Wood hardness. The hardest wood species: properties of wood, secrets of use

In the fields of construction and manufacturing, traditional consumables are being replaced by technologically advanced plastics in various designs. They are distinguished by high technical and physical qualities, which allows them to confidently replace wood and even metal. However, wood raw materials have many advantages due to low purchasing costs and environmental friendliness. The weak point of this material strength is considered. To increase this indicator, manufacturers use special processing methods to increase rigidity, density and, in general, resistance to mechanical damage. However, hardwoods initially have these properties, often eliminating the need for special heat treatments.

Features of hardwood

Typically, the quality of such rocks is assessed by three indicators - density, Brinnell hardness and cross-cut rigidity. On average, the density of such wood is about 1200-1400 kg/m3. As for the Brinnell hardness, this value can reach 3.5 kgf/mm 2, and the cross-cut rigidity can be 80 MPa. Again, these indicators are typical for trees familiar to Russian conditions, and exotic species can have significantly superior characteristics. What types of wood are classified as hardwood in the temperate zone? Usually oak, beech, ash and some types of hornbeam are distinguished. It is important to consider that along with the positive quality of hardness, such trees also have negative properties. It has already been said that in order to improve its performance qualities, lumber can be subjected to additional processing. Sometimes hard wood is subjected to similar operations to obtain special physical characteristics. And here a serious problem arises, since many rocks, due to their high density, do not tolerate the processes of grinding, impregnation, and especially drying. Cracks, chips and other manifestations of structural deformation often form.

Classifications of hardwoods

There are species that grow in the temperate zone and exotic trees. There is also a classification into deciduous and coniferous species. Although most hardwoods are still classified as deciduous, among the needles there are also varieties with increased characteristics of density and hardness. Regarding breeds temperate zone, then these include maple, boxwood, briar and the aforementioned hornbeam. Coniferous hardwoods are also the most common here. Which of them have the most pronounced hardness indicators? In this case, larch, yew, juniper and lawson deserve attention. There are also hardwoods among the usual fruit trees - forest apple, wood sorrel, pear, rowan and some species stand out in this category walnut. As for exotic rocks, they demonstrate the highest levels of hardness and density. Here, red and lemon eucalyptus, etc. are of particular interest. Now it is worth taking a closer look at the hardest tree species.

Mahogany

In Russia this breed the most popular, as it can be purchased freely. This tropical tree, which is characterized by high hardness, as well as an original cut texture. Freshly sawn wood has a yellowish-red tint, but over time it gives way to darker tones, which gives the material a noble appearance. Accordingly, the consumer appreciates not only the technical, but also the decorative properties of this tree. It should be noted that from the point of view of pronounced decorative qualities, hardwoods also include backwood and boxwood. Moreover, these breeds are used not only as finishing materials, but can also replace individual decorative parts in jewelry products and technical devices. But mahogany is also distinguished by its ease of mechanical processing. The density of this rock is not so high compared to many hard materials of tropical origin, so this raw material is in great demand in furniture factories.

iron tree

If heavy-duty plastics can replace iron due to their strength, then this breed is not only capable of taking the place of a mechanically resistant element in some areas, but at the same time meeting increased requirements in terms of environmental sustainability. The concept of ironwood includes a whole group of species that mainly grow in the countries of the Asian region and in Australia. The classic representative of the group is the Persian parrotia. This type common in relict forests, where local residents have been making handles for knives and axes from it since ancient times. Today, “iron” hardwood is protected by UNESCO. This breed, in particular, has aesthetic value, which causes great interest in it from the market.

Merbau

This is not the hardest, but judging by the combination of other performance qualities, it can be said to be the most practical breed. Previously used in the construction of sea vessels. This is due to the fact that the material is resistant to moisture and also does not dry out. Therefore, merbau can be stored for a long time, after which it can be subjected to heat treatments and used in construction. As already noted, trees belonging to hard wood species, such as hornbeam or beech, practically do not tolerate additional processing. But merbau steadfastly endures traditional methods of influence in order to improve individual performance qualities.

White acacia

The hardest rock in Russia, which is valued not only for its strength, but also for its resistance to biological destruction processes. In addition, acacia of this type is highly polished and does not crack during long-term use. If preventive treatment measures are followed, the wood is also not subject to minor mechanical damage. By the way, according to technical specifications this species is superior to hardwoods such as oak and ash.

