Exotic wood is increasingly appreciated in value, but domestic wood also has many benefits and many uses. In addition, it is often much cheaper than its foreign counterparts.
Wood has been successfully used for centuries in construction, furniture, musical instruments and paper. It is also used in interior design and for heating. Wood waste is used to produce boards, which are a material for the production of many household items. And although exotic wood is becoming increasingly popular, let’s not forget about domestic species, their advantages and wide application.
Types of wood
Depending on the origin of the wood, there are:
- domestic species,
- exotic species.
Based on the type of foliage, wood is divided into:
- coniferous species
- hardwood
There are many other differences, such as depending on the use of wood, its microscopic structure or the presence of a pith. Typically, in the context of a particular use of wood, we look at slightly different properties, such as color, texture, hardness, abrasion or hygroscopicity.
Popular domestic species
The trees grown in our country are inexpensive and varied enough to be widely used.
- Pine is widely used in the construction, mining, carpentry industries, it is used as railway sleepers, and also for the production of paper, boards, plywood and wood wool. Pine is also used for windows, doors, flooring, furniture, tools and containers. Interestingly, turpentine, turpentine oil and rosin are produced from pine resin. We obtain pine oil from pine needles.
- Fir can often be found in sawmills. It is used for matches, slightly inferior to plywood, for the production of pulp, and also for mines, poles, pallets and boxes. Fir is used in the chemical industry for the production of vats and barrels. It is also suitable for soundboards and organ pipes.
- Spruce is a wood used for furniture, veneers and cladding such as walls, floors and stairs. It is also used to make musical instruments, wood wool, chipboard, fiberboard and high-quality paper. Spruce is widely used in construction and mining.
- Larch is ideal for parquet, wall cladding, furniture and accessories, as well as in shipbuilding. We have little of this wood, because larch is under protection.
- Black poplar has veneer and plywood and, due to its low strength, is intended for interior work. It is used to make records, paper, wood wool, matches, pencils, kitchen utensils and drawing boards.
- Oak is a hard wood that is strong and durable. Suitable for antique style furniture, veneer and wood veneer. Well suited as a material for parquet floors, panels, strips and thresholds. Oak is also used for the construction of ships, cars and vehicles.
- Beech is slightly less hard and abrasion resistant than oak, but can withstand heavy loads well. It has a dense structure and is suitable for flooring boards, furniture, aircraft and block plywood. It is interesting that beech acquires its consumer value only after it is over 100 years old. Beech wood is prone to swelling and cracking, and is unstable without impregnation. To make beech resistant to deformation, it should be exposed to steam.
- European maple is a soft variety, but Canadian maple is much harder. All varieties are durable and viable. Maple is used to make furniture, panels, veneer, kitchen appliances and accessories (handles, shoe lasts, heels).
- Ash is a durable, hard and flexible wood. Suitable for flat and round veneers, for furniture production, wall coverings and floorboards. Even propellers for airplanes, boats, carts and sports equipment can be made from ash wood. Interestingly, the ash tree belongs to the same plant family as the olive tree.
- Walnut is a medium-hard wood used mainly for the production of furniture and interior decoration, for example, for wall cladding, parquet, and veneer. Walnut is used to make inlays, photo frames, as well as musical instruments, butts and wooden accessories.
- Pear and apple have wood suitable for making furniture, veneer, parquet, as well as marquetry and frames. They are used to create sculptures, drawing and measuring tools, hand tool handles, and weaving shuttles.
- Birch wood is too strong, but hard and easy to process. They are used for cladding, paneling, boards, plywood, as well as for the production of furniture and parquet floors. Birch is suitable for wood carving and decorative items, and is also used for pulp and paper production.
