Timber Species and Geographic Sources
Is balsa a hardwood? (Yes!) Sort hardwoods from softwoods, meet the manufactured boards, and learn to choose sustainable timber for a job.
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What is wood made of? 🌳
Timber comes from trees, but not all wood is the same. Designers sort it into **hardwoods**, **softwoods** and **manufactured boards**, each with its own properties and uses. One name causes endless confusion, and this module clears it up.
The three families 🗂️
Learn these before you sort any timber:
Match each timber to a fact about it
- Oak
- Pine
- Balsa
- MDF
- A strong, durable hardwood
- A cheap, fast-growing softwood
- A very light hardwood, used for models
- A manufactured board of fibres and resin
Hard or soft?
Whether a wood is called a "hardwood" or a "softwood" depends on...
- The type of tree it comes from
- How hard the wood actually is
- The colour of the wood
- How expensive the wood is
It is about the tree 🌲
The names come from the **tree**, not the hardness. **Hardwoods** come from broad-leaved **deciduous** trees (which lose their leaves), like oak and mahogany. **Softwoods** come from **coniferous evergreen** trees (with needles and cones), like pine and spruce.
The famous exception
Balsa is classed as a hardwood, yet it is...
- Very soft and light
- The hardest wood of all
- Actually a softwood
- A manufactured board
A renewable material 💡
Timber is **renewable** if forests are managed and **replanted**. The **FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)** label shows wood has been sourced **responsibly**. Choosing certified timber lowers a product's environmental footprint.
Sort them
Select the TWO hardwoods.
- Oak
- Mahogany
- Pine
- MDF
Match each manufactured board to its description
- MDF
- Plywood
- Chipboard
- Hardboard
- Fine fibres pressed with resin; smooth surface
- Thin veneers glued with grain alternating
- Wood chips bonded with resin
- A thin, dense fibreboard
From tree to timber
An interactive activity.
Timber frame
A _____ comes from a broad-leaved deciduous tree, while a _____ comes from a coniferous evergreen tree. The names describe the tree, not the _____ of the wood. _____ is a manufactured board made from fine fibres and resin.
Choose the timber
An interactive activity.
Recommend a timber
An interactive activity.