CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL: TIMBER

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the class, students should be able to: Identify properties of timber Understand the preservation method of timber Understand the application of timber in construction

TIMBER

Timber has been used throughout the history of mankind. From the very first housing, bridges and tools, timber has provided humans with a broad range of building products and materials for construction. However, with the modernisation of the construction industry and efforts to minimise costs, new construction materials have come to the fore. Synthetic products such as concrete and steel have redefined the construction industry.

TIMBER

Timber is the wood suitable for building or engineering purposes and its applied to trees measuring not less than 0.6m in girth.

Important technical terms relating timber are given below:

Standing timber: It is the timber available in a living tree. Green timber: It is the freshly felled tree which has not lost much of its moisture or the timber which still contains free water I its cells. Rough timber: It is the timber obtained after felling a tree. Converted timber: it is timber which has been sawn into various market sizes such as beams, battens, planks, etc.

Dressed timber: It is the timber which been sawn, placed and worked to the exact required condition. Structural timber: It is the timber used in framing and load bearing structures. Clear timber: It is the timber free from defects and blemishes (stains).

Characteristic of good timber

it should have a uniform color a freshly cut surface should give a sweet smell it should have annular rings it should be sonorous when struck it should have straight and close fibers it should be heavy in weight It should be free from shake, flaws, dead knots or blemishes of any kind. there should be firm adhesion of fiber and compact modularly rays The cellular tissue of the modularly rays should be hard and compact.

When planed, its surface should present a firm bright appearance with a silky luster. A good timber should be durable. It should be capable of resisting the action of fungi, insects, chemicals, physical agencies and mechanical agencies. A good timber should possess the property of elasticity. The timber is elastic when it regains its original shape and size when the load is removed. This property of timber would be essential when it is to bee used for sports goods, carriage shafts etc.

It should be fire resistance. Wood having dense texture offers great resistance to fire. It should not contain resins and other inflammable oils which accelerate the action of fire. A good timber should be hard (ie. It should offer resistance when is being penetrated by another body). The chemicals presents in heartwood and density of wood impart hardness to the timber. A good timber should be strong for working as structural member such as joint, beam, rafter etc. it should be capable of taking loads slowly or suddenly.

Advantages
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It is relatively easy to handle and can be planed, sawn and jointed with simple carpenters tools. It is easily available and can be quickly transported by simple means. On account of its light weight, timber is generally preferred for building works in earthquake regions. Repairs, additions and alterations to timber construction are easy. It is considered to be an ideal material of construction in sea water or marine works as it can resist corrosion.

Disadvantages
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The greatest disadvantages is its ready combustibility, which can be diminished but not eliminated even by expensive treatments Frame buildings built closely together presents a serious conflagration hazard. Timber is destroyed by decay induced by fungi, and by insects that feed upon the timber under favorable considerations. Decay may, however, by prevented by various methods that produce an environment unfavorable for the growth of the causative organisms.

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Timber swells and undergoes shrinkage with changing atmospheric humidity.

Use of timber
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it is generally used in the form of piles, posts, beams, lintels, door-window frames and leaves, roof members, e.g. rafters, purlins, trusses etc. it is employed for flooring, ceiling, paneling and construction of partition walls. it is used for formwork for concrete, for the timbering trenches, centering for arch work, scaffolding, transmission poles and fencing. it is used in wagon and coach building, marine installations and bridges. it is also used in making furniture, agriculture implements, sports goods, musical instruments, well curbs, motor bodies, carts and carriages, railways sleepers, packing cases, etc.

Timber Preservation

Process of impregnation preservative into the timber to increase durability towards insects and fungi attacks. Timber like cengal, balau, teak and oak did not need strong preservative and it's contain oil or resin that resist deterioration factors. Cheaper timber absolutely needs a preservation to increase the durability.

In timber industry it utilized a rapid growth timber and less durable which due to lack of timber sources makes preservation very important. Malaysia weather condition is for spread of fungi, and insect to attack product over a year. To reduce timber deterioration need a good preservation method to be applied.