Lignum vitae

The hardness of this wood is one of the highest in the world. Suffice it to say that the material optimally copes with its tasks when used in the form of bearings, bushings and brackets. In the navy, wood of this species was often used as deck material. But backout lumber is valued for other reasons as well. It is not susceptible to deforming processes under the influence of third parties negative factors. These can be both chemical and physical influences that do not have a destructive effect on the structure. There are other hardwoods that also exhibit resistance to extreme loads. But unique quality Backout is a balanced combination of high mass and density.

Application of hard wood

Most of this material is used in construction. Wood in one form or another can be used both as a base for structures and as finishing. Use individual breeds also in the fields of mechanical and instrument engineering. They are used to make individual functional elements with the expectation of long-term use - and these can be temporary consumables or durable parts of structures. These are the main, but not all, areas in which high-strength wood species are used. Soft, hard, and medium-density rocks can also be used for medical purposes. In this case, hardness is not so important. The fact is that many exotic breeds contain resins that are unique in their qualities. The preparation of medicinal mixtures for internal and external use, in particular, makes it possible to combat joint diseases, respiratory organs etc.

Conclusion

Manufacturers of building materials are well aware of the rule that increasing one technical and operational property almost always entails minimizing other qualities. In part, this law also applies to hard wood species, which in some respects are inferior soft species. The processes of biological destruction, physical deformation, and texture distortion are the main disadvantages of soft rocks used in a long-term format. But on the other hand, such wood has the advantage of being susceptible to additional processing. Of course, both categories have their exceptions, but the soft structure, due to its low density, is still more prone to the formation of new properties artificially.

LUXURY INFO by ART-STUDIO MJ Exclusive premium materials - valuable types of wood, exotic leathers, gold, diamonds and others unique materials from Art Studio MJ

The hardest wood species
Top 10Luxury Genuine Wood Hardness by MJ

10 hardest wood species
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 the 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 have compiled a list of the hardest types of wood. The list below shows Brinell hardness.

Acacia White - 7.1
WHITE ACACIA (Robinia pseudoacacia) - Locust. It is considered the hardest hardwood in Russia. This breed was brought to Europe from North America. Grows in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Crimea and Central Asia. White acacia is a heartwood species with a very narrow yellowish sapwood, sharply demarcated from a greenish-gray or yellowish-gray core. The early zone of the annual layers is occupied by a ring of large vessels. Small vessels in the late zone form groups in the form of dots, dashes or short winding lines; the vessels are clogged with till. The annual layers are clearly visible in all sections. The medullary rays are narrow but noticeable. White acacia wood has a beautiful color and texture, high hardness, strength and resistance to rotting. In terms of physical and mechanical properties, it is significantly higher than oak and ash. The wood does not crack or warp, has a high friction resistance, is very elastic and polishes well. In air and under the influence of light, it noticeably darkens over time, making the texture more expressive and brighter. In its homeland, white acacia wood is of great use; In our country it is used in mechanical engineering (wooden screws), for the manufacture of parquet, furniture, and planing tool blocks. Brinell hardness: 7.1.

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.

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.

Azobe– tropical African ironwood. 5,5
Winged lofira (lat. Lophira alata) is a species of trees from the genus Lophira of the Ochnovae family, common in the tropical West Africa.

Turbidity, hardness – 5.0
Mutenia is an African wood species
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.

Amaranth - 5.0
AMARANTH. (Peltogyne.) Origin - Central America. Grows in Brazil (Amazon region), Panama, Guiana, Suriname and some other places in South America. The tree is very powerful, reaches a height of 25 m with a trunk thickness of up to 0.8 m. The wood is scattered-vascular, reddish-violet in color with a large expressive texture. In contact with air it becomes darker. Tree rings are clearly visible in the form of dark brown stripes and dashes on a radial section. Hard, dense, but flexible wood. Amaranth is very difficult to saw and varnish. It is used primarily for the production of expensive furniture and exclusive accessories. Density: 800 - 950 kg/cub.m. Hardness: high, about 5.0.

