| Species | Descriptions & Uses | Moisture Movement | Machining | Paint/ Stain | Durability | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scots Pine Pinus Sylvestris  | Sourced from Scandinavia and Russia, known also as pine and Scots pine, its colour is pale yellowish-brown to red-brown heartwood with lighter coloured sapwood.
Uses: Interior Joinery, furniture and construction and exterior joinery subject to suitable treatment. | High | Medium | Poor | Non-Durable | 510 kg/m3 |
| Siberian Larch Pseudotsuga Meniesii  | Also known as British Columbian Pine and Oregon Pine, the heartwood is a light reddish-brown shade, which distinguishes itself from the pale coloured sap wood.
Uses: Construction work, flooring, boat building, gymnastics equipment, furniture, internal & external joinery. | Small | Good | Excellent | Moderately Durable | 530 kg/m3 |
| Iroko Hardwood Chlorophora Excelsa  | Colour varies from light yellow to golden brown and texture is coarse, often with an interlocked grain. This is a hardwearing timber which is resistant to decay, and has many of the desirable features of Teak.
Uses: Wide uses for external joinery, particularly in school / institutional buildings, and very suitable for laboratory and kitchen fittings. boating buildings piling & marine work. | Very Small | Medium | Good | Very Durable | 660 kg/m3 |
| European Oak Quercus Petraea  | Colour light tan to biscuit with silver grey figure on quarter-sawn. Usually straight grained but varies with grow- ing conditions, and requires correct seasoning for appropriate uses.
Uses: Furniture and cabinet work, interior and exterior joinery. ideal for flooring, veneers and shopfitting. | Small | Good | Fair | Durable | 710 kg/m3 |
Moisture Movement
This refers to the dimensional changes that occur when dried timbers is subjected to changes in atmospheric conditions. The movements is classified as small, medium and large. For situations where varying humidities are likely to be encountered by stablity of a component is important, a small movement species should be specified eg. decorative wood flooring.
Machining
This refers to the ease of working and is classified as excellent, good, medium and difficult (where care should be taken in machining).
Paint/Stain
This refers to the ease of accepting a stain or paint finish and is classified as excellent, good and fair.
Durability
The durability of timbers is based on the results of the ‘Grave Yard’ test, where pieces of heartwood 50mm x 50mm x 0.6mm are stuck in the ground and, fully exposed to the elements, are left to rot. The timber is then classified according to the number of years taken before decay becomes obvious. The classification are perishable 0-5 years including all sapwood; non-durable 25+ years. This is a particularly harsh test and a durable timber used in most external situations where it does not actually touch the ground, can be expected to last for some years longer.
Density
Timbers vary in density depending on their species and moisture content. The values quoted are averages at 15% but the increases caused by moisture can be estimated by adding 0.5% of the given weight for every 1% increase in moisture content.
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