4

Radiata pine, Hoop pine, Slash pineDouglas fir (Oregon), Mountain ash / Tasmanian

oak, Alpine/Vic ash, Meranti, Baltic pine, Unidentified timbers, Sapwood of any species

Above ground durability trials, Beerburrum QLD


Preservative treatment

Why treat with preservatives?• Extends the life of timbers against borers,

termites and decay• Sapwood has less natural resistance to

insect attack and fungal decay than the heartwood of the same species

• Reliability and proven service life• Lengthen the time that is will sequester

carbon – approx. 50% of the dry weight of wood is carbon - other materials contribute to carbon pollution



• Only sapwood can be effectively treated

• Limit non-treatable timber to 20% cross-section

Bark

Sapwood

Heartwood

Log Sawn Section

Heartwoodcannot be treated thereforedictated by natural durability class

Sapwoodcan betreated toappropriate‘H’ level



Hazard Levels

• Select the level of treatment (H level) required to cope with the environment in which the timber will be used

• H level corresponds to the biological hazard and exposure to the environment



AS 1604 Hazard LevelsHAZARD LEVEL

BIOLOGICALHAZARD

EXPOSURE TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

H1 Borers only Inside, above ground, protected from wetting

Framing, furniture, flooring

H2 Borers and termites Inside, above ground, protected from wetting

Framing, roof trusses, beams, interior battens, flooring

H3 Moderate fungal decay and termites

Outside, above ground, subject to moderate wetting

Weatherboard, fascia, pergolas (above ground), window joinery, decking boards, decking bearers & joists

H4 Severe fungal decay, borers and termites

Outside, in-groundsubject to severe wetting

Fence posts, greenhouses, pergolas (in ground) and landscaping timbers e.g. garden walls, beds and edging

H5 Very severe decay, borers and termites

Outside, in-ground and contact with or in fresh water, subject to extreme wetting

Structural retaining walls, piling, house stumps, building poles

H6 Marine borers and decay

Marine waters, immersed in sea water

Boat hulls, marine piles, jetty cross-bracing, landing steps

OK for use all over Australia



AS 1604 Hazard LevelsHAZARD LEVEL

BIOLOGICALHAZARD

EXPOSURE TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

H2 FH2 S

Borers and termites Inside, above ground, protected from wetting

Framing, roof trusses, beams, interior battens, flooring.

H2 Borers and termites Inside, above ground, protected from wetting

Framing, roof trusses, beams, interior battens, flooring

OK for use South of Tropic of Capricorn only



Envelope treatment

• For hazard levels H1 – H6 preservative must penetrate:

• 100% of the sapwood

• 0 – 20mm of the heartwood

• The exception is for timber framing South of Tropic of Capricorn - Hazard level H2F



Types of preservatives

• Water-borne (CCA, ACQ, copper azole)

• Landscape, fencing, decking, framing, outdoor timber

• In-ground and above ground applications

• LOSP (light organic solvent preservatives)

• Joinery, handrails, H2 framing

• Above ground applications only

• Envelope treatments (blue-pine framing)

• H2F framing south of tropic only



Types of preservatives

• Oil-borne (creosote)

• Power poles, marine, vineyard sticks

• In-ground or in water use

• Supplementary brush/spray/dip (e.g. copper naphthenate)

• Glue-line

• LVL, plywood, particleboard flooring

• Hazard level H2S (south of Tropic of Capricorn only)


Specification

Depth (mm) x Breath (mm) x Length (mm or m)

In-ground / Above Ground Durability Class 1, 2, 3 or 4

Pine: Clear, Appearance, Utility

F5, F7, F8, F14, F17, F22, F27, F32


Wood Basics: Specification


Specification

Specifying wood products

• Application – framing, flooring, pergola, kitchen, fascia, cladding, formwork?

• Performance – appearance, structural performance, service life, cost?

• Environment – inside/outside, exposure to decay and/or termites, exposure to weathering, marine, poolside?


Future Wood Products

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)

Architects: Waugh ThistletonProject: Murray Grove, London


More Information


Learn more about wood at UTAS

Centre for Sustainable Architecture with WoodGraduate Certificate in Timber (Processing & Building)• 4 units, part time, onlineAreas covered include:• Wood science• Design for durability and service for life• Timber as a renewable resource• Sustainable design and construction• Engineered wood products• International technologies and developments• Plus, selected topics of individual interestMore information: Associate Professor Greg Nolan (03) 6324 4478 or [email protected]

wood basics - lunch & learn

Education

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wood sciencedesign

wood basicsterminology

wood productsspecify

engineered wood products8

wood productsibeams11

essential timber

essential properties