Module No.

02
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Course Outcome 03:
Recognize the types of common construction materials, as well as their purpose,
how they are used, and handled.

Lesson No. 2.1

WOOD AND WOOD

PRODUCTS
Lesson Summary:
This lesson discusses the topics on wood and wood construction. This includes
the properties, defects, products, preservation, and treatment of wood prior to
usage of the product.

Learning Outcome:
By the end of the lesson, the student should be able to discuss the parts,
classification, and properties of Wood. Furthermore, identify common wood
defects, wood products, and preservation and treatment methods.

Lesson Content:
• Wood Defined, Parts, and Classification
• Properties of Wood
• Common Wood Defects
• Wood Products
• Preservation and Treatment
CEng 112n Building Technologies

WOOD
A tough fibrous cellular substance that makes up the most of the stems and branches of trees
beneath the bark.

A. PARTS OF THE WOOD

a. Bark Bark

Tough external covering of

the wood.

b. Cambium Sapwood
Contains the reproductive
tissue.

c. Sapwood or Alburnum Heartwood

Younger, softer, living
portion of wood.

d. Heartwood or Duramen
Older, harder, inactive core
of a tree.
Early
wood
B. ANNUAL RING

Concentric layer of wood Late wood

a. Springwood or Early
wood
More porous portion, develops early, large, thin-walled cells. Develops during the
spring season where water is abundant.

b. Summerwood or Late wood

Hard, dark, less porous portion, develops late, compact, thick-walled cells. Develops
during the summer season where water is lacking.

CLASSIFICATION OF WOOD
A. SOFTWOOD AND HARDWOOD

a. Softwood
Wood from trees having foliage the remains green and functional throughout the year,
and/or cone bearing trees.

b. Hardwood
Wood from a broad-leaved flowering tree.

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 Lesson 2.1 Wood and Wood Products

B. ACCORDING TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF PHILIPPINE WOOD

a. Group 1:
Afu Bulong Eta Kamagong Manggachapui Saplungan
Akle Dagang Kamuning Nato Sudiang
Almaciga Dangula o Sasalit Kulilisan Palosapis Supa
Almon Dao Lauan, Red Manggasinoro Tabau
Amugis Dungon Lauan, White Maranggo Tabigi
Ananga Dungon Late Lijinai Margapali Teak
Apitong Duyok-duyok Liusin Matang Araw Tindalo
Bagtikan Ebony Lumbayao Mayapis Urung
Bakan Gana-fistola Lumbayao bato Mahogany Yakal
Balu Gisok Magasusu Molave
Banaba Gisok-Gisok Makaasim Narak
Bansalagin Guijo Malaanonang Narig
Batikulin Igem Ipil Malabunga Narra
Batitinan Kaburo Malaguijo Pagatpat
Betenghol Kalamansi Malakadios Pahutan
Betis Kalantas Malakawayan Piagau
Bitaog Kaliot Maluwai Pine, Benguet

b. Group 2:
Agoho Hagakhak Malabayabas Rain Tree (Acacia)
Agoho del Monte Kamatog Malakatmon Sangilo Taba
Alupag Katmon Manggis Tamayuan
Alupag Amo Katmon Kalabaw Mangkas Tangile
Anubing Kayu-galu Mapilig Tanglin
Bagras Kubi Marag Tiga
(Amamanit) Lanio Palomaria del Toog
Balete Lanipau Monte Tukang Kalaw
Batino Lanutan Pamitaogen
Bayok Loktob Panau
Binggas Malabatino Philippine Chestnut
Bitanghol Dita Pili

c. Group 3:
Amayan Binurang Kansulud Malapapaya Sandit
Anislag Biyanti Kato Malasaging Santol
Antipolo Bogo Kautuan Malasantol Talisay
Api-api Bolon Bangkal Malatumbaga Talisay gubat
Bakawan Bugas Kayataw Mambingan Taluto
Balakat Bulala Lago Matamata Tanghas
Balikbikan Bulog Lamog Miao Tinsang Pintasi
Balobo Dalinsi Langarsi Nangka Tusi
Bangkal Gisihan Lanipau Pototan Unik
Baras Gubas Lulling Manok Sakat
Basaing Kalingag Malaanonang Salakin
Batukanag Kalumpit Malacoan Sau Salingkugi
Malakamias

d. Group 4:
include all species not included in any of the three group.