Merbau, hardness – 4.9
The red-brown wood of the merbau species, mostly obtained from the species Intsia palembanica or Intsia bijuga, is similar in structure, properties and color to the wood of trees of the genus Afzelia, is hard and has an excellent polish. 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.

Canadian maple, hardness – 4.8
Sugar maple is a deciduous tree of the Sapindaceae family, native to eastern North America.
A stylized image of a sugar maple leaf occupies the central part of the national flag Canada, it is also a symbol of this country, hence the second name Canadian maple.

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.

Rosewood, hardness – 4.4
Rosewood, bahia, is a wood obtained from the subtropical tree Dalbergia decipularis of the genus Dalbergia. Grows exclusively in Brazil. Rosewood wood is characterized by its 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.

Merbau - 4.1
MERBAU - (Intsia palembanica). Texture
Grows in Southeast Asia(Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines). An African breed, very similar in properties to the Merbau, is the Doussia.
Merbau reaches a height of up to 45 meters and, under favorable growing conditions, the diameter can reach 2 meters. On open surfaces the trunk is short with a branched crown. Trunk up to 15 meters without knots.
The main color tone of merbau is brown, from light to dark brown, interspersed with yellow streaks in places. The wood is very hard, resistant to moisture, and does not dry out much. Thanks to these properties, merbau is used, in particular, for deck construction and interior decoration on ships and yachts. IN parquet floors Both in its properties and aesthetically, merbau goes very well with oak.
During operation, merbau darkens (especially the lighter areas), as a result of which the color of the wood as a whole is evened out. Density: 840 kg/m3. Hardness: 4.1

Ash, hardness – 4.0
Ash is a genus of 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.
Density: on average about 700 kg/cub.m.
Hardness: 4.0 - 4.1.

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 a 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.
OAK - Quercus sp.pl., beech family. The most common is English or summer oak (Q. robur), which occupies 95% of the area of oak forests. Oak, a recognized symbol of eternity, has been used for centuries in the construction industry.
Widely distributed in Europe, Asia and America, it is a traditional breed for Russia. Oak grows almost throughout Europe, both in the north and in the south. In Finland, the natural habitat of oak is the Åland Islands and the coastal areas of Southern Finland. Oak also grows in the Caucasus and in some areas of Turkey.
Oak easily reaches an age of more than 1000 years. The trees grow up to 18-30 meters and have a diameter of 120-180 cm. The trunk of an oak tree growing in the forest is straight and without knots up to a height of 15 meters. It is distinguished by great variety, because... has a total of about 200 varieties. Northern trees growing in poor soil produce better wood than southern trees.
Oak sapwood is light yellow. Mature wood has light brown to yellowish-brown honey fungus with a beautiful texture when cut. It is strong, durable, resistant to external influences. Over time, the oak darkens a little, which gives it a touch of noble antiquity. Oak wood dries relatively slowly, and with accelerated drying it is prone to cracking. To give oak wood higher decorative qualities, it is often stained or etched. By staining oak we mean keeping it in water for many years, from which the wood acquires a silky dark purple color. Staining increases the hardness of the wood, but at the same time increases its fragility. Oak bark and sawdust are used to impregnate other types of wood, which changes their natural color. To do this, wooden blanks are kept in a decoction of a mixture of crushed bark and oak trunk shavings, saturating them with tannins. When choosing a finishing method for an oak product, you need to take into account that this wood does not accept alcohol varnishes and polishes well. The polish is practically not accepted due to its high porosity. The increased hardness of oak wood makes it difficult to drive nails into it and screw in screws. Therefore, it is best to pre-drill to avoid splitting the boards. The oak elements of the staircase stick together well.
Oak wood finds a variety of uses: in the form of parquet, sliced veneer for finishing products, in the furniture industry, mechanical engineering, in containers (barrels for wine and beer) and tanning and extraction industries.
Carved massive oak doors coated with transparent weather-resistant varnishes often decorate buildings, especially administrative ones.
It is not advisable to paint oak; for this purpose it is necessary to use more accessible wood. When working with oak, it should be taken into account that it is very sensitive to vegetable oil (sunflower, linseed, natural drying oil, etc.) - stains often appear on its surface from the oil. Oak wood must be coated with transparent, quick-drying, weather-resistant varnishes. With wide annual rings, hard and heavy oak is best suited for areas that require a lot of wear resistance. Its wood is suitable for both external and internal use, for example for the manufacture of bridges and piers.
With thin annual rings, light and soft oak, good for interior decoration, furniture industry, wood sculpture, turning. Density: on average about 700 kg/m3. Hardness: 3.7 - 3.9.

