Welcome back to school! You may have already pre-planned your design & tech lessons involving woodworking, but have you considered which type of wood would be best for your lesson? Let's take a quick look at the different types of wood that you could use.
Radiata Pine
Radiata pine, native to California but extensively planted in other regions like New Zealand, is prized for its versatility and fast growth. It's utilized in a wide range of applications, including construction, furniture, joinery, and pulp production.
Balsa
If you're looking for wood for laser engraving, look no further. Balsa is a light coloured strong wood from South America that can be shaved and carved easily. It glues well, stains and polishes satisfactorily but it is very absorbent. Kiln-dried and non toxic, it's a safe and easy to use hardwood for model making, laboratory mounting boards and other woodworking crafts.
Tasmanian Oak
Looking for a premium Australian hardwood for your school? The Tasmanian oak is your answer. It might have a wider and less consistent colour mix, but it's well regarded for its warmth, resilience and dense structure. It can be used for furniture, lining, parquetry flooring, joinery and turnery.
Meranti
Meranti is a tropical hardwood native to Southeast Asia, and is generally a harder timber than pine. It's known for its rich dark red color and durability for indoor and outdoor applications. One of the major disadvantages is that it has little or no resistance to insects or decay, but can be coated with an outdoor furniture oil or water repellent product. Meranti is often used in boat building, joinery, decking, and outdoor construction projects.
Jelutong
Jelutong is a lightweight hardwood native to Southeast Asia. It's prized for its ease of carving and machining, making it popular for intricate woodwork, carving, and model making. It's ideal for students who are just beginning to dabble in tools as it's simple to drill and saw.
There are many other types of wood that we have yet to cover - but these are a great start to consider when you're mapping out your woodworking lesson plans.
Tools For Schools has a wide range of timber at very attractive prices, and can be cut to length. Buy in bulk to save more - send us an enquiry on what you need and we'll guarantee you'll be back for more!
