Wood: properties of wood of various species. Wooden construction Beech and oak trees are typical for

Oak wood has long been considered one of the best among all tree species. Thanks to its unique characteristics, among which durability, strength and reliability can be noted, it has gained fame on all continents. At the same time, among hundreds of varieties of oak, Russian-European species are rightfully considered the best, the advantages and features of which will be discussed in this article.

Features of oak products

Strength, hardness and durability are the hallmarks of oak products. The history itself speaks about the reliability of this wood - many medieval household items made of oak have survived to this day in almost perfect condition. Long service life is due not only to the qualities of the wood itself, but also to its proper processing. By varnishing oak products, you can protect them from the harmful effects of moisture, cracking and fading, which will allow them to last for more than a dozen years.

Beautiful appearance and versatility. Oak has a stunning noble texture. At the same time, it is not extravagant, which allows products made from this type of wood to organically fit into any interior - whether it is a bench in the garden or furniture for the living room. In addition, due to the absence of a shortage of oak, it is easier to pick up various interior items from this tree that are similar in appearance than when using rare wood species.

Ease of production and processing. Oak wood lends itself well to processing, lends itself well to painting and varnishing. And the smooth surface of the wood allows you to accurately carve, creating real masterpieces.

Good energy. In rooms with oak interiors, a favorable atmosphere is created, harmony and tranquility reign in them.

Profitable investment. The durability of oak products and their rich appearance can turn oak interior items into an investment. With proper operation, such things can last for decades without changing their appearance and only increasing their own value.

Differences between oak and other types of wood

In the world there are a huge number of tree species that faithfully serve man. There is a lot of exclusive wood, much more expensive than our usual oak. But despite this, oak has always been and remains today the real king of trees, which is not difficult to verify by comparing it with some popular wood species.

Beech

Beech is also one of the most popular types of wood in the production of interior items. Nevertheless, in terms of quality characteristics - durability, strength, hardness - he still cannot get around his main competitor. And although these two types of wood do not differ too much in terms of density, beech has one very serious drawback. This tree is able to accumulate moisture, as a result of which the product can be significantly deformed. In addition, beech is susceptible to mold and fungus (especially if beech products are installed outside), which also significantly reduces its value.

Ash

Often among the interior items there are products made of ash, which is also read as a valuable wood species. However, like beech, it is inferior to oak in terms of moisture resistance. Ash in rooms with a high level of humidity can be deformed and become unusable.

Pine

Pine wood, often used in the production of interior items, is significantly inferior in terms of characteristics to oak due to its low level of hardness (which leads to scratches and chips on the product over time). In addition, such products are heterogeneous in structure and density and may begin to darken over the years.

Alder

Alder in some cases - for example, in exterior decoration - may rot. In addition, this wood is quite capricious when processed, it does not have elasticity and strength. So, it cannot be considered a better choice for the manufacture of interior items than oak.

The Red tree

Of course, products made of mahogany (as a group of tropical tree species with a characteristic color is generally called) look extremely impressive and are deservedly considered luxury items. However, in some cases, oak wins over them. In particular, in financial terms: after all, with the same level of quality, the price of oak wood is significantly lower than that of mahogany. In addition, traditional oak is much more versatile than rare woods and is much easier to fit into any interior.

Pine, birch, cedar, beech, ash, oak are the most common types of wood in the production of various joinery products. Let's talk about the types of wood most involved in the manufacture of solid and high-quality interior stairs to cottages, country houses, summer cottages and duplex apartments.
Oak, like ash, is best suited for structures such as stairs and more. Oak is considered a noble material, and belongs to the most valuable tree species.

