Wood, Metal and Plastics
Timber
There are three main types of timber: hardwoods, softwoods and manufactured boards. Here are a few examples:
Name
Softwood or
Hardwood?
Properties and colour
Uses
Metal
Metals can either be ferrous or non-ferrous:
★ Ferrous metals contain iron and small amounts of other metals. Almost all ferrous metals are magnetic. But one major disadvantage of many ferrous metals is that they rust and therefore protective coats need to be added.
★ Non-Ferrous metals contain no iron and therefore do not rust like ferrous metals and many do not require a protective coating. However some non-ferrous metals can be expensive and have very versatile characteristics.
Oak
Hardwood
Light brown colour. Tough and durable. Finishes well but stains in contact with steel.
Furniture
Beams used in buildings
Beech
Hardwood
Pinkish colour. Close-grained, hard-wearing and strong.
Finishes well.
Furniture
Toys
Pine
Softwood
Cream/pale colour. Easy to work and fairly cheap but may contain knots, which will weaken the wood.
Building frames and construction
(but needs protection if used outdoors) Cast-iron
Ferrous
Hard skin with soft core. Strong under compression but cannot be bent.
Heavy crushing machinery
Vice or machine parts
Dark reddish brown colour. Light in weight but expensive.
Not very strong but durable due to natural oils.
Outdoor buildings
Panelling
Mild Steel
Ferrous
Tough, ductile and malleable. Poor resistance to corrosion. It cannot be hardened.
Furniture frames
Screws and nails
Copper
Non-ferrous
Malleable, ductile and tough. Good conductor of electricity and heat. Easily joined.
Electrical equipment
Roofing
Zinc
Non-ferrous
Very weak and heavy. Resists to corrosion however it is difficult to work.
Research and Specification
Galvanizing products to protect from rusting
Cedar
Softwood
All manufactured boards are made from wood that has been processed. Some use waste materials (chipboard and
MDF) whilst others are cut into veneers and processed to make the boards (plywood). Advantages of using manufactured boards include that they’re available in large sizes, stable and easy to work with however disadvantages include that they can be more expensive and not as attractive.
Name
Description
Uses
MDF
Has smooth even surface and is easily machines, painted or stained.
Available in water and fire resistant form.
Furniture
Interior panelling
Plywood
A very strong board, constructed of layers of veneer or plies. Can be used in extreme conditions.
Furniture
Boat building and exterior work
Name
Type
Properties
Uses
Alloys are produced by combining pure metals to create new types of metal. Two or more metals are combined to create a new metal with unique characteristics to meet specific demands. Name
Description
Name
Characteristics
Uses
PET
Moderate chemical resistance, mainly used in transparent