TWO TYPES OF WOOD

Hardwood

Hardwood is a type of wood that is produced from evergreen trees, like broad-leaf or
deciduous trees. These woods are derived mainly from the trunks and branches of
trees and are visually quite appealing. Owing to its attractive physical appearance,
varied color ranges, and high quality, hardwood is mainly used for constructing
furniture, cabinets, doors, and flooring.

As compared to softwood, hardwood is of higher density, is costlier, and has a low

growth rate. Carpentry companies prefer to use hardwood for its durability and
longevity.

PHILIPPINE HARDWOOD

KAMAGONG
Also known as Philippine Ebony, kamagong is a wood unique to the country. With a
black heartwood (inner region) and gray sapwood, this produces really dramatic,
dark timber hence the name. The grain is often grayish and has strong, dark brown
streaks. "It's good to use on accent pieces lang, but [it] may not be good idea to
make a whole furniture piece out of it," says Benji.

Ideal for: Small, decorative pieces and combat tools like arnis sticks and eskrima

MOLAVE
One of the hardest local woods, molave has a fine texture that makes it smooth to
the touch. It's available in pale yellow to pinkish-brownish tone with a lighter
sapwood (outer region), and mostly straight grain. It has no distinct odor.

Ideal for: window frames, shipbuilding, structural posts, railroad tracks, and other
outdoor applications

NARRA
This very popular tropical wood has tones that range from yellow to red. The grain
(texture and alignment of wood fiber) is often interlocked and wavy, which creates
interesting flame and ribbon figures when quartersawn or flat sawn, which makes it a
beautiful finishing material. Texture can be anywhere from average-fine to average-
coarse. The wood itself is lustrous and has an attractive odor. Narra is classified as
endangered and vulnerable here, and in Malaysia.

Ideal for: furnishings, floor planks, wall panels

TANGUILE
A moderately hard reddish wood, tanguile is one of the seven local woods often
referred to as Philippine Mahogany. This abundant wood type boasts of fine ribbon
or straight grain. It's relatively soft and easy to work on, but resilient enough for
outdoor construction.

Ideal for: interior finishes, cabinets, boat building

YAKAL
This resinous wood with yellow to golden-red tones is another local mahogany type.
A high-grade timber, yakal can tolerate harsh hot and cold weathers.

Ideal for: furniture, surface finishes, small weapons, and outdoor constructions

LAUAN

the light yellow to reddish-brown or brown wood of any of various tropical

southeast Asian trees (as of the genera Shorea and Parashorea) which sometimes
enters commerce as Philippine mahogany

The main use of lauan includes: paneling, cabinetry, furniture, siding, interior
trim, and doors. It is used as a substrate in paneling manufacture. As plywood, it is
used in sub-flooring and for backs, bottoms and drawers in furniture making.

Softwood

Softwood refers to a type of wood that is derived from gymnosperm trees such as
conifers also known as Amborella.

Softwood is also a common choice among woodcarvers, furniture makers,

cabinetmakers, and carpenters as it is strong, durable, and easy to work with. Some
of the types of softwood are denser while others are lighter than hardwood.
WOOD PRODUCTS
Yard lumber - lumber intended for general building purposes that is of various
shapes and sizes and is less than 5 inches thick.
Shop lumber- lumber of smaller and shorter cuts usually used in furniture shops

T & G BOARD (TONGUE AND GROOVE)

WOOD PLANKS

DIMENSION LUMBERS
Types of Plywood

1. Softwood

Source: Lowe’s

Softwood is a type of plywood that manufacturers make using softwoods, like pine,
redwood, or cedar. Although the name implies that these woods aren’t as strong as
others, you might be surprised to know that construction workers typically use
softwoods for exterior frame sheathing, roof sheathing, and sub-flooring.Softwood
plywood can also create things like sheds, temporary flooring, doghouses, shelving,
and more.