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C. ACCORDING TO STRENGTH GRADE (FROM NATIONAL STRUCTURAL CODE OF

THE PHILIPPINES)

a. High Strength Group

Agoho Malabayabas Molave Sasalit
Liusin Manggachapui Narig Yakal

b. Moderately High Strength Group

Antipolo Gatasan Katmon Makaasim
Binggas Guijo Kato Malakauayan
Bokbok Kamagong Lomarau Narra
Dao Kamatog Mahogany Puhutan

c. Medium Strength Group

Apitong Lanutan-bagyo Malugai Pine
Bagtikan Lauan Miau Salakin
Dangkalan Malaanonang Nato Vidal lanutan
Gisau Malasaging Palosapis Var. glabrecens

d. Moderately Low Strength Group

Almaciga Lingo-lingo Raintree
Bayok Mangasinoro Yemane

PROPERTIES OF WOOD
A. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES Edge

Refers to the aesthetic quality of a surface of the wood,

End
usually determined by the visible wood grains. Wood
Grain is the direction, size, arrangement, and
appearance of the fibers in a piece of dressed wood.

Broad
End
FaceGrain

Types of Wood Grains

a. Edge or Vertical Grain

Wood grain resulting from
quartersawing, having the annual
rings forming an angle of 45° or more
with the broad faces of a piece.

b. Flat Grain Edge Grain Flat Grain Mixed Grain

Wood grain resulting from plain-
sawing, having the annual rings forming an angle of less than 45° with the broad faces
of a piece.

c. Mixed Grain
Any combination of edge-grained and flat-grained lumber.

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 Lesson 2.1 Wood and Wood Products

d. Diagonal Grain
Wood grain having the annual rings at an angle to the
length of the piece, resulting from sawing at an angle
to the axis of a log.

e. Cross Grain
Wood grain having the cells and fibers running
transversely or diagonally to the length of a piece as Diagonal Grain Cross Grain
a result of a growth characteristic.

f. Close Grain
Wood grain characterized by narrow,
inconspicuous annual rings with little
difference in pore size between springwood
and summerwood.

g. Coarse Grain Close Grain Coarse Grain

Wood grain having large pores.

h. Raised Grain
A dressed wood surface having the denser summer wood rising above the softer
springwood.

B. THERMAL PROPERTIES

Refers to the property of wood to withstand temperature fluctuation. Also, refers to the
property of the wood to insulate a space from heat and cold.

C. PYROLYTIC PROPERTIES

Refers to the property of wood by which it can withstand fire up to certain degrees. Usually,
pyrolytic property of wood is aided by treatments using various chemical to produce an
intumescent layer.

D. STRENGTH/MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Refers to the ability of a wood to withstand physical deformations due to forces acting
upon.

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COMMON WOOD DEFECTS

A. SHRINKAGE

The dimensional contraction of a wood piece

occurring when its moisture content falls below the
fiber-saturation point. Shrinkage is very slight along
the grain, but significant across the grain.

Radial
a. Longitudinal
Wood shrinkage parallel to the grain, about 2% of
radial shrinkage.

b. Tangential
Wood shrinkage in a direction tangent to the growth rings, about double that of radial
shrinkage.

c. Radial
Wood shrinkage perpendicular to the grain, across the growth rings.

B. WARP

Any deviation from a plane or true surface of a board or panel, usually caused by uneven
drying during the seasoning process or by a change in moisture content.

a. Cup
A curvature across the width or face of a wood
piece, measured at the point of greatest deviation
from a straight line drawn from edge to edge of
Cup
the piece.

b. Bow
A curvature along the length of a wood piece,
measured at the point of greatest deviation from
a straight line drawn from end to end of the piece.
Bow

c. Crook
A curvature along the edge of a wood piece,
measured at the point of greatest deviation from
a straight line drawn from end to end of the piece. Crook

d. Twist
A warp resulting from the turning of the edges of
a wood piece in opposite directions.

Twist

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 Lesson 2.1 Wood and Wood Products

C. KNOT

The base of a woody branch enclosed by a subsequent growth of wood in the stem from
which it rises. In the structural grading of a wood piece, knots are restricted by size and
location.

a. Live or Intergrown
A knot having annual rings intergrown with those of the
surrounding wood. Live knots are allowable in structural timber
within certain size limits.

b. Sound
A knot that is solid across its face, at least as hard as the
surrounding wood, and undecayed.

c. Tight or Close
A knot held firmly in place by growth or position.

d. Dead or Loose or Encased

A knot having annual rings not intergrown with those of the
surrounding wood. Encasement may be partial or complete,
but a dead knot is considered to be a defect since it can easily
loosen or be knocked out.