Dense woods such as beech, oak or ash have a higher thermal conductivity than less dense pine or birch. Therefore, oak and ash are mainly used in the production of floors, stairs and furniture that last for centuries. Highly hygroscopic wood (such as beech) readily absorbs moisture from the air, which can change its size, shape, and electrical conductivity. To reduce hygroscopicity, wooden products are coated with protective paints, varnishes, etc. The mechanical properties of oak and ash are almost the same - a slight difference in the density value in favor of oak. As for hardness, oak is opposite here - 3.7, and ash - 4 (according to the Brinell method). Stairs made of oak or ash are distinguished by high wear resistance and resistance to mechanical stress. In addition, oak and ash wood has a high viscosity value, which determines such a property of these materials as flexibility. Without tiring you with numbers, I will say that the resistance to various loads, such as compression, tension, is very high for both oak and ash. Dense oak and ash wood has a high ability to hold nails and screws, which is especially important for its long-term operation.

As for the aesthetic properties, that is, the color and texture of wood - here they are also somewhat similar. Oak wood has a characteristic greenish tint. As for the texture for the eyes of most people, it is similar, but for a specialist, of course, the difference is immediately visible. The texture pattern of ash is more pronounced, and oak has small veins that are characteristic only of it.

Ash wood staircase features beautiful wood texture pattern

Aesthetic properties of oak and ash.
The texture of oak and ash allows patination, which will not work, for example, with beech, birch and pine.
Ash and oak are used in the manufacture of elite, high-quality furniture, stairs, parquet floors. Due to the ability to stone with time, oak, along with ash, invariably remains one of the most wear-resistant and durable building materials. The flexible and durable ash has found its way into the manufacture of firearms, sports equipment and work tools. It is the favorite material of kings and designers.

Beech wood is light, with a reddish-yellow or grayish tint, growth rings are weakly expressed. Due to the homogeneous structure of the wood, the beech massif visually looks calm, warm, even soft.

This is a fairly hard material, but unlike ash and oak, it does not have a bright texture pattern, it is rather weakly expressed in it. Beech is processed much better than ash or oak, and practically does not differ in density and hardness.

Birch

Birch wood is quite hard and resilient, fine-fibered and more uniform in structure, unlike oak or ash. In the production of stairs, it takes its rightful position. It's not expensive, but it's harder than pine. In the course of processing - the birch gets a silky surface, beautiful warm shades.

Wood is very durable, especially under impact loads. Although the density of birch is average, this does not reduce its value as a material suitable for the price and quality in the manufacture of stairs, furniture, and interior details.
Wood can be widely used in interior decoration work. Also, birch can be easily imitated to look like other valuable wood species - hence its widespread use in carpentry. Karelian birch is especially valuable in finishing works, due to the special arrangement of fibers.

Pine is a soft wood. Due to the fact that pine has a soft wood, it is perfectly processed by a cutting tool.
An important parameter is a lower cost compared to beech, ash or oak stairs. The individual elements that make up the stairs fully retain all the advantages of this material. Pine steps after appropriate processing have a smooth surface and good strength characteristics. With proper selection of length, width and thickness, pine steps are able to withstand a fairly large load.

Decorative chiselled balusters made from pine wood help to create a spectacular stairway look. After processing with special varnishes, pine balusters fully reveal the natural texture of wood. In the manufacture of stairs, namely steps for stairs, it is recommended not to use pine, as the steps are subject to direct wear.

Elm

Botanical name: Ulmus campestris L. Karagach is by nature a deciduous tree that belongs to the elm family. In turn, the elm family belongs to the sound rocks. Some specimens of trees of this species reach 30 meters in height and almost 1.5 meters in diameter. The main growth zone of elm is the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Russia, as well as neighboring countries and Central Asia. If we carefully look at the cut of the tree, we will see clearly visible annual layers and core rays. The presence of core rays contributes to the appearance of characteristic ebb. Mature wood consists of fine layers, which are mostly yellow-brown or light brown in color with brown or red-brown inclusions. In the open air, under the influence of sunlight, elm wood gradually darkens. The structure of wood fibers is even or slightly wavy. As for the texture, it is completely unique and has a characteristic sheen.
Karagach has a wide scope. Let's take a closer look at all the main uses of elm wood. First of all, when choosing a tree that will be used in a particular area of ​​the national economy, attention is paid to such a concept as a breed characteristic. The characteristic of the rock is determined by the following criteria: strength, density, resistance to cracking, resistance to decay, wear resistance, flexibility, low knotting and lightness. If we evaluate elm wood according to all these criteria, we can draw the following conclusion: elm wood has excellent wear resistance and flexibility. What does the concept of durability mean? Wear resistance is the ability of wood to resist destruction during friction. As you know, elm is a hard and dense wood species, so the wear and tear of this tree will be minimal. This property of wood is one of the main ones when choosing a tree for the construction industry. The next criterion is flexibility. The flexibility of a tree is its ability to bend well and at the same time not straighten out, without breaking or collapsing. Moisture plays a huge role in flexibility. After all, the more moisture the wood contains, the less flexible it becomes. In order to reduce the percentage of moisture contained in the tree, it is steamed. Karagach has very good flexibility, which allows it to be used in the manufacture of furniture. However, there is another property of this wood, which we have already mentioned earlier - this is the texture.

