Properties of Hardwoods
The table below explains various types of wood species characteristics, helping you choose the right one for your project.
The best species for a project will depend on how and where the timber will be used, as the properties of hardwoods are not all the same. There are various timbers suitable for structural use, especially for internal use in dry centrally heated buildings.
Characteristics of Hardwood Species | |||||||||||
Dens-ity | MOR | E | Charr-ing rate | Properties | Workab-ility | Moisture movement | Sizes (mm) | Chemical | Colour | ||
kg/ m3 | N/ mm² | kN/ mm² | mm per 30 min | ||||||||
British Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) | 710 | 116 | 11.9 | 15 | Resistant to split | Drill nail holes | Internal only. Difficult to treat | Med movement in varying humidity | 250 | Not significant | Pale |
British Beech (Fagus sylvatica) | 720 | 118 | 12.6 | 15 | Drill nail and screw holes | Internal only - easy to treat | Large | 250 | ferrous stains when wet |
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English Oak (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) | 720 | 97 | 10.1 | 15 | Drill nail and screw holes | Heart-wood durable | Large when green med in varying humidity | 250 | highly acid- fixings to be protected or non-ferrous | Light yellow brown sapwood Darker heartwood | |
British Sweet Chestnut (Castanaea sativa) | 560 | 79 | 8.2 | 20 | Poor impact resistance | Splits Drill nail and screw holes to prevent splitting | Heart- wood durable, sapwood difficult to preserve | Small movement | 250 | highly acid- fixings to be protected or non-ferrous | Light yellow brown sapwood Darker heartwood |
British Sycamore (Acer pseudo-platanus) | 630 | 99 | 9.4 | 20 | Medium resistance to impact | Drill nail and screw holes to prevent splitting | Internal only - easy to treat | Med. movement in varying humidity | 250 | Not significant | No difference in colour between heart and sap |
From British Grown Hardwoods by TRADA Technology Ltd. | |||||||||||
If you would like any further information on the characteristics of hardwood species, please feel free to contact us.