D. SHAKE

A separation along the grain of a wood piece, usually

between the annual rings, caused by stresses on a tree while Shake
standing or during felling.

Pitch
E. PITCH POCKET
Pocket
A well-defined opening between the annual rings of a
Check
softwood, containing or having once contained solid or liquid
pitch.
Split
F. CHECK

A lengthwise separation of wood across the annual rings,

caused by uneven or rapid shrinkage during the seasoning
process. Wane

G. SPLIT OR THROUGH CHECK

A check that extends completely through a board or wood veneer.

H. WANE

The presence of bark or absence of wood at a corner or along an edge of a piece.

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I. DECAY (DRY ROT OR PECKY)

The decomposition of wood by fungi and other microorganisms, resulting in softening, loss
of strength and weight, and often a change of texture and color.

J. SKIP

An area on the surface of a board or panel missed by a planning machine.

K. MACHINE BURN

A surface charring caused by overheating of the cutting blades or abrasive belts during
shaping or finishing of a material.

WOOD PRODUCTS
A. LUMBER

The wood/timber product manufactured by sawing, resawing, passing lengthwise through

a planning machine, cross-cutting to length, and grading.

Processing Lumber

The process of felling trees grown from forests or plantations to

harvest its trunk into logs

LOGGING PROCESS

Log A length of trunk or large limb of a felled tree, ready for sawing
(Final Product)

The process of cutting logs to sizes a bit larger than the final
size

Types of Sawing:
1. Plain Sawn or Bastard-Sawn – to saw a squared log into
board with evenly spaced parallel cuts.
SAWING PROCESS 2. Quarter Sawn – to saw quartered logs approximately at
right angles to the annual rings.

Rough Lumber Lumber that is sawn, edged and trimmed, but not surfaced.
(Final Product)

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 Lesson 2.1 Wood and Wood Products

The process of cleaning the surfaces of the rough lumber to

specific dimensions

SURFACING PROCESS
Dressed Lumber Lumber that is surfaced with a planning machine to attain a
(Final Product) smooth surface and uniform size.

The process of removing the moisture content of the lumber to

reduce further warping and decay

Types of Drying:
1. Air Drying – of or pertaining to lumber seasoned by
exposure to the atmosphere.
2. Kiln-Drying or Autoclave – of or pertaining to lumber
DRYING PROCESS seasoned in a kiln under controlled conditions of heat, air
circulation, and humidity

Seasoned Lumber Of or pertaining to lumber that has been dried to reduce its
(Final Product) moisture content and improve its serviceability.
a. Surfaced Green – of or pertaining to dressed lumber having
a moisture content exceeding 19% at the time of
manufacture.
Note: Final Product may be
b. Surfaced Dry – of or pertaining to dressed lumber having at
treated further. a moisture content of 19% or less at the time of manufacture.

Types of Lumber

a. Yard Lumber
softwood lumber intended for general building purposes, including boards, dimension
lumber and timbers.

Thick Wide Strength grade

Board <2” ≥2”

Graded along narrow face

Dimension

2”- 4”
Structural or Framing

Joist and Plank >4

Graded along wide face
Light Framing 2”- 4” 2”- 4” High strength not required
Lumber

Decking 2”- 4” ≥4” Graded along wide face

>2” larger
Timbers

Beams and Stringer ≥5” Graded along narrow face

than thick
≤2” larger
Post and Timber ≥5” Grade for axial load
than thick

b. Factory or Shop Lumber

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Lumber sawn or selected primarily for further manufacture, graded according to the
amount of usable wood that will produce cuttings of a specified size and quality.

c. Appearance Lumber
Lumber sawn or selected primarily for use as a finish material rather than for strength,
graded according to natural characteristics and manufacturing imperfections.

d. Parallel Strand Lumber

A structural lumber product made by bonding long, narrow wood strands together
under heat and pressure using a waterproof adhesive. Parallel strand lumber is a
proprietary product marketed under the trademark Parallum, used as beams and
columns in post-and-beam construction and for beams, headers, and lintels in light
frame construction.

e. Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)