Characteristic of Good Preservative

The preservative used should be toxic to fungi's and insects but not to humans. The preservative should penetrate into the timber easily and remain in it. Cheap and easy to get. Does not corrode metal. Does not make the timber easily burn.

Classification of Timber Preservation

Class A Oil based mixture

Divided into 3 types

Class B Organic Solvent Types Class C Water-borne types

Class A - Oil based mixture

Its odor makes it unsuitable for internally used and it's difficult to be painted. Does not corrosive to metal and suitable for external used. Method of application by brush and pressure impregnation Coal Tar Creosote (BS144 :1973) for pressure impregnation Coal Tar Creosote (BS 3051; 1972) for brush application

Good quality of creosote is a very effective and inexpensive preservative. After weathering for a few months not readily flammable do not increase hazard. Creosote left over from tar effective to avoid from marine borer and can be mixed with petrol at reasonable quantities. Application for railway and utilities post.

Class B - Organic Solvent Types

Do not corrode the metals and timber does not need seasoning again. It's can be used external and internally and penetration is superior to that creosote. Preserved timber can usually be painted when volatile solvents have evaporated and the wood is then no more flammable than untreated wood. Some colorless, pigments may added to indicate the extent of their penetration or for decorative purposes

Some have an odor. Costly, this preservatives widely used for vacuum impregnation of mass produced external joinery and maximum sawing works before preservations.

Class C - Water-borne types

Consist of the following preservative substances dissolved in water.

Copper-chrome. Copper-chrome-arsenic . Fluor-chrome-arsenate-dinitrophenol Copper sulphate, sodium fluoride etc

Can be over-painted, do not 'bleed' when they are dry. Odorless and non-combustible but treatment seasoning is necessary and painting. Do not suitable for external and timber in wet condition e.g. underwater because it could make the salt dissolved. Inexpensive but may cause the timber expand and some make the metal corrode. Therefore suitable used as early protection before timber put in the seasoning kiln.

Method of Preservation
Brush and spray Deluging, dipping and steeping The hot-and-cold open tank method Pressure impregnation The diffusion process Plug inserts Injection

Brush and spray

Liquid flooded over surfaces absorb as much as possible, repeated every two or three years Not effective penetration depends on timber permeability

Deluging, dipping, and steeping

Organic solvent type preservatives ace usually employed. Pre heating will assist penetration. Dipping should be for at least 10 seconds for sections; 3 minutes dip is often specified. Large sections should be dipped at least 10 minutes as protection against longhorn beetles in certain areas. Steeping or permeable timbers for several days may give quite deep penetration and protection sufficient even for timber will be in contact with the ground

The hot-and-cold open tank method

Gives protection to sapwood and permeable heartwood. Timber is submerged in a tank of suitable preservatives which is then healed between 80 and 90 and kept at that temperature for several hours. Absorption by the timber must then be allowed to take place as the liquid cools. Absorption of preservatives depend types of timber.

Pressure Impregnation

Give deepest penetration and long life for tin in direct contact with the ground, in sea water and in similar environments.
Timber is sealed in a pressure vessel

Air is removed under vacuum

Preservative is forced in under strict control

Second vacuum stage removes excess liquid

Resistant timber such as Douglas fir must be incised to a depth 20 mm - the knife cuts in direction of the grain and 25 mm staggered and in row at 60 mm centers

The diffusion process

Applicable to certain water-borne preservatives can be introduced into green timber, spraying or dipping in a concentrated boron sail solution. Timber will be closed piled for several weeks -preservatives will be diffuses into the timber. The salt is water soluble and the process is unsuitable for timber exposed externally.

Plug inserts

Preformed plugs can be effective inserted in drilled holes e.g on the bottom rails of sashes.

Injection

inject preservative into predrilled holes in existing joinery - in particular window cills.