Paduc - 3.8
PADUK (African paduk) - Pterocarpus soyauxii.
Grows in Cameroon, Spanish Guinea, Zaire, Nigeria and Angola.
Mature wood is coral red, but gradually darkens. The structure of the wood is straight-grained, so it is easy to process. Paduk is very resistant to mechanical loads (pressure) and external influences.
Dries easily, but requires slow drying. Density: 750 kg/cub.m. Hardness: 3.8.

Beech, hardness – 3.8
Beech - genus broadleaf trees Beech family. 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 rounded parts.
BEECH - Fagus. Mostly eastern beech (F. orientalis) grows - Oriental beech (in the Caucasus and Crimea), as well as forest or European beech (F. sylvatica) - European beech. The most favorable conditions for beech growth are mountainous areas containing calcium, with loose and fertile soils. At optimal conditions The slow-growing beech reaches a height of 40-45 meters and 150 cm in diameter. The lifespan of beech can reach up to 600 years, but usually 120-year-old trunks have a lot of rot and their wood is of little use. The wood trunks are straight, well-formed, and when growing in forests they can be up to 18 meters in height without knots.
When exposed to sunlight, light beech wood darkens. The heart-shaped rays are very wide; when cut, they look like dark shiny spots and give the tree a unique appearance. The wood is light, with a reddish-yellow or grayish honey fungus. It is well processed with cutting tools and polished. Beech reacts quickly to changes in humidity and in this regard is a “capricious” breed.
Beech wood lends itself well to special heat treatment, which evens out its color and shifts it towards redder tones (the so-called “smoky beech”). The texture of beech wood is distinguished by its beauty and high decorative qualities, especially in tangential and radial cuts. Beech is not much inferior to oak in strength and hardness, but it is more susceptible to rotting due to its high hygroscopicity. Therefore, beech products cannot be kept in an environment with high humidity. This phenomenon is called “breathing” of wood; to avoid it, the temperature and humidity in the room should not fluctuate within wide limits. The hygroscopicity of beech wood has a positive effect on its finishing and drying. The drying process of wood occurs much faster than with other species, and there are significantly fewer cracks. Beech is easy to split, saw and process with hand tools, and is difficult to polish. Steam-treated beech bends easily; this feature is used in the furniture industry in the manufacture of Viennese chairs. Beech is an excellent material for interior finishing work; it is good for making stair steps, floors, parquet, panels and furniture. Used in wood chemistry. By dry distillation of wood, acetic acid and creosote are obtained. Density: 650 kg/km3. Hardness: 3.8.

Hornbeam - 3.5
Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus, birch family. It is most widespread in Europe, Asia Minor and Iran, and also grows in the Caucasus, the Carpathians, the Crimea, the southwestern and western regions of the CIS. Hornbeam is also called white beech. It has a hard, durable and dense wood with a whitish-gray color. The texture of hornbeam is not bright, like, for example, ash; Light dots are scattered on the evenly matte background of its wood. Often this species has a cross-layered wood structure, so the hornbeam is difficult to split. The sapwood does not make much difference in the transition to the heartwood. To avoid deformation and cracking, it requires long and careful drying. After drying, the hornbeam is almost not subject to warping; its hardness becomes higher than oak. It is difficult to handle with cutting tools. The use of hornbeam in carpentry is varied, although not as widespread as oak, ash or beech; used in mosaic making. The hornbeam is well finished and poisoned. Density: about 750 kg/m3. Hardness: about 3.5.

There is also different types“iron tree”, backout, Schmidt birch and others.

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.

Parrotia persica(names are also known iron ore, ambur and temir-agach) 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.

Tiss(Taxus), or "non-pustular 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.

Amazon tree– Brazilian ironwood.

