Article
Article
Wood properties
Article By:
Wilson, James B. Department of Forest Products, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Last reviewed:July 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.748600
Physical and mechanical characteristics of wood, which are controlled by specific anatomy, moisture content, and mineral and extractive content. Wood is the hard fibrous substance that makes up the trunks and large branches of trees beneath the bark. It also is a term used to describe lumber or timber obtained from trees. The properties of wood encompass all of the physical and mechanical characteristics of wood, which can vary depending on the specific anatomy, moisture content, and (to a lesser extent) mineral and extractive content of the wood. Wood properties are also influenced by wood's directional nature, which results in markedly different properties in the longitudinal, tangential, and radial directions or axes (Fig. 1). Wood properties within a species vary greatly from tree to tree and within a single axis. See also: Forest timber resources; Forestry; Lumber; Tree; Wood anatomy
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