The strongest tree. Advantages and disadvantages of different types of wood for the production of solid furniture
Wood was one of the first materials available to mankind. The first weapons, the first household items and houses were made from it. Then, a long time ago, without yet having knowledge about hardness and strength, people paid attention to the different strengths of wood and for this some types were nicknamed ironwood.
IN modern world Methods for determining hardness have long been developed, for example using the Brinell and Rockwell methods.
They consist of pressing a test sample with a ball (Brinell) and a Rockwell diamond with the same force, and then measuring the resulting indentations. Having thus tested different types of wood, people compiled a list of the most durum varieties wood The list below shows Brinell hardness.
1 Jatoba, hardness - 7.0
Jatoba is often called the Brazilian or South American cherry and is not related to plants in the Cherry genus.
Tree up to 40 meters high with a wide crown. Young shoots are covered with brown hairs. The leaves are compound, consisting of two broadly crescent-shaped, pointed leaves up to 7.5 cm long.
2 Sucupira, hardness – 5.6
Sucupira grows in South America, mainly in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela.
Mature wood has beautiful reddish-brown tones interspersed with light or yellowish narrow veins and a characteristic, easily recognizable texture. It is very decorative and at the same time practical. Sucupira wood is durable, contains oily substances, and is not damaged by pests and tree fungi. It is relatively difficult to process, but can be sanded and polished well.
3 Turbidity, hardness - 5.0
Turmoil is African breed wood
Mutenia is distinguished by certain aspects, due to which the color of the wood is similar to that of walnut wood, and the structure of the wood is clearly similar to teak wood.
4 Merbau, hardness - 4.9
Red-brown wood of merbau species, mostly obtained from the species Intsia palembanica or Intsia bijuga, similar in structure, properties and color to the wood of trees of the genus Afzelia, hard and highly polished. Its density is about 800 kg/m.
In Europe, this wood is used primarily for making parquet. Its particular hardness makes it suitable for the construction of public buildings. Due to its resistance to moisture, it is also used in bathroom decoration.
Sugar maple is a deciduous tree of the Sapindaceae family, native to eastern North America.
A stylized image of a sugar maple leaf occupies central part on the national flag of Canada, it is also a symbol of this country, hence the second name Canadian maple.
6 Yarra, hardness - 4.7
Yarra is the wood of the eucalyptus species Eucalyptus marginata of the family Myrtaceae, native to Australia.
The color and texture of jarrah wood resembles mahogany, and therefore it is often called “Australian mahogany”. However, yarra is particularly brightly colored - it is characterized by all shades of red, mainly from light pink to dark red. It's getting dark in the light. The wood is very decorative, dense, hard, sanded and polished well. Brinell hardness: about 5.
7 Rosewood, hardness - 4.4
Rosewood, bahia, is a wood obtained from the subtropical tree Dalbergia decipularis of the genus Dalbergia. Grows exclusively in Brazil. Wood rosewood characterized by color - from yellow to pink with a red pattern, and the smell of a rose. This very hard and dense wood, which takes a great polish, is used in the manufacture of furniture for small expensive objects such as humidors, as well as in the manufacture of musical instruments.
8 Ash, hardness - 4.0
Ash - genus woody plants from the Olive family. Representatives of the genus are trees 25-35 m high (individual specimens up to 60 m) and trunk diameter up to 1 m, with an elongated-ovate, highly raised, wide-rounded crown and thick, sparse branches. Ash wood, due to its elasticity and strength, was used for the manufacture of military weapons and hunting tools. Ash was used to make stakes and war clubs, which were heavy, strong and elastic. The ancient Novgorodians made bows from five ash plates glued together with bone glue. Bear rods, spears, arrows, shafts are examples of hunting tools made of ash.
9 Oak, hardness - 3.8
Oak is a genus of trees and shrubs of the Beech family.
The genus includes approximately 600 species. Natural habitat oak are regions Northern Hemisphere With temperate climate. Oak timber and ornamental timber are produced mainly by the named Russian-European species. Oak wood is distinguished by its strength, strength, density, hardness and heaviness. The properties of wood depend on the growing conditions of the tree.
