Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BC - Timber Products
BC - Timber Products
The timber which is prepared scientifically in a factory is termed as the industrial timber and such timber
process desired shape, appearance, strength, etc.
following are the varieties of industrial timber :
(1) veneers
(2) plyboards
(3) Fibreboards
(4) Impreg timbers
(5) Compreg timbers
(6) Block board and lamin board
(7) Glulam
(8)Flushdoor shutters
(9)Particle board or chip board
(10) Hardboard.
1.)Veneers :
These are thin sheets or slices of wood of superior quality. The thickness of veneers varies from 0.40 mm
to 6 mm or more. They are obtained by rotating a log of wood against a sharp knife of rotary cutter or
saw as shown in fig. The veneers after being removed are dried in klins to remove moisture. Following
facts should be noted:
(i) The edges of veneers are joined and sheets of decorative designs are prepared.
(ii) The Indian timbers which are suitable for veneers are mahogany, oak, rosewood, sissoo, teak, etc.
(iii) the process of preparing a sheet of veneers is known as the veneering.
(iv) The veneers are used to produce plywood , battenboards and laminboards.
(v) The veneers may be fixed on corners or bent portions. It creates an impression that the whole piece
ls made of expensive timber.
(vi)the veneers may be glued with suitable adhesives on the surface of inferior wood. the appearance of
inferior wood is then considerably improved.
(2) Plywoods :
The meaning of term ply is a thin layer. The plywoods are boards which are prepared from thin layers
of wood or veneers. The three or more veneers in odd numbers are placed one above the other with
the direction of grains of successive layers at right angles to each other. They are held in position by
application of suitable adhesives. The placing of veneers normal to each other increases the
longitudinal and transverse strengths of plywoods.
While being glued, the pressure may be applied on veneers. The pressure may either be applied hot or
cold. For hot pressure, the hydraulic press is employed to press plywoods. The temperature varies from
150°C to 260°C. For cold pressure, the plywoods are pressed at room temperature only. The pressure
applied on plywoods varies from 0.70 to 1.40 N/mmz.
USES -
The plywoods are used for various purposes such as ceilings, doors, furniture, partitions, panelling walls,
packing cases, railway coaches, formwork for concrete, etc. The plywoods however are not suitable in
situations subjected to direct shocks or impacts. The use of plywood and its products has become so
common at present that it has totally changed the design and complex of various structures such as
buildings, offices, theatres, restaurants, churches, temples, hospitals, etc.
TYPES -
The plywoods are available in different commercial forms such as battenboard, laminboard, metal faced
plyWOOd, mUItiply, three-ply, veneered plyWOOd, etc,
(A) BATTENBOARD -
The battenboard is a solid block with core of sown thin wood, The thickness of core is about 20 mm to
25 mm and total thickness of board is about 50 mm. The direction of the grains of core battens is at right
angle to that of the adjacent outer ply sheets. These boards are light and strong. They do not crack or
split easily. They are widely used for making partition walls, Packing cases, furniture pieces. ceilings,
shutters of doors and windows, etc.
(B) LAMINBOARD -
The laminboard is similar to the battenboard except that the core is made of mu1tiply veneers.
The thickness of each veneer does not exceed 6 mm and total thickness of board is about 50 mm. The
external plies are of thick veneers and they are firmly glued with core to form a solid block. The grains of
core veneers are at right angles to those of outer plies. These boards have the same uses as those of
battenboards.
(C) METAL FACED PLYBOARD -
In metal faced plywood, the core is covered by a thin sheet of aluminium, copper, bronze, steel, etc. This
plywood is rigid and it is cleaned.
(D) MULTIPLY OR THREEPLY -
The plywoods prepared from more than three plies are designated as the multiply. The number of
veneers is odd. The thickness may vary from 6 mm to 25 mm or more.
The plywoods prepared from three plies only are known as the three-ply. Its thickness is upto 5 mm.
The thickness of different plywood board in mm are as under:
3 ply - 4 mm
7 play - 12 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm
9 play - 12 mm, 15 mm, 19 mm
11 play - 19 mm, 22 mm, 25 mm
Following are the rules regarding the thickness of plywood.
(i) For 3 ply boards, the combined thickness of face veneers should not exceed twice the thickness of the
centre ply.
