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What is Lumber Wood?

lumber-wood

Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. They are recognized by having square or rectangular cross-sections, in contrast to poles or pilings, which have round cross-sections. Wood or fuel from growing trees is known as “lumber”

Origin

Lumber is referred to as timber in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, while in other parts of the world (mainly the United States and Canada) the term timber refers specifically to unprocessed wood fiber, such as cut logs or standing trees that have yet to be cut.

Lumber has been used for making fire, constructing houses, and manufacturing tools, weapons, and furniture for thousands of years now. It is due to technological advancements that lumber reached remote areas and was used for different purposes.

  • Rough lumber is the raw material for furniture-making, and manufacture of other items requiring cutting and shaping. It is available in many species, including hardwoods and softwoods
  • Finished lumber is supplied in standard sizes, mostly for the construction industry – primarily softwood, from coniferous species.

Wood Types of Lumber

Softwood Lumber

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

  • Pinewood – strong, shock-resistant material, it is a common choice for making furniture. This wood comes in light texture, with creamy white or yellow shade to it.
  • Firwood –  is one of the world’s best-known timber species. This wood has an interesting, straight and pronounced grain with a reddish-brown tint to it, fir is most often used for building and some furniture-making as well.
  • Redwood – this lumber also referred to as Vavona, Sequoia, Coast Redwood, and California Redwood, ranges from a light pinkish-brown hue to intense reddish-brown. Its sapwood, however, comes in a pale white/yellow hue. Sometimes, you may come across this lumber having straight grains with wavy or curly figured pieces. The redwood lumber is different as it’s durable and decay-resistant and because of its resistance to moisture, it’s used mostly for outdoor projects.
  • Cedarwood –  this type of wood has a straight grain, is relatively soft and has a slightly aromatic smell. As it can handle moist environments without rotting, it’s mostly used for outdoor projects. 
  • Hemlockwood -Hemlock lumber comes in two main types: Eastern Hemlock – also known as Canadian hemlock, eastern hemlock is widely found in eastern North America. Its heartwood exhibits light reddish brown color while sapwood pinkish hues. The texture of eastern hemlock is usually straight with uneven spirals or interlocks on it. Western hemlock is another type of hemlock lumber that is found on the Northwest coast of North America. Like eastern hemlock, its heartwood is light reddish-brown in color while the sapwood a tone or two lighter than its heartwood.

Hardwood Lumber

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.

  • Balsa wood – This is the softest and lightest type of hardwood that needs warm climatic conditions with a good drainage system and plenty of rainfall. One advantage of this balsa wood is that it provides efficient insulation against sound and heat. 
  • Oakwood – This is one of the most used woods for furniture because of its durability and high-end finish. It’s available in two varieties – red and white. As white oak is strong and resistant to moisture, it can be used on outdoor furniture. A beautiful “ray flake” pattern can be seen in the grain. There are a few things that you will have to consider when looking for oak wood like genuineness, eco-friendly, craftsmanship and durability. 
  • Maple wood – the maple wood comes in two varieties i.e. soft and hard. Maple wood is derived from the maple tree, grown in Asia, Europe, North America, and North Africa. Like oak wood, maple wood is also notorious for changing its color over time. This means that, with time, light-hued maple lumber will turn into a dark color due to exposure to oxygen and sunrays.
  • Rubberwood – is a light-colored medium-density tropical hardwood obtained from the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), usually from trees grown in rubber plantations.
  • Walnut wood – Distinctively known for their coffee or chocolate-y brown hue, walnut wood is native to North America. Along with darker hues that are in the center of the wood (heartwood), the lumber has lighter shades to it as well. For instance, it can be found in light tones of browns, purples, greys, and pinks. The outermost part of the tree, known as sapwood, is usually in a pale yellow or blonde shade. Hence, this wood is multi-toned in nature.
  • Ash wood – comes in white to pale yellow/brown color with straight grains. This type of hardwood is native to the east coast and some regions of Canada. Due to its unique color, ash wood is one of the most attractive pieces, which is it is a great option for high-end furniture at homes, offices, and restaurants.
  • Poplar wood – Also known as tulip poplar and yellow poplar, poplar wood is widely distributed in the Eastern side of the United States. This wood comes in light cream to yellowish brown shade with light streaks of green and gray.

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