Bonavita Wood Glossary
Hardwoods have broad leaves, produce
a fruit or nut, and go dormant in the winter. There are hundreds of hardwood
species in the United States and represent 40% of trees.
Softwoods,
or conifers, have needles. Available softwoods include cedar, fir,
pine, redwood and spruce.
European
Beech Wood
• Hard wood
• Grows in Europe and
Southeast Asia
• Stains and
finishes well
• Related to oak and chestnut Yellow Birch Wood
• Hard wood
• Grows in hilly terrain of the Northeastern and Great Lake
states forests
• Paint and stain take well
Cherry
• Hardwood
• Helps define shaker, mission and country styling.
• Rich red-brown
color deepens with age and exposure to sunlight
Rubber Wood
• Hard
wood
• In the Maple family
• Little shrinkage causes little
or no tendency to warp or crack
• One of the most durable lumber
used in the furniture industry
Pine (Spruce)
• Soft Wood
• One of the easiest woods to cut, glue,
and finish
• Light, soft and shock resistant
Medium Density Fiberboard
or MDF
• Made from fine wood fibers
glued under heat and pressure
• Used
instead of plywood or chipboard because it is dense, flat,
has no knots and easily machined.
• Can be painted to produce
a smooth surface
• Because it has no grain
it can be cut, drilled and filed without damaging the surface
• Oil, water-based paints,
varnishes, veneers and laminates may be used to finish MDF
Veneer
• Its thin pieces of richly grained or colored woods, glued
in sheets or numerous tiny pieces to the surfaces of inferior
woods
• Not as susceptible to changes
in humidity that cause expansion and contraction
• Cut and
bundled as consecutive sheets
• Provides
a smooth, flat surface where solid lumber would
allow warping over time
Particle Board
• A scientifically
engineered wood that is extremely sound in structural integrity
and
consistent surface smoothness to
allow the application
of laminated materials..
• Made by
mixing sawdust with adhesives
• High-Pressure laminate
and wood veneer materials are frequently applied to this
material
Plywood
• Made from thin sheets of
wood glued together
• Grains of wood are arranged in right angles which makes
it exceptionally strong
• Resists warping, shrinking, or splitting.
Dovetail
• A type of joint formed with
interlocking wedge-shaped projection that fits into a matching
recess on another board.
• A dovetail joint is a sign
of high-quality drawer construction.
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