10 Beech, hardness - 3.8
Beech - genus broadleaf trees Beech family. The height of the trees is up to 30 m, the thickness of the trunk is up to 2 m. The trunk is smooth, covered with a thin layer of gray bark. In beech, which has a dense crown of entire leaves, the upper branches shade the lower ones so much that the latter, not having the light necessary for photosynthesis, gradually die and fall off. As a result, the beech tree in the forest is devoid of branches almost to the very top, and its crown is supported, as it were, by bare pillars. This property is characteristic of all species of the Beech genus. Beech wood is often used to make various products: musical instruments, in particular guitars, plywood, parquet, wooden containers, weaving shuttles, gun stocks, measuring instruments etc. Steam-treated beech bends easily. This feature allows the use of beech wood in the furniture industry in the manufacture of Viennese chairs and parts round shape.
By looking at a growing tree, it is quite easy to determine its species. But what kind of wood lumber is made from is much more difficult to understand.
Wood is natural product, so no material is completely similar to each other and without defects. All types have knots, cracks, and knots. Often they do not affect the quality of the material.
The strength of wood is important for its use in building structures. But basically the choice depends on the taste of the owner of the future home. The thicker the log, the warmer the house will be. To choose the right material, you should pay attention to wood with a high quality class.
A few words about different types of wood:
What is assortment
There are GOST standards for all types of wood that describe the requirements for them. In Russia, GOST 8486-86 has been adopted, and in Europe, wood is divided into 4 grades A, B, C, D. construction market Wood of the second grade and class B is more in demand. Class A is mainly intended for the manufacture of furniture.
The assortment depends on the presence of defects:
- 1st grade has high quality. Recommended for use in construction where high strength, rigidity and presentable appearance are required;
- 2nd grade recommended for general construction purposes where appearance is not very important;
- 3rd grade Suitable for economical construction. It has good strength, but many different defects. Used for fastening rafters, for fixing, blocking - wherever strength and appearance are not important;
- 4th grade used for the manufacture of containers and various packaging products.
How to determine the type of wood
The quality of lumber depends on the type of wood. To determine the breed, you need to know the main characteristics and differences. Each type of wood has external characteristics that make it easy to distinguish. To do this, consider the cross section of the felled tree.
Each type and species has an individual structure that creates unique physical properties. They determine the suitability of wood for various purposes. The most common means of material identification among carpenters is visual. Many experienced specialists, who know the differences and properties of species, determine the quality “by eye” and understand what kind of wood lumber is made from.
But often it is impossible to accurately identify the species based on these characteristics, since the tree has amazing variability. Due to the multitude natural conditions it changes so much that it is impossible to visually determine the type of lumber with an accuracy of one hundred percent.
Reliable information can only be obtained using special tests. To determine the accuracy, take a small sample of wood, since when large sizes more difficult to conduct tests.
The photo shows the wood species
Valuable
Valuable wood is very popular, despite its high cost. This is a practical and beautiful material that has unique properties.
Among the variety of valuable species, the following should be highlighted:
- Oak. It makes a beautiful and durable material. very pliable and bends well.
- Its texture is similar to oak, but its wood is more light shade. If dried incorrectly, it may become slightly deformed.
- also refers to hard rock species. The beech is steamed before use. This is a very clean, odorless material. Therefore, wooden toys made of beech are highly valued. It is suitable for making countertops.
Conifers
Conifers have soft wood except for . They have higher specific rigidity and strength in compression and static bending.
IN coniferous species ah wood (,) cells are mainly of the same type, so the material is more homogeneous in structure. When examined under a microscope, it is clear that old cells are very thick-walled, while those formed this season have thin walls and more resin passages. Therefore, the width of the ring is not so important. The more old rings, the higher the quality.
The formation of rings is greatly influenced by the location where the tree grew. If its growth was moderate, its strength increases. Mechanical properties Coniferous wood is very tall, so it is often used as construction and structural timber, after undergoing special processing.
How to determine the quality and 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 grade of softwood lumber by GOST 26002-83:
Soft
You can recognize soft rocks by their clearly defined light tones. To improve properties soft rocks they are treated with special means. Such material is invaluable in carpentry. This can be safely included.