(ii) In multiply boards, the thickness of veneer should not be more than thrice the thickness of any other
ply.
(iii) The sum of thickness of wood with veneers in one direction shall approximately equal to the sum of
thickness of veneers at right angles to them and in any case, is should not be greater than 1.5 times this
sum except for 3 ply given above.
In veneered plywood, the facing veneer is of decorative appearance and it is used to develop an
ornamental effect.
According to CPWD specifications plywood for general purposes are of following three grades:
(i) Boiling water proof (BWR)
(ii) Warm water proof (WWR)
(iii) Cold water proof (CWR)
(3) Fibreboards :
These are rigid boards and they are also known as the pressed wood or reconstructed wood. The
thickness varies from 3 mm to 12 mm. They are available in lengths varying from 3 m to 4.50 m and in
widths varying from 1.20 m to 1.80 m. The weight of fibreboards depends on the pressure applied during
manufacture. The maximum and minimum limits of weight are respectively 9600 N/m3 and 500 to 600
N/m3.
MANUFACTURING -
Following is the procedure adopted in the manufacture of fibreboards:
(i) The pieces of wood, cane or other vegetable fibres and chippings are collected and they are heated
and boiled in a hot water boiler.
(ii) The wood fibres separated by heat are put in a vessel.
(iii) The steam under pressure is admitted in the vessel.
(iv) The pressure of steam is then suddenly increased to 7 N/mm2. This increased pressure is maintained
for few seconds only.
(v) The valve located at the bottom of vessel is opened and the steam is allowed to expand.
(vi) The sudden release of pressure makes the wood pieces to explode and in doing so, the natural
adhesive contained in the wood fibres is separated out.
(vii) The wood fibres are then allowed to flow out.
(viii) These fibres are cleaned of all superfluous or extra gums.
(ix) Such cleaned fibres are spread on wire screens in the form of loose sheets or blankets of required
thickness.
(ix) Such loose sheets of wood fibres are prepared between steel plates and ultimately, the libreboards
are obtained.
CLASSIFICATION -
Depending upon their form and composition, the libreboards are classified as insulating boards, medium
hard boards, hard boards, superhard boards and laminated boardsThey are also available under various
trade names such as Euraka, Indianite, Masonite, Nordex, Treetex, etc.
The Fibreboards form an ideal base for practically all types of decorative finishes such as distemper, oil
paint, etc. The hard boards are also suitable for polish and varnish. Several patterns of fibreboards with
pre-decorated surfaces are available in the market and thus the necessity of treating them after fixing in
position is eliminated.
USES -
Following are the uses of fibreboards:
(i) For internal finish of rooms such as wall panelling, suspended ceilings, etc.
(ii) To construct formwork for cement concrete i.e. to retain cement concrete in position when it is wet.
(iii) To construct partitions.
(iv) To prepare flush doors, tops of tables, etc.
(v) To provide an insulating material of heat and sound.
(vi) To work as paving or flooring material.
(7) Glulam :
It means glued and laminated wood. It is not made of veneers but with solid wood. Solid wood is glued
to large sections. Glulam sheets are mainly used for supporting long span roofs in sports stadium, indoor
swimming pools, sheds for chemical factories, etc. where other materials like steel cannot last long. They
can be used as beams of many shapes including curved members. The timber sections are first dried in
the kiln. Then they are machined to form interlocking V-cuts across the width and the end sections of
each piece. Suitable glues are then applied and the pieces are forced together under longitudinal
pressure, while the glue cures. However for such type of fabrication, good shop facilities for
woodworking and gluing are necessary and hence they are not very popular in India.
Particle boards are heavier than solid wood plywood. As they provide broad and stable panels 0f
reasonable strength, they can be sawn like wood and are mainly used for furniture making.
(10) Hardboards :
Hardboard is made from wood pulp which is compressed to make sheet usually of 3 mm thick. Its face
surface is made smooth and hard while back surface is made rough with pattern or cross lines. Its width
is usually 1.2 m and length varies from 1.2 m to 5.5 m.
Table shows the classification and thickness of hardboard as per CPWD specifications.
CLASSIFICATION OF HARDBOARD
Type Density Thickness in mm