Birch Schmidt- Schmidt birch grows in the southern part of the Primorsky Territory, it is called Schmidt birch (named in honor of the Russian botanist F.B. Schmidt). This wood is one and a half times stronger than cast iron. A bullet fired from a pistol flies off its barrel. The wood of this tree can easily replace metal. The iron birch lives for about 400 years, it is the most durable birch of all the birches on the planet. Schmidt's birch is very rare; it grows in the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve.

TO Izil - It is a tall shrub or tree, sometimes 8 meters high and 50 cm in diameter. Previously, wood was used to make buttons, parts of watch mechanisms, teeth of mill wheels, shuttles of looms, and gun cleaning rods. And arrows and spears made from dogwood wood did not wear out.

Ulin (ulin)- Botanical name: Eusideroxylon zwageri, family Lauraceae. Texture
Local names: tabulin, telian. Other names: Borneo ironwood (UK and USA), bois de fer de Borneo (France), Borneo Eisenholz (Germany), legno ferro del Borneo (Italy), ironwood (China), jasper wood (Japan, southern China).
Geographical distribution: Kalimantan (Borneo).
evergreen tree 40 - 50 m high. The trunk is straight (diameter up to 150 cm), branches - at a distance of up to 20 m from the ground. The bark has barely noticeable grooves, from red to dark brown, from 2 to 9 cm thick. Freshly cut wood has a slightly sour cedar smell, which gradually disappears as the tree dries.
Specific gravity and strength class: 1.04 (0.88 - 1.19); I (highest).
Hardness according to JANKA is determined by pressing a steel hemisphere until a hole S = 1 cm2 is formed. End (kg/cm2) 973 (a) 10700N (b) Lateral (kg/cm2) 9730 - 12150 (b)
Ulin wood belongs to wear resistance class I (it lasts for an unlimited period of time when under a roof, without contact with wet soil and with good ventilation). In relation to wood termites, resistance belongs to class II (high), and in relation to rotting and mold processes - to class I.
Ulin wood is extremely difficult to process. Ulin dries very slowly and drying of wood is accompanied by multiple cracks along the surfaces and ends of the workpiece.
Ulin can be sawed and planed with good results, but the tool quickly becomes dull due to the high hardness of the wood. The saw teeth should be regularly cleaned to remove accumulated oily deposits. Ulin can be drilled well and processed using a mill, but is difficult to glue with synthetic adhesives. If the speed of the cutter is too high, the ulin wood may burn. Before planting on nails or screws, it is recommended to drill the wood, since the wood tends to split in the radial direction. This property of ulin is widely used in the manufacture of roofing. Sanding and varnishing give very good results.
Being one of the heaviest and most reliable trees in Southeast Asia, ulin is used to make columns, beams, floor panels, furniture and artistic carving. Along with this, it is used as a roofing covering, in the construction of marine structures, shipyards, docks and bridges, hulls and masts of ships and vehicles, for paving bridges and pedestrian paths, for the production of hashi folders.
In Kalimantan, the Dayak people make traditional stilt houses from ulin. According to documentary evidence, palisades and pillars made from this wood last for more than 100 years, and “sirap” tiles from ulin serve in tropical conditions from 50 to more than 100 years. Marine mooring structures made from ulin have been in use for at least a quarter of a century.

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 the manufacture of furniture and luxury accessories it is one of the best materials, although also the most expensive.

Making luxury products from the hardest woods .
For individual orders, production of exclusive products from all types of valuable types of wood and other luxury materials. Unique boxes, jewelry, furniture, interior items, computers, phones, flash drives, knives, canes, key rings and any other accessories and VIP souvenirs self made from Art Studio M.J.

* other types of wood and luxury materials in the section. MJ Luxury Info.

See also other sections of the Art Studio website MJ:

- Exclusive phones MJ- mobile phones made of gold, platinum, palladium, crocodile and python skin, inlaid with diamonds and crystals Swarovski.

- Designer handmade cases - handbags, cases, cases, briefcases and other accessories made of genuine exotic leather for all models of phones and laptops.