2. Hardwood

Source: Amazon

Hardwood plywood typically has between three and seven layers and
uses hardwoods. Manufacturers glue the layers of wood at right angles to one
another to create an incredibly strong finish.
Hardwoods are best for things like furniture, packing cases, sporting equipment,
musical instruments, and other intricate projects that require strong frames.

3. Aircraft plywood

Source: Spitfire Aircraft Company

Aircraft plywood is among the highest-grade, most durable kind you can find. This
wood uses hardwoods, like mahogany or birch, to create an incredibly strong
finished piece that can also resist heat and moisture.The design incorporates some
very thin veneers that can keep it light and flexible, while still giving it unyielding
strength for the heftiest jobs. You’ll find this type of plywood in projects that need
industrial-strength woods, like airplanes, boats, and furniture that’s meant to hold a
lot of weight.

4. Exterior plywood

Source: Amazon

Exterior plywood has weather and water-resistant glue that holds each veneer
together. When you create an exterior with plywood, one of the biggest – and most
important – concerns is how the wood will handle wind, rain, and other weather.
Exterior wood is meant to combat the elements to provide a strong, sturdy frame for
years to come.

Exterior plywood sheets typically have several veneers glued together, classifying
them as multi-ply. You can also choose various kinds of wood for exterior plywood,
depending on the area in which you live. Some locations that experience unusually
harsh seasons may fair better with wood like oak, which can resist mildew and mold
from damp conditions.

5. Lumber Core

Source: Schaller Hardwood

Lumber core plywood is usually made with three plies, with two thin veneers on each
side and a thick core. The outer veneers are typically made of a hardwood, while the
inner core consists of strips of wood glued into one solid slab.

The inner core helps grasp screws, which makes it a good choice for projects that
need a strong screw hold. One disadvantage is that poorly-made lumber core
plywood may have voids within the core that diminish its strength and screw holding
abilities.
6. Marine plywood

Source: Timber & Building Supplies Online

You might think that the name of marine plywood , also known as marine-grade
wood indicates that it’s waterproof, but that’s not the case. Instead, wood
manufacturers make marine grade plywood with water-resistant exterior glue using
the same layered construction as other woods.

Marine-grade wood isn’t resistant to mold, mildew, or rot from weather and water.
Manufacturers don’t treat it with any chemicals, so rot and decay can be a problem
unless you treat it with a pressure-preservative.

To be graded as marine-grade, this wood must have no knotholes in any of its plies
and use a top-performing water-resistant glue between plies. This ensures that the
glue won’t stop working if the wood becomes damp from weather or wet conditions.
7. Overlaid Plywood

Source: Piano Plywood

Overlaid plywood, which can be either high or medium density (HDO or MDO), is a
kind that utilizes the same structure of regular sheets with veneers glued to one
another. However, overlaid sheets have an overlaid face that gives it a somewhat
finished appearance.

The finished exterior isn’t necessarily for decoration, but instead gives the panels a
durable surface that’s also smooth enough to keep water and other particles from
damaging or sticking to it. The coating also helps the wood resist scratches and
other abrasions that may happen during transport and construction.

Manufacturers bond the exterior surfaces to the rest of the veneers through a
process of heat and pressure. High-density overlaid panels have more resin than
medium-density panels, making them a bit more expensive. However, both can make
a finished project stronger and more durable than can traditional plywood.
8. Structural plywood

Source: Bunnings Warehouse

Structural plywood , also known as sheathing plywood, is not for looks, but rather,
strength for framing and building structures in which you’ll eventually cover the
wood. This type of wood needs a very strong adhesive to keep the plies together.

You can use structural woods on the inside or outside of a building, but they aren’t
typically as weather-resistant as other types. Structural woods usually have a C or D
grade, but no higher, so they’ll be an inexpensive option compared to some woods,
but they also may not have the high performance you need for outdoor structures.

9. Other Types of Boards Often Used as Plywood

There are some other types of wood board that people use in place of plywood.
Although they aren’t technically classified as plywood, you can use them in many
similar instances.

