1. Wood Hardwood, softwood, manufactured boards
Quality, cost and sustainability

2. Hardwoods
Hardwoods come from broad-leafed trees, generally deciduous trees: trees that shed leaves in the winter. Some hardwoods are not decidiouous.
They generally grow slower, resulting in harder wood, but…
It doesn’t mean they are hard – balsawood, used for model aeroplanes, is very light and soft

3. Hardwoods
Beech
Oak
Ash
Mahogany
Teak

4. Softwoods
Softwoods come from trees with needles rather than leaves, generally coniferous trees: evergreen
They generally grow faster, resulting in softer wood, but…
It doesn’t mean they are soft – yew is a softwood but well known for being hard

5. Softwoods
Scots pine
Parana Pine
Western Red Cedar
Pitch Pine
Yew

6. Manufactured boards
Manufactured boards have been developed to make large sheets of consistent quality.
Where it’s important to keep costs down, manufactured boards are useful
Where looks aren’t an issue, manufactured boards can be a good idea
Manufactured boards can easily be veneered or painted to make them look nice, keeping all the other advantages

7. Manufactured boards Medium density fibreboard MDF Hardboard Chipboard
Plywood
Blockboard

8. Strength, looks, price, useful for… workability, sustainability
When choosing a wood to use, you must consider many things
How the wood performs in functionality and looks is important. You wouldn’t want to make a decorative box lid from chipboard
If you can’t afford mahogany, you will have to consider other good looking woods that aren’t as rare
Wood can come from sustainable sources. Others are rare or endangered. Some manufactured boards are made from waste wood

9. Pick 3 of each and discuss their advantages and disadvantages
Hardwoods
Softwoods
Manufactured boards
Beech
Scots pine
Medium density fibreboard MDF
Oak
Parana Pine
Blockboard
Ash
Western Red Cedar
Hardboard
Mahogany
Pitch Pine
Chipboard
Teak
Yew
Plywood
Strength, looks, price, useful for… workability, sustainability