Softwood has been used since Roman times to make household and agricultural tools. Traditionally it was stained in water to enhance its strength. Wood carvers love it very much, as it is a very pliable material. It is not suitable for construction.
Solid
Hard rocks are valued more. With their help, they create reliable structures that require high strength. High natural characteristics do not allow warping. The standard of hardness is oak. Solid wood is not afraid of mechanical loads and does not change its shape under their influence.
But houses are usually not built from oak, since it is very expensive wood. If there are abnormal changes colors, this denotes a painful condition. As a result of the disease, the wood loses its strength.
Deciduous
Structure hardwood is more complex. When considering it, it is customary to divide the material into two classes: ring-porous and diffuse-porous. In some cases, the differences are too small to see without a magnifying glass. The most common are, and.
Deciduous trees have large diameter cores. It is usually much darker than the sapwood. But sometimes, due to growing conditions, there is almost no difference in color, which leads to confusion. Deciduous wood has patterns of varying expressiveness. These can be rings or stripes. Detailed standards for tolerance of defects in deciduous wood are specified in GOST 7897-62.
Exotic woods
The popularity of exotic hardwoods is due to their aesthetic properties. They have a beautiful texture and rich saturated colors. Great value have their strength characteristics and unique properties.
Of particular commercial value are:
- Wenge. Grows in Africa tropical jungle. Furniture, parquet, and veneer for decorative door coverings are made from solid Wenge. They create overlays for guitar necks and knife handles. Wenge-finished floors are surprisingly durable.
- Ebony. Trees with black wood grow in Africa, Indochina and Hindustan. The wood is very heavy. Square meter Ebony parquet costs approximately 50 thousand US dollars. Wood has unique properties; it absorbs sound waves, allowing it to contribute to reducing noise in buildings.
- Iron tree. Grows in Asian countries. This hard and very durable wood is used to make machine parts. That's why they call it iron. These species include Boxwood, Casuarina, Parrotia persica, Quebracho and others. Quebracho means "break the axe" in Spanish. In our country, an iron tree also grows - Schmidt birch. It has a strength one and a half times greater than cast iron.
Materials from exotic breeds extremely difficult to buy. Due to their small numbers, they are under state protection.
In construction, thanks to the competent selection of forest products, any building will be of high quality and durability. Therefore, preference should be given only to high-quality wood.
Iron trees
Ironwood has very heavy wood that sinks quickly in water. Wood Density iron wood significantly higher than the density of water, and therefore it sinks. The bark of the ironwood tree is very thin and easily destroyed. If the branches of neighboring trees touch each other, they quickly grow together, creating interesting plexuses. From Latin, ironwood is translated as “tree of life”, as it is famous for its famous healing properties and ability to heal many ailments.
IN different regions“iron tree” refers to various plants:
Temir-agach
1. Temir-agach (damiragach) or “iron tree” - grows in Iran and Azerbaijan and is harder than iron. Temir-agach is quite often used in the manufacture of living barriers, which become stronger and stronger every year. It is impossible to get through the thicket of such trees, because the trunk of the iron tree is completely inflexible.
2. Persian parrotia is one of the most durable iron trees. Grows in Transcaucasian and Northern Iranian forests. Suitable for the production of machine parts and art products.
Wood nails
3. Yew (Taxus), or “soft-tree”. This ironwood not only has durable wood, but is also almost rot-resistant. Nails were made from it and used in the construction of underground and underwater structures.
4. Azobe is a tropical African ironwood.
5. Amazonian wood - Brazilian ironwood.
Metal replacement
6. Schmidt birch - grows in the southern part of the Primorsky Territory in the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve. The wood of this birch is 1.5 times stronger than cast iron and can easily replace metal. The lifespan of the Schmidt birch is about 400 years, like no other birch on the planet.
7. Also rosewood (or rosewood), ebony, kumaru.
Each of these trees has very durable wood, enriched with oils, the bark of such trees is resistant to rot, and they are all heavier than water. A good boat cannot be made from such wood, but for making furniture it is one of the most the best materials, however, and the most expensive.
Illustration:
The hardness of wood depends mainly on the type of wood. In this article we will look at various breeds wood and find out which wood is harder than others.