Some of the following alternatives can provide inexpensive options for those on a
budget, while others can create a completely different finished look for your project.
1. Composite Woods

Source: Columbia Forest Products

Composite woods come in similar sizes as traditional plywood, but manufacturers

don’t make them quite the same. They do use layers, but composites have regular
wood layers on the inside and external layers that consist of fiberboard covered with
a layer of hardwood.

The construction leaves the outside smooth and easy to work with, while the strong
core gives the wood a durable and unyielding frame. You’ll find composite wood
mostly on furniture and cabinetry.

2. Blockboard

Source: Piano Plywood

Blockboard uses a similar construction as plywood, usually with three layers. The
inner core has thick, square cuts of wood that are glued together to create the strong
core. The outer layers are thin and enclose the wood, forming a thick piece of wood.

Sometimes, you’ll see finished outer layers for cabinetry and other furniture pieces
on blockboard. While plywood is a good option for surfaces that need a strong
surface, blockboard is more about the core and a decorative finish. Blockboards
usually range in thickness from 3/8-inches to 1 3/16-inches.

3. Foamboard

Source: Boulter Plywood

Foamboard has become more popular in recent years, offering a rot-resistant

alternative to plywood. These boards have a reinforced polyurethane foam
construction that is reinforced with fiberglass, creating a board that’s just as strong
as plywood, but also offers extra protection against mildew, mold, and rotting.

Foamboard can also be significantly lighter in weight than plywood, even in the
densest boards.
4. Fiberboard

The most common type of fiberboard is medium density fiberboard, also known as
MDF. This alternative to plywood consists of engineered wood fibers glued together
to create a dense composite. You can find either hardwood or softwood MDF, or a
combination of the two.

The benefit of this type of wood is that the small fibers create a finished piece
without knots or rings. Unfortunately, you also won’t see the wood grain, which can
be a drawback for people who want that authentic wood look for their furniture or
other finished product.

MDF is a less expensive alternative to plywood, but is stronger than the least costly
options, like particle board. Still, you might end up with cracks or split wood as you
work because MDF won’t be able to handle a lot of stress.

The finished product is easy to cut and paint. Additionally, you don’t have to worry
about splinters as you work because MDF’s dense construction results in a smooth
finish.
5. Hardboard

Hardboard is a thin piece of fiberboard that often has one side rough and the other
finished. Manufacturers use wood pieces to create hardboard, which then gets
densely compressed to make a panel that doesn’t bend or warp.

Hardboard is exceptionally durable, despite its thin frame. It’s common to see this
type of panel on kitchen countertops, furniture frames, and subflooring. Some
people use hardboard for the base of their laminate flooring because it’s so strong
and can stand up to constant wear and tear.
6. Particleboard

Source: Lowe’s

Particleboard is one of the least expensive alternatives to plywood. Particleboard has

no layered construction. Instead, it’s comprised of small slivers of wood scraps glued
together to create a board. This is the type of material you usually find on
inexpensive furniture pieces.

Particleboard may be cheaper than plywood, but it’s also much less durable. This
type of wood can split and crack easily, and it’s not uncommon to hear about pieces
breaking during assembly of particleboard products. You’ll also notice that
particleboard is much heavier than plywood, making assembled pieces more difficult
to transport.

One of the biggest issues with particleboard is that, in its regular form, it’s untreated,
so it’s susceptible to swelling if it’s in an area with high moisture. If you’re going to
use particleboard, you should ensure that you seal it correctly to avoid warping
and swelling.
7. Moisture-resistant Particleboard

Source: Fineer

Moisture-resistant particleboard has the same construction as regular particleboard,

except that manufacturers use a particular moisture-resistant resin to keep the board
from swelling and warping in wet areas.

You’ll be able to tell the difference between regular particleboard and its moisture-
resistant version by the color of the board. Moisture-resistant boards usually have
a green dye added to the resin to