Natural & Manufactured Timbers — Functional & Aesthetic (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note

Functionality of natural and manufactured timbers

• The functionality of natural and manufactured timbers is to provide strong, durable and versatile materials that can be cut, shaped and joined

• This makes them suitable for a wide range of uses, including:

  • Construction

  • Furniture

  • Products

  • Structural applications

• Example applications of timbers are furniture

  • Oak and beech, construction

  • Pine and spruce, outdoor products

  • Lightweight models, e.g. balsa

  • Manufactured boards for interiors, e.g. MDF for cabinets, plywood for flooring, chipboard for flat-pack furniture

• Timbers vary in ease of working:

  • Softwoods, e.g. pine, are easier to cut and shape

  • Hardwoods, e.g. oak, mahogany, are harder and more durable but more difficult to work with

  • Manufactured boards, e.g. MDF, are easy to machine due to their consistent structure

Aesthetics of natural and manufactured timbers: surface finish, texture & colour

• The aesthetics of timbers are how they look and feel, including their natural grain, surface finish and colour

  • These are important for a product's appearance

Surface finish

• Timbers can be finished in different ways, including:

  • Varnished

  • Painted,

  • Stained

  • Laminated

• This helps to improve appearance and durability, e.g. MDF is often painted or veneered

Texture

• Natural timbers have different textures, such as the open grain of oak or fine grain of beech,

  • Manufactured boards like MDF have a smooth, uniform surface

Colour

• Timbers vary in colour from light, e.g. ash, pine, balsa, to dark, e.g. mahogany

  • Timbers can also be stained or painted to achieve a desired look

Availability of natural and manufactured timbers: ease of sourcing & purchase

• The availability of timbers refers to how easy it is to obtain them for use in products

• Softwoods, e.g. pine, spruce, are widely available due to their fast growth to maturity, the age at which they can be cut down and used, while some hardwoods, e.g. mahogany, are less available, slow-growing, e.g. 80+ years and may need to be imported to a country where they are not natively grown

• Timbers can be purchased in different forms, such as planks, sheets or boards from suppliers, with manufactured boards widely available in standard sizes, i.e. 8 feet by 4 feet, 2440mm x 1220mm

Cost of natural and manufactured timbers: bulk buying

• The cost of timbers varies depending on:

  • Type/species

  • Availability

  • Processing

• Softwoods and manufactured boards are generally cheaper and more cost-effective when bought in bulk and because they are widely available

• Hardwoods are more expensive due to slower growth, improved properties/characteristics, and higher quality