Karagach is a southern type of hardwood, its texture is simply unique. This enables elm wood to become a valuable decorative finishing material. A good natural luster gives elm a special elegance and attractive appearance. And finally, with regard to aesthetics. First of all, attention is drawn to the color of the wood. Due to its pronounced natural color, elm wood becomes an indispensable material in the production of exquisite furniture. And the last. An interior staircase made of solid elm is a combination of beauty and durability, warmth and strength, art and luxury. Due to its quality characteristics and affordable price, stairs, as well as various furniture made from this type of wood, are very popular among true connoisseurs of noble wood species. If your main requirement for a finishing material is its naturalness, beauty, safety, durability and unsurpassed quality, then elm wood is what you need.
Window

Oak is a deciduous plant in the beech family, predominantly found in the northern hemisphere. In total, there are over 600 varieties of it, 19 species grow in our country, among which the most common is the pedunculate or summer oak. It grows mainly in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus and in the Crimea. Summer oak wood is particularly durable, has a beautiful texture, and is resistant to frost and drought. In general, oak differs from other tree species in size - height and thickness of the trunk. The tree is strong, dense, and therefore the wood has a lot of weight. It is worth noting that oak wood is considered the standard, and the characteristics of other species are often compared with oak wood.

Oak wood is very expensive and this is quite understandable by the features that the material has:

1. Oak boards are the strongest, densest and most reliable among competitors, thanks to which the wear resistance and ability to withstand heavy loads cannot be compared.
2. This wood is afraid of moisture much less than other tree species due to natural impregnation with tannins - substances that protect against decay and the harmful effects of microorganisms.
3. The specificity of the oak structure. Due to the high porosity, some difficulties arise during the processing of the board. Rapid drying is also highly undesirable for oak, as cracks may appear. It is possible to cover wood only with the most resistant varnishes, stains may appear from the oil.

Due to its high quality oak board found wide application in many areas. To begin with, we note that a dry oak board, due to its ideal structure, has practically no flaws, propeller effects and bends, it can be used even in the most difficult construction work, since oak is able to withstand even serious structures. The main material of oak is edged and unedged boards.

Edged or planed material is made from a log, and its side edges are cut from the bark. The width of the edged board is usually twice the thickness. Edged boards are mainly used in furniture production and finishing works, while unedged boards are used in construction.

In general, oak boards are very valuable in construction: they are used in the construction of building frames, in parquet, carpentry and furniture production, for finishing work, in the production of windows and doors. Due to moisture resistance, oak boards are used for the construction of rooms with high humidity - baths, pools. Houses built using oak have good sound insulation, retain heat for a long time and have a long service life. A beautiful bog oak is well suited for decorative work, which has a dark gray and black color, which is obtained by aging the oak for a long time under water (several decades). Oak wood is also used in bridge building, shipbuilding and hydraulic engineering.

I would especially like to note the importance of oak in furniture production. Its wood has a positive effect on our body, cleanses the biofield, increases activity, and fills it with vital energy. It has been proven by medicine that the energy of this valuable material has a positive effect on the human heart and liver. Therefore, it is important that we are surrounded by furniture made of quality materials. In addition, oak is one of the few that has such a beautiful pattern and texture. Its color has the peculiarity of changing, and if it initially has a light brown tint, then over time it can become a more noble dark color. The older the wood, the better it is, so trees that are about 200 years old are usually used.