- Flash drives

Deciduous tree species and properties of their wood

Oak(hardwood) - used in furniture production, construction (milled wooden parts, parquet), carriage building, shipbuilding, and hydraulic engineering. Oak wood is durable, strong, hard, resistant to rotting, has a beautiful texture, and bends well. The color of the wood is brown or yellowish-brown, darkening with time. A distinctive feature of oak wood is that the worse the soil on which the oak grows, the better its wood. That is why oak wood from the northern regions is more valued.

Beech(hardwood) - used in furniture production (parquet, veneer, carpentry tools, containers), in shoe production (lasts), and mechanical engineering. Acetic acid and creosote are obtained from beech wood by dry distillation. Beech wood is strong, but susceptible to rotting, it is well processed, impregnated, and bends well. It warps a lot when it dries out.

Hornbeam(hard rock) - used in turning, mechanical engineering, and textile production. The bodies of carpentry tools are made from hornbeam. Hornbeam wood is distinguished by its hardness, heaviness, difficult to process, and very resistant to abrasion. Like beech, hornbeam wood warps greatly when it dries out.

Ash(strong and tough rock) - widely used in the manufacture of sports equipment, furniture production, aircraft manufacturing, carriage building, shipbuilding, and housing construction. Carpentry tools are made from ash.
The wood is strong and tough, has a beautiful texture, durable, and resistant to decay. Ash wood bends well, warps a little, but is poorly saturated with antiseptics.

Elm, elm, elm(dense, durable rock) - these rocks, due to their beautiful texture, are widely used in furniture and plywood production. Having great strength, they are used in mechanical engineering and carriage building. The wood of elm, elm, and elm is distinguished by its strength, viscosity, and density. It resists wear well and bends well.

Nut(hardwood) - scope of use - furniture and plywood production, housing construction (interior decoration). Walnut wood is heavy, durable and hard with a beautiful texture. The wood is well processed and polished well.

Linden(soft rock) - pencils, toys, musical instruments, other products. In furniture and plywood production, linden also finds sufficient wide application. Linden wood is soft, light, and easy to process. When drying, linden shrinks significantly, but warps and cracks to an insignificant extent.

Birch(moderately hard wood) - widely used in the manufacture of skis, gun stocks, parquet, laminated plastics, particle boards and fiberboards, and cellulose. Housing construction, furniture and plywood production are also areas of application for birch. Where it takes place high humidity, birch wood is not used. Birch is uniform in density, moderately hard, and easy to process. Birch material is often imitated to resemble valuable species, is well polished, painted, and can be impregnated well. But birch is not resistant to decay and warps, which narrows its scope of application.

Maple(hardwood) - area of application - mechanical engineering, plywood, music and furniture production. In shoemaking, lasts are made from maple, and in carpentry, lasts for planes are made. Maple wood is characterized by strength, density and hardness, and has an impressive glossy surface. Amenable to painting and polishing. The drying rate is insignificant.

Aspen(softwood) - this type of wood is widely used in the match industry, construction, and in the viscose industry for the production of rayon. Aspen, like poplar, is successfully used for various crafts and for making toys. Roofing tiles are also made from aspen. The wood is soft, has few knots, is light, can be processed well, is well impregnated and glued together. Of particular note is the strength of aspen in aquatic environment, resistance against woodworms. Aspen warps little and is resistant to cracking.

Poplar- used as a good ornamental material (dishes, troughs, spoons, toys, etc.), used in the production of pulp and in construction. Poplar wood is soft, dries out quite strongly, bends poorly, and is susceptible to rotting. The material of this breed is mossy.

Alder(softwood) - the area of application of alder is quite extensive - this includes carpentry and furniture production, plywood production, and lumber production. Alder has proven itself well in underwater construction, in particular, it is used to construct log houses for wells. Alder is used in the manufacture of souvenirs; it is a good material for artistic processing (wood carving). Considering that alder does not give off any odor, it is indispensable in container production.

Rare hardwoods. Rare hardwood species include pear,cherry, white acacia,apple. The density of the wood of these species exceeds that of oak and beech, has a beautiful color, and is well processed and polished. The wood of the listed species is mainly used in ornamental work.

2. Conifers.

Pine(soft breed) - good building material in various fields, it is most widely used in furniture production, including various artistic crafts. Pine wood is quite strong, light, and soft. When it dries, it warps a little, is well processed, impregnated and painted.