A structural lumber product made by bonding layers of wood veneers together under
heat and pressure using a waterproof adhesive. Having the grain of all veneers run in
the same longitudinal direction results in a product that is strong when edge loaded as
a beam or face loaded as a plank. Laminated veneer lumber is marketed under various
brand names, such as Microlam, and used as headers and beams or as flanges for
prefabricated wood I-joists.

f. Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam)

A structural lumber product made by laminating stress-grade lumber with adhesive
under controlled conditions, usually with the grain of all plies being parallel. The
advantages of glued-laminated timber over dimension lumber are generally higher
allowable unit stresses, improved appearance, and availability of various sectional
shapes. Glue-laminated timbers may be end-joined with scarf or finger joints to any
desired length, or edge-glued for greater width or depth.

Common Dimension of Lumber

Nominal Size (In) 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 Over 12

(In) ¾ 1½ 2½ 3½ 4½ 5½ 7¼ 9¼ 11 ¼ ¾ Less
Dressed Size
(mm) 19 38 64 89 114 140 184 235 286 19 less

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 Lesson 2.1 Wood and Wood Products

B. WOOD PANELS

A wood/timber product where thin layers of wood, pulp, dust, or chips are made into thin
materials that cover a large area.

Common Parts of a Wood Panel

a. Veneer
a thin sheet of wood rotary cut, sliced, or sawn from
a log or flitch and used as a superior facing to Veneer

inferior wood or bonded together to form plywood.

Cross
Band
b. Cross Band
a layer of veneer immediately adjacent to and at Core

right angles to the face plies in a plywood panel.

Banding
c. Core
the center of a plywood panel, consisting of
veneers, sawn lumber, or composition board.

d. Banding
the solid wood stock extending around the sides of a veneered panel, concealing the
core and facilitating the shaping of the panel edges.

Types of Wood Panels

e. Plywood
a wood panel product made by bonding veneers together under heat and pressure,
usually with the grain at right angles to each other and symmetrical about the center
ply.

f. Fiberboards
a building material made of wood or other plant fibers compressed with a binder into
rigid sheets.

1. Medium Density Fiberboard or MDF

a manufactured wood product composed of wood fibers that are mixed with resin
and wax and pressed into flat panels under high temperature and pressure.
Fiberboard having a density of from 30 to 50 lb per cu ft (480 to 800 kg per cu m);
used for structural building applications, coreboards, etc.

2. Tempered Hardboard
a hardboard impregnated with a drying oil or other oxidizing resin and baked to
improve resin and baked to improve its hardness and moisture resistance.

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3. Particle Board or Chip Board

a non-veneered wood panel product made by bonding small wood particles under
heat and pressure, commonly used as a core material for decorative panels and
cabinetwork, and as underlayment for floors.

4. Oriented Strand Board

a non-veneered wood panel product commonly used for sheathing and as
subflooring, made by bonding three or five layers of long, thin wood strands under
heat and pressure using a waterproof adhesive. The surface strands are aligned
parallel to the long axis of the panel, making the panel stronger along its length.

5. Wafer Board
a non-veneered panel product composed of large, thin wood flakes bonded under
heat and pressure with a waterproof adhesive. The planes of the wafers are
generally oriented parallel to the plane of the panel but their grain directions are
random, making the panel approximately equal in strength and stiffness in all
directions in the plane of the panel.

WOOD PRESERVATIVES
Chemical preservatives Light Organic Solvent Preservatives
a.) Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) (LOSP)
b.) Alkaline Copper Quaternary (ACQ) a.) Permethrin – solignum
c.) Copper Azole (CA-B or CA-C) b.) Bifenthrin
d.) Borate c.) Delatmethrin

Oil-borne preservatives Natural preservatives New technologies

a.) Creosote a.) Polyphenols a.) Glass Wood
b.) Linseed oil b.) Tung Oil b.) Wood Acetylation
c.) Heat Treatment
d.) Mud Treatment

METHODS OF TREATING WOOD

A. PRESSURE-TREATED – Impregnation of Preservatives Under Pressure

a. Full-cell – Vacuum → Preservative Application → Pressure

b. Empty-cell – Preservative Application → Pressure

B. NON-PRESSURE-TREATED – Coat, dip, or impregnate preservative in atmospheric

pressure

Vacuum process = Vacuum → Preservative Application

C. FIRE-RETARDANT – Mineral salt is impregnated under pressure to reduce flammability

or combustibility

- End of Lesson -

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