It is also impossible not to say about natural parquet, especially from valuable oak wood. Oak is used for the manufacture of massive parquet boards, as well as artistic parquet. A wide variety of colors and textures allow you to show your imagination, and with the help of special tinting agents, an oak board can be given a white or light blue tint. The oak board has an unusually beautiful and clear pattern, and during the manufacture of a massive board, not a single cut is formed, due to which the entire long history of the tree, imprinted by nature, is depicted on the planks.

Beech is the second most valuable wood after oak. Beech grows in Europe, Western Asia, the Caucasus, Crimea and is a slender columnar tree up to 50 meters high, up to 2 meters in diameter. Its bark is gray, smooth, darkens with age. Beech wood is white, has a yellowish or reddish tint. Old trees have red-brown wood, are rare and especially prized. The density of beech is similar to oak, and therefore this breed is a heavy hardwood.

Beech board is a good finishing material, well processed, has a smooth surface, is easy to glue and bend. Beech wood is more susceptible to fungal attack than oak wood and absorbs moisture more strongly. Therefore, the use of beech for building decoration has some limitations. Beech dries faster than oak, and there are fewer cracks. Steaming can soften the wood and change its color.

Beech board is used for the manufacture of plywood, stairs, parquet. Beech produces a good veneer used for finishing work. Also, due to the ability to bend and high strength, barrels are made of it, however, less often than from oak.

Beech's main application is in the furniture industry, where the material can be used as solid wood, plywood, molded plywood or veneer. Solid beech is a good alternative to oak, not inferior in quality, but has a lower cost, and is suitable for the manufacture of durable modern furniture. The wood has a pleasant peach and pinkish tint, so beech furniture will help to freshen up the space. And even with a complex intricate design, it is impossible to overload the interior with beech furniture due to its shades. Beech is suitable for making furniture that is particularly subject to stress, such as children's furniture, office furniture and seating for public spaces. Beech is used to make chairs (the most common of all tree species), beds, tables, upholstered furniture frames, garden furniture and sun loungers. Beds made of beech are almost as good as oak in terms of quality, but they are cheaper, significantly superior to pine in quality and cost, being, as it were, a middle link between these species. Beech furniture is a good choice for connoisseurs of noble woods.

Most of all, beech furniture is suitable for indoor use, where humidity is stable, outdoors require special processing of the material by impregnating it with special solutions. After processing, the furniture can be used on open verandas or gazebos. Beech lends itself well to the process of artificial aging, for which many furniture manufacturers love it. From beech, as well as from oak, it is good to make bent furniture.

Beech veneer is used in finishing work, they cover walls and ceilings. But veneer is used much less frequently than solid wood. A large area of ​​application is the production of things for everyday use. For example, kitchen utensils: cutting boards, knife handles, brushes, dishes, trays, clothespins. The material is also valued in the production of toys, as it is quite solid and does not leave splinters.

As with any valuable tree, beech parquet is especially valued. Its pleasant pinkish tint gives the room a cozy and discreet atmosphere. The structure of wood is well suited for any interiors. But she also has her own characteristics. The color scheme that beech board- from pinkish to white, varied, and to make the color more uniform and uniform, the material has to be steamed. The procedure takes three days, and if this is not done, the surface will be motley. Beech parquet is soft, warm and pleasant, so it is best to use it in children's rooms.

Beech wood, together with coniferous species, has found its application in the production of containers. This includes the manufacture of plywood or solid wood transport pallets, boxes, barrels. Loading platforms for containers are made from beech plywood sheets. Beech sleepers impregnated with oil are used in railway construction, as well as in landscape design.

In addition to the listed advantages and a wide range of applications, beech wood is also good firewood that burns calmly and for a long time with a hot flame. The high burning temperature of beech wood makes it an ideal fuel for grilling. Also beech wood is a good raw material for quality charcoal.