The hardness of timber is its ability to resist penetration by more solids, for example, nails, screws.
The hardness of wood varies in different cutting directions. The following types of hardness are distinguished:
- end This type of hardness is determined by pressing a metal rod, which has a hemispherical end with a diameter of 11.28 mm. The rod is pressed to a radius depth of 5.64 mm gradually over 2 minutes. The size of the print is 1 square centimeter and therefore hardness is measured in kg/cm2
- radial
- tangential
The lateral hardness of coniferous varieties of timber is most often 40% lower than the end hardness, and for deciduous varieties it is approximately 30%. The tangential type of hardness, for example, of oak, beech or elm timber is almost 5-10% higher than the end hardness. Most types of wood have approximately the same tangential and radial hardness.
To create a product from wood high quality It is necessary to determine the hardness of the type of wood used. Most often, the Brinell method is used to determine hardness. The meaning of this method is to press a metal ball with a diameter of 10 mm into the surface of the workpiece with a force of 100 kg. The hardness value is determined by the type of deformation and the diameter of the resulting depression.
In addition, experienced craftsmen must take into account changes in hardness that may occur while working with workpieces. For example, the hardness of timber varies depending on the type of cut.
The most hardwood from the jatoba tree, which grows in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. The hardness of the wood of this tree is 7 points on the Brinell scale. The timber is quite light in color, with grayish sapwood. In this case, the core is colored red, red-brown or dark orange colors. The cut of the trunk becomes darker over the course of 6-7 days, after which it acquires a brick-red color. The tree grows up to 40 meters in height. Timber is used to create furniture, parquet, and decorative elements interior decoration.
Sucupira takes second place in the hardness ranking. It has a hardness rating of 5.6. This tree grows exclusively in the Amazon rainforest. Mature tree has a height of about 30 meters. In the center of the trunk there is red-brown “dull” wood. Towards the edges the wood becomes lighter and whitish. When cut, they stand out clearly yellow stripes parenchymal matter. The texture of such timber is quite unique. Due to the large amount of oily substances found in wood, the products are resistant to attack by wood-boring beetles and microorganisms. Floor boards, parquet boards and furniture are made from such wood. Timber is very difficult to saw, but can be sanded and polished well.
The hardness of Amazonian yarra is almost 6 points; it grows in South America. The wood is dark red or plum colored at the heartwood. The sapwood has a light yellowish or brown tint. The timber of this tree becomes darker when exposed to humidity and air access. Amazonian yarra is difficult to process, but it polishes and bends well. Boats and buildings are built from this material, various pieces of furniture and souvenirs are created.
In wet areas tropical forests West Africa The turbidity tree grows, reaching 60 m in height. Its hardness level is 5 points. Timber haze has brown, very similar to walnut, olive with a brownish tint. The unique attractiveness of the wood is given by the “rays” of violet color. This wood is used to make floor boards, furniture and interior decoration elements.
The European or walnut grows on southern territory Europe and Asia Minor. The hardness of this wood is also 5 points. Walnut is an expensive wood and is highly valued by lovers of natural materials. The structure of the fibers is smooth and parallel, sometimes wavy curvatures are observed. Wood is used to make expensive furniture, parquet and veneer, as well as souvenirs. Finished products are infested with wood borer beetles.
Merbau timber has a hardness of 4.9 on the Brinell scale. This tree grows in the humid tropics of Papua and New Guinea, as well as in the forests of southeast Asia. The tree grows up to 30 meters. The timber is quite dense; one cubic meter of such material weighs about 800 kg. The core has a light orange tint or yellow. The sapwood is light yellow in color. The wood becomes darker over time, acquiring a bronze or brown tint, with a silvery tint. The wood has an attractive texture due to the presence of straight and sinuous grains. Merbau is not afraid of humidity, it can be used in bathrooms.
Ash has a hardness rating of about 4. It is very common in Europe and Asia, as well as in America. A mature tree reaches over 35 m in height. Timber from young trunks is uniform, light, slightly grayish. And mature trees have a brown, brown core color. Several species of ash are distinguished by their reddish heartwood. The structure of the wood is similar to oak. The growth rings stand out well; they form a striped pattern. These timbers are used to make boards different sizes, plywood sheets, furniture, veneer. Several centuries ago, weapons, hunting tools, and catapults were made from ash.
