Wood Timber: Types, Quality and Uses

The common types of well-recognized hardwood and softwood timbers are Shisham, Sal, Teak, Mango, Mahogany, Kail, Chid, Babul, Fir wood, Walnut, and Haldu.

Softwood includes Deodar, Chir, Kail, Fir wood, and Haldu, while hardwood includes Shisham, Sal, Teak, Mango, and Walnut.

Deodar wood is white in color when soft. But when it is hard, its color turns towards light yellow. It is strong and durable. It provides fragrance when smelled. It is not easily attacked by insects as it has some oil in it. It is used to manufacture doors, furniture, patterns, railway sleepers, etc.

Chid wood, also known as chair wood, is dark brown when soft and reddish-brown when hard. It has dark brown stripes. It has an oily smell and is used for interior work in the house.

Kail wood has many knots. It is commonly found in the Himalayas of India. It yields a close-grained, moderately hard, and durable wood that can be easily painted. It is commonly utilized for making cheap furniture, wooden doors, packing cases, etc.

Fir wood is light brown in color when soft, but a harder variety is found in dark brown color. It can be easily attacked by insects. It is commonly utilized for making drawers, packing cases, and doors.

Haldu wood is white when cut, but once cut, its color turns yellow. It can be dried and polished satisfactorily. It is widely used for making small objects such as stools, picture frames, trays, cabinets, etc.

Shisham wood is dark brown in color and has golden and dark brow stripes. It is very hard to work with and quickly wears or blunts the sharp edge of a cutting tool. It is recognized as a powerful and durable wood and is mainly used for making a wide variety of furniture, tool handles, beds, cabinets, bridge piles, plywood, etc.

Sal wood exists in rose brown color which slowly turns into dark brown. It is free from an attack of white insects and very difficult to work with. It has a poor finish and is not suitable for decorative furniture. It finds tremendous applications in making doors, windows, cots, wooden handles, furniture and railway sleepers.

Teak wood is hard and very costly, and it has wide applications. It is available in golden yellow or dark brown. Special stripes on it add to its beauty. It is very strong and durable, and it maintains a good polish. It is mainly used for making good-quality furniture, plywood, ships, etc.

Mango wood is brown in color and it can be easily shaped in various products. It is widely used in India as a cheap wood for making doors, packing cases, toys and inferior furniture.

Walnut wood is a good variety of wood that resists the attack of white ants. It can be polished easily in a better way. This wood is used for making musical instruments, furniture, cabinets, decorations, etc.