Timber Design Contexts

The right wood for the job 🪵

A **design context** is the situation your product must suit: who will use it, where, and what it must do. Good designers read the context first, then choose materials to match. This module is about applying **timber** knowledge to that decision.

Three families of timber 🌳

Timbers split into three groups: - **Hardwoods** come from **broadleaved** (deciduous) trees: oak, mahogany, beech, balsa. - **Softwoods** come from **coniferous** (evergreen) trees: pine, cedar. - **Manufactured boards** are made from wood fibres or veneers: plywood, MDF, chipboard.

Hard or soft?

What actually decides whether a wood is a hardwood or a softwood?

• The type of tree it comes from (broadleaved vs coniferous), not how hard it is
• How hard the wood is to cut
• The colour of the wood
• Whether it is manufactured

Know your species 🪑

A few to recognise, with typical uses: - **Oak** (hardwood): hard and durable, used for quality furniture. - **Pine** (softwood): cheap and easy to work, used for construction and simple furniture. - **MDF** (manufactured): smooth, no grain, cheap, used for flat-pack furniture. - **Plywood** (manufactured): glued veneers, strong in all directions.

Match each timber to its description

Spot the hardwoods

Select ALL THREE hardwoods.

• Oak
• Mahogany
• Beech
• Pine
• Cedar
• MDF

Which is manufactured?

Which of these is a manufactured board rather than a natural timber?

• MDF
• Oak
• Pine
• Cedar

Working properties 💪

To match a timber to a context, describe its **working properties**: - **Hardness**: resistance to scratches and denting. - **Toughness**: absorbing impact without breaking. - **Durability**: withstanding wear, rot and weather over time. - **Elasticity**: bending and springing back to shape.

Match each property to its meaning

Where timber comes from 🌍

Species are linked to the forests they grow in: - **Alpine forests**: pine, cedar, larch (softwoods). - **European forests**: oak, beech, ash, birch. - **Amazonian (tropical) forests**: mahogany.

Where from?

Mahogany, a rich reddish hardwood, is traditionally sourced from which forests?

• Amazonian (tropical) forests
• Alpine forests
• European forests
• Arctic tundra

Justify the choice 🎯

The top-mark skill is **justification**: do not just name a timber, explain **why** it suits the context by linking a **property** to a **need**. For example: "Oak is a good choice for an outdoor bench because its **durability** means it resists rain and rot", not simply "use oak".

Choose the timber

An interactive activity.

Timber summary

Hardwoods like oak come from _____ trees, while softwoods like pine come from coniferous trees. _____ boards such as MDF are made from wood fibres. For top marks, _____ your material choice by linking a property to the design _____.