The hardness of oak reaches 3.8 points. There are about 600 species of this tree. Timber does not rot under the influence of moisture. Wood of white, yellowish shades. The growth rings are well defined. Sapwood has more light color than the core. An oak tree that has lain for a couple of centuries at the bottom of a reservoir does not rot or decompose. On the contrary, it becomes more durable and hard, acquiring a dark brown tint. Oak is enough valuable breed. Very popular oak barrels and vehicle parts made from this material.
Of the coniferous timber, the hardest is larch. Its hardness is 2.6 points on the Brinell scale. The wood has a dark red core. The sapwood is a lighter yellowish-red color. The sapwood is separated from the core by a clear boundary. Buildings made from such wood do not rot for hundreds of years. Larch wood has high viscosity, so it is processed slowly. The action of moisture only increases the hardness of wood. Soaked timber can be compared to stone in hardness.
Breed name |
Density, kg/m 3 |
Hardness (Brinell coefficient) |
Color |
Properties |
Acacia |
sapwood is light brown, heartwood is red-brown with black veins |
There are many types of acacia, which are used in the production of parquet, furniture, household items, musical instruments (guitars), gun stocks |
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Amaranth |
purple, violet-red (solid) |
grows in Central and South America; amaranth is valued for its rich purple (violet) color; deliveries to Russian market extremely limited |
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Afromosia |
yellowish-brown (brown-golden), with dark veins |
beautiful, decorative breed; afrormosia is often used as insert elements for mosaic floors |
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Balau (Bangkirai) |
from light brown to dark brown with a reddish tint |
grows in Southeast Asia; the pattern is barely visible; wood is practically not subject to rotting; used as decking boards, bathroom floors, garden furniture |
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Bamboo |
golden-straw, alternating with darker transverse stripes at the locations of the stem nodes |
woody bamboo stem has all the properties of high-quality hardwood |
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Karelian birch |
light yellowish with darker wavy tints |
Karelian birch - absolutely unique tree with a pattern reminiscent of marble; many wavy tints of light yellow shades with dark stripes, in a word, it is a must see; parquet and furniture made of Karelian birch look amazing, but the material is very rare and expensive |
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Black birch |
delicate color palette: dark rays like river beds cut into the yellow gold texture |
parquet made from this type of wood will be “catchy”, which must be taken into account when choosing an interior; The solid wood of this wood does not have high density and hardness, therefore it should not be used in rooms with very high loads |
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Bilinga |
golden yellow to orange red |
Bilinga grows in equatorial Africa; wood is extremely resistant to moisture, rot, and pests due to its high tannin content and natural oils; Bilinga furniture and parquet are highly valued for their golden color and pleasant wood texture |
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Bubinga |
red-brown |
bubinga - rare African tree, uneven fibrous texture; the beauty of wood appears after coating; supplies to our market are very rare |
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light, with a reddish tint |
due to the homogeneous structure of the wood, the beech floor visually looks calm, warm, even soft, although beech is a hard, durable wood; beech can be processed well with cutting tools and can be sanded well |
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Wenge |
large, even-grained, very decorative breed; heavy, resistant to pressure, bending; the pores of wenge wood contain many mineral and oily substances that make processing difficult, for example, varnishing |
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Cherry |
pink-brown, sometimes pink-gray |
even-grained wood with a relatively uniform texture; very decorative, has a beautiful warm shade, but darkens over time; cherry is significantly softer than oak and lends itself well to all types of processing |
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gray-brown to dark brown with red streaks |
elm has widespread V North America and Europe; the growth rings of the wood are clearly pronounced, due to which the elm is considered one of the most beautiful European species; Furniture, household items, and paper are made from elm |
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Goncalo (tiger tree) |
very unusual, highly decorative wood with abrupt transitions from light to dark tones (like the stripes of a tiger, which is why it is called tiger tree) |
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Hornbeam |
shiny, pearly white (or the color of melting snow), with thin sandy threads |
hornbeam is a relative of birch; it has twisted fibers (curls), which interferes with its processing; growth rings are poorly expressed; wood is heavy, sticky |
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Hickory (hickory, pecan) |
brown, with harmoniously alternating light and dark areas |