Spruce(softwood) - main application - pulp and paper production and construction, Good material for the furniture industry, for the manufacture of musical instruments, Used in the manufacture of tannins. Spruce, as a material, is inferior to pine. Although spruce wood has a similar structure to pine, it is more knotty, is processed worse, and is poorly impregnated with antiseptics.

However, spruce, due to its low resin content, holds glue better and dries faster.

Fir(soft rock) - used in the pulp and paper industry, construction, furniture industry, and in the manufacture of musical instruments. Fir is also used in medicine to make fir oil. Fir wood is close in its characteristics to spruce. Soft and light, it is difficult to impregnate with antiseptics. The scope of fir is narrowing due to its instability against decay. Cedar, Siberian pine (softwood) - the area of application is the same as that of pine (construction, furniture industry, carpentry, pencil making, etc.). In terms of physical and mechanical properties, it is between spruce and fir, but is more resistant to rotting. Well processed.
3. Imported wood.

Eucalyptus(hard rock) - is used in bridge construction, in hydraulic structures, in underwater technologies and, of course, in residential and industrial construction. Eucalyptus wood is strong, hard and heavy. Very resistant to rotting. But it is difficult to process; the core of the tree is poorly saturated with antiseptics. Grows in Georgia, Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Mahogany(mahogany). The wood of this tree is used to make high-quality furniture, panels, various crafts and accessories. Mahogany carpentry tools are highly valued. Veneer from this tree is used to decorate prestigious products. The wood is hard, durable, does not crack or warp. Very beautiful texture. Mahogany is a low-density species that can be processed well industrially, but is difficult to process manually. Grows in Mexico and Central America.

Balsa wood— in carpentry work it is used for the internal layers of laminated laminated wood. Good warmth- and a sound insulator, a filler for life-saving equipment. Balsa wood is the lightest, fastest growing and softest of all tree species. Grows in Mexico, Central America and South America (Ecuador). There is balsa in Georgia (Colchis).

Articles similar to Brief characteristics of the main tree species and their application:

When copying the article “Brief characteristics of the main tree species and their application,” a link to the site is required!

In this article I will talk about wood and its types.

As we all know, it is impossible to make a craft without wood. Nowadays, there are a lot of types of wood that are different in quality, hardness, softness, color, properties, etc.

Wood can react to climatic conditions. For example, if you store plywood in a warm, unventilated area, the plywood will deteriorate over time.

Wood consists of elongated thin cells, like straws, that conduct water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the leaves, where the light produces organic substances necessary for the growth of the tree. The wood of each species has cells that are characteristically located only in that species.

Wood can be soft or hard.

Softwood

This is wood that is made up of evergreen coniferous trees. It is usually softer and less expensive than hardwood because conifers grow faster. Softwood is common in furniture production and is a raw material for paper production. Veneers are made from soft wood, then plywood, and we, in turn, cut crafts from plywood.

Hardwood

These are the so-called broad-leaved tree species. She is expensive because... Hard wood is denser than soft wood, products made from it are strong and durable. That is why such wood is valued in carpentry.

(hard rock)

An exotic tree native to Africa. Used for the manufacture of decorative furniture.

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. It included white acacia. This tree is in large quantities grows in Europe, where it came from North America.

Brazilian cherry, scientifically called jatoba, is second in 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 mutania. The unusual thing is that its structure is similar to teak, and its color resembles walnut. In Central America there is the amaranth tree, which has dense but flexible wood that has a red-violet hue and a large, expressive structure. Amaranth is difficult to process and varnish, however, individual accessories and expensive furniture are made from its wood.

Merbaye is 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 tree is a symbol of Canada.

Yarra is an 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.

The hardest tree in Russia

Russia is rich in forests. The Schmidt birch, 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. 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 made from hardwood?

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.

From durable wood ash was previously used to make not only hunting tools, 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 most durable, in other words, “iron” wood comes 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.

Schmidt birch, 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 is an Amazonian 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-iron tree”. Azerbaijan and Iran are the birthplace of the iron tree called temir-agach, and Persian parrotia grows in the North Iranian and Transcaucasian forests.

The trees are record holders not only in strength, but also in size. According to the website, the largest tree in the world reached a height of more than 150 meters.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen