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Read below the traits of good quality lumber that will help you manage supply and demand
When it comes to construction, the choice of good-quality lumber becomes extremely essential. From construction of buildings to furniture making and decorative purposes, lumber is a highly demanded building material. To help you choose good quality lumber we have discussed the characteristics of good quality lumber.
Water Permeability Of Lumber
- All types of wood are porous to some degree. Furthermore, wood is a hygroscopic material that can absorb moisture from the air and lose moisture to the atmosphere in response to relative changes in temperature and humidity. The permeability of wood greatly influences its drying rate therefore good quality lumber should have low permeability.
When placed in water, good-quality lumber does not absorb more than 12% of water by its weight. Prolonged exposure to air for up to four years and more or air seasoning can cause the wood to lose some moisture.
Factors Affecting Water Permeability
The water permeability of wood is affected by certain factors including:
- Age of lumber
- Type of lumber
- Type of cut
Strength Of Lumber
- The ability of the wood to resist the applied forces is known as the strength of wood. Stronger wood material has greater resistance to failure. The direction in which lumber is loaded affects its strength because the strength of lumber is not equal in all directions. Moreover, the higher the moisture content, the lower is the strength of the lumber.
This is because the higher amount of water in the wood cells gives insects and fungi a breeding place to grow. These insects and fungi destroy the wood tissues thereby decreasing their strength. For designing structures such as wooden beams, joists, and rafters, the strength of the wood is the first priority.
Color Variations And Odor
- Color variations can be observed from tree to tree. Color is a uniform property on the basis of which most trees are characterized. For instance, walnut wood is distinguished by its golden yellow or dark brown color. A tweak wood that is freshly cut would give a golden yellow shade. Softwoods, such as deodar and pine are light in color.
Most trees are characterized by a typical odor. It is easier to identify some types of woods by their characteristic smell. Tweak woods gives off an aromatic smell. Wood from pines smells like resins.
Appearance Of Lumber
Freshly sawed good quality lumber should be shiny. There is resinous matter present in the lumber that gives it a shining appearance. The arrangement of the cells in wood greatly affects its appearance. If these cells are arranged in a uniform pattern, a wood of uniform appearance will be obtained after cutting. The appearance of wood can be damaged by fungal defects including blue stains, sap stains, and more.
Another characteristic that helps identify good quality lumber is its sound. When struck good quality lumber should produce a clear ringing sound. This explains why most of the musical instruments are made of wood.
Specific Gravity
- Wood being a light material always has its specific gravity of less than 1. However, its specific gravity can be increased to 1.5 if the wood is compacted in such a way as to close all the pores in it. This type of compression is not possible through natural processes.
Lumber also shows a great deal of variation in its specific gravity depending on its structure and the presence of pores in it. The specific gravity of lumber varies from 0.3 to 0.9. Within the same tree, the sapwood is lighter than the heartwood. As a whole hardwood is denser than softwood.
Bol Design Inc. produces high-quality firewood kilns that efficiently remove the moisture from the firewood to make it drier. To get more information about our lumber kilns and other equipment, call us at 828-754-7001. Our office is located in Hudson, NC.