strong, resilient wood; tolerates large temperature changes; in ancient times it was used for the production of wheels |
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Pear |
has a pinkish tint |
fine wood texture, pores and pattern tree rings poorly expressed; strong tendency to warp, so drying must be done fairly slowly |
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Daru |
golden beige or golden pink |
Daru wood has a pleasant, persistent odor, especially when cut |
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Doussia (dussia) |
red-brown or yellowish-brown |
very decorative breed; Doussia contains a significant amount of oily substances, which must be taken into account when choosing varnishes; sands and polishes well; resistant to external influences |
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light brown to yellowish brown with a beautiful cut texture |
wood is widely used to make parquet and plank floors; strong, durable, weather-resistant wood; dries relatively slowly, with accelerated drying it is prone to cracking; Over time, the oak darkens a little, which gives a touch of noble antiquity long time in operation |
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Zebrano |
pronounced double color: against the general background from gray-brown to yellow-brown, frequent dark brown stripes located in the longitudinal direction stand out clearly |
the breed is decorative; sands and polishes well; the covering of this species is bright, sunny, energetic, and got its name due to its stripes, just like a zebra's :) deliveries to Russia are made in extremely limited quantities, since the tree is on the verge of extinction |
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Iroko (to brute) |
yellowish brown |
the breed is resistant to microclimate changes and various pests; Iroko is often used as a substitute for teak, as it is extremely resistant to moisture |
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Chestnut |
sapwood - light, heartwood - dark brown |
chestnut is distributed throughout Europe; The wood texture is reminiscent of oak, with clear thin tree rings; however, in terms of physical and mechanical properties, chestnut is significantly inferior to oak |
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Kekatong |
pink-brown, with lilac-red streaks; the pattern resembles a walnut |
a rare type of wood that has high hardness and stability; is not afraid of moisture, therefore it is often used as decking and terrace boards |
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Kempas |
bright, golden-reddish to dark orange |
uniform, dense wood, quite heavy, hard; low resistance to deformation when exposed to moisture |
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Keranji |
golden orange to red |
kerangi grows on the coast Indian Ocean; the texture of the wood is wavy-striped, quite brightly expressed, the surface is shiny, thanks to which very beautiful parquet and furniture are made from kerangi |
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Maple |
white, sometimes with a slightly yellowish tint; turns yellow over time |
maple is an exquisite material for interior decoration premises, creating an emphatically contrasting light background for dark furniture; maple is prone to cracking, so it requires careful adherence to the drying regime |
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Cocobolo |
sapwood - light, heartwood - orange-red to red-brown |
an exotic wood species that grows along the coast Pacific Ocean; has a unique texture - many wavy black lines on a burgundy or dark red background; used for making furniture, parquet, musical instruments (drum, guitar), figurines, billiard cues, etc. |
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Coconut tree |
from orange-red to dark brown - than older tree, the darker |
coconut wood is all dotted with small dark veins, which gives it an original appearance (it looks like it is covered with wool); important feature- the darker the coconut wood, the higher its quality |
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Kulim |
red-brown to dark purple |
grows in the forests of Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia; the texture of kulim wood is moderately smooth with smooth transitions from light to darker tones; good for carpentry |
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Kumara |
golden brown with dark, slightly wavy longitudinal veins |
finely porous, very dense wood; resistance to external influences - high; Due to its beautiful appearance, it can be used to cover garden paths, pool areas, gazebos, etc. |
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Kumier (Kumie) |
golden red to red brown |
Kumier grows in Southeast Asia, its properties are similar to kempas, and has a pronounced texture; used, as a rule, in the form of inlays in artistic parquet |
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Lapacho (ipe) |
olive-gray, in places with alternating light and dark areas; gets darker over time |
heavy, durable wood, contains oily substances; lapacho is easy to dry, but has significant susceptibility to warping |
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Merbau |
brown, from light to dark brown, interspersed with yellow streaks in places |
very hard wood, resistant to moisture, does not dry out much; merbau is used, for example, for constructing decks, finishing premises on sea vessels and yachts; in parquet floors, merbau goes well with oak |
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Turmoil |
pale coffee to olive brown with bright lilac rays |
Mutinia seems to be specially created to become parquet or furniture: shiny, spectacular |
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Olive |
yellow-white, sometimes with a reddish tint, with characteristic irregular dark rays |
fine texture; a very decorative, dense rock that is not very susceptible to drying out; olive sands well and gives a beautiful smooth surface |
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Alder |
low |
golden pink |
wood deforms little when dried, making parquet made from it stable to changes in humidity; alder is not too hard, has a fine structure |
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Nut |
brown-gray, with darker flecks |
The breed is very decorative and has long been widely used for interior decoration and furniture making; the nut is relatively hard, but quite easy to process; walnut is resistant to deformation and cracking during drying |
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African padauk |
bright coral red |
Paduk has aesthetic value |
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Rosewood |
dark brown, with a purple or lilac tint, as well as individual inclusions of pink, yellow and even greenish |
Rosewood wood contains a lot of oily substances; It is believed that rosewood has a special positive energy; Drying rosewood involves significant difficulties, because when this process accelerates, intense cracking occurs |
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Panga-Panga |
golden brown to very dark brown with black streaks |
large, even-grained wood, very decorative; heavy, resistant to pressure, bending; the pores of wood contain many mineral and oily substances that make processing difficult, for example, varnishing |
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Pinkado |
reddish brown with dark brown to violet brown streaks |
the wood is fine-fiber, intertwined, dense, as a result of which it is quite resistant to deformation; Pinkado does not prick and does not delaminate during processing |
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Sapele |
red-brown, with a beautiful golden sheen |
very decorative wood; sapele lends itself well to grinding and polishing |
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Sucupira |
chocolate-raspberry, mottled with ocher yellow veins |
wood is difficult to process, but easily sanded and polished |
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Tauari (Brazilian oak) |
light straw with a yellow tint |
wood is resistant, durable; Tauari is used to make parquet, decorative furniture parts, and musical instruments; The smooth pattern of solid tauari boards is ideal for finishing floors in bedrooms |
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Tiger tree (gonkalo) |
brown, dark brown irregular stripes, oblong spots on an overall beige or yellowish-orange background |
Tigerwood wood is very decorative and impressive |
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golden brown with dark flecks or areas |
teak texture is well defined, the grain direction is smooth or slightly wavy; has a high content of oily substances, therefore it practically does not rot and can be preserved at favorable conditions hundreds of years; teak lends itself well to all types of mechanical processing; teak is very resistant to loads and external influences, therefore it has long been used in shipbuilding |
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dark brown with darker veins |
very dense and heavy wood, wear resistance is extremely high, which is why the wood is difficult to sand; but, at the same time, carpentry processing is not such a difficult process; usually used as inlay in artistic parquet |
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Eben |
glossy black with lighter dark gray longitudinal veins |
wood is very decorative and impressive, especially when well polished |
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Yarra |
all shades of red, mainly from strawberry to dark red |
the wood is very hard, durable, resistant to all types of pests; Yarra is difficult to process, but can be ground and polished well; when drying quickly, the wood warps, twisting in the direction of the fibers, so the drying process of the material must be strictly monitored |
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Ash |
light, slightly yellowish, with a well-defined characteristic texture pattern on the cut |
Ash is harder than oak, but it is also very elastic, which is why it is often used for sports facilities; ash lends itself well to mechanical processing; wood is prone to cracking, so drying should be done slowly and thoroughly |
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Jatoba (kurbaril) |
orange-brown to purple and dark brown |
the wood is heavy, durable, hard, and at the same time relatively elastic; Jatoba is difficult to process, but can be ground and polished to an almost mirror-like shine; when sanding, in some cases the color of the wood pores may appear from almost white to yellowish lemon; drying should be carried out slowly enough to avoid cracking |
The most durable trees in the world
Today, the hardness of wood is determined using several methods. There are ratings of all trees by density. Based on hardness, they determine where and what kind of wood to use.
The hardest woods
Based on the hardness data obtained, a list of the hardest trees has been compiled. I entered it white acacia. This tree is in large quantities grows in Europe, where it came from North America.
Brazilian cherry, scientifically called Jatoba, is in second place in terms of hardness. It should be noted that this tree has nothing in common with plants of the “cherry” genus. Sucupira grows in South America. Its wood is not only practical, but also decorative, as it has interspersed light veins that contrast with the reddish-brown wood. It is known that fungi and pests are not terrible in sucupira. Despite the fact that wood is difficult to process, it can be sanded well.
There is such a hard wood as African turbidity. The unusual thing is that its structure is similar to teak, and its color resembles walnut. There is a tree in Central America amaranth, which has dense but flexible wood with a red-violet hue and a large, expressive structure. Amaranth is difficult to process and varnish, and individual accessories and expensive furniture are made from its wood.
Merbay- another type of hardwood. It is easy to process, easy to polish and resistant to moisture. These properties make it ideal for the production of parquet and bathroom decoration. The well-known Canadian maple, growing in North America, is also called sugar maple. This solid wood is a symbol of Canada.
Yarra- Australian eucalyptus. Due to the similarity of its wood to mahogany, the tree is also called Australian mahogany. Rosewood wood is considered hard. His homeland is Brazil. It is an indispensable material for the manufacture of musical instruments and furniture for presentable objects.
Next on the list is ash with very hard wood, behind it - oak, with heavy and durable wood. It is impossible not to say about bouquet. The properties of its wood allow it to be widely used.
The hardest tree in Russia
Russia is rich in forests. Birch Schmidt- a resident of the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve, located in Primorye, is the hardest in the country. This birch is one of the representatives of the so-called iron trees. Due to the extremely hard wood, bullets bounce off it, it instantly sinks in water, has the property of self-preservation, does not rot and is stronger than cast iron. It is believed that bearings for cars can be made from this tree..
Birch got its name in honor of the botanist named Schmidt who discovered it. This tree grows on the slopes of ravines near rocky outcrops, as it loves rocky soil. Birch always has an inclined trunk. Usually it is comb-shaped and does not exceed eighty centimeters in girth. The iron birch reaches a height of twenty-five meters, but the crown begins only at a height of eight meters. These trees are considered long-lived. On average, the Schmidt birch lives about three hundred and fifty years.
What is hardwood made of?
Hardwoods have many uses, depending on the species. So, canes, billiard cues, furniture, and parquet are made from Brazilian cherry, which is called jatoba. But this wood is not used in shipbuilding, as it deteriorates in sea water.
Acacia wood has a yellow tint. It was also known to cabinetmakers because it does not rot or wear out. Parquet is made from acacia wood, which is considered stronger than oak, and it becomes more beautiful over the years.
Marbau wood, due to its increased hardness, is used in the construction of public buildings, and is also used to make parquet. It is used when decorating wet rooms, as it is not afraid of water.
Previously, not only hunting tools were made from durable ash wood, but also military weapons, made spears and clubs. It is known that when beech wood is steamed, it bends easily. This property is indispensable in the manufacture of round-shaped furniture, including Viennese chairs. Beech is used to make gun butts, weaving shuttles and even musical instruments. In addition, plywood and containers are made from beech, beech parquet and measuring instruments are known.
The tree with the strongest wood
It is reliably known that the strongest, in other words “iron” wood is from trees that are called “iron trees”. It is so strong that it sometimes exceeds iron in this indicator. You can even make nails and machine parts from it. There are several such types of trees and they grow in different parts planets. Here are some examples of these miracle trees.
Birch Schmidt, whose wood is one and a half times stronger than cast iron, grows in the Primorsky Territory; another owner of iron wood grows in Brazil - this Amazon tree, in Africa such a representative is called azobe. Taxus (or yew) also belongs to the iron trees, it is absolutely not susceptible to rotting, it is also called “non-rotary wood”. Azerbaijan and Iran are the birthplace of ironwood called Temir-Agach, and in the Northern Irish and Transcaucasian forests it grows Persian parrotia.
The trees are record holders not only in strength, but also in size. According to some data, the most big tree in the world has reached a height of more than 150 meters.