Understanding wood: behaviour, durability and sums
Why wood swells and shrinks, what durability classes mean, how to calculate in cubic metres and what woodworm does. All the guides in one place. The Wood Guide · Understanding wood
The Wood Guide · Understanding wood
The Wood Guide · sectionUnderstanding wood
Why wood swells and shrinks, what a durability class means, how to calculate in cubic metres and what woodworm does. The basics that explain everything.
- 17 guides
- 4 topics
- Written from our warehouse in Lebbeke
The core guides of this section
What are the characteristics of wood?Read the guide →
The functioning of woodRead the guide →
What are the Sustainability Classes of Wood?Read the guide →
How much is 1 cubic metre of wood?A cubic metre is a block of one by one by one metre. But how many boards is that, and what does it weigh? Just work it out below.Read the guide →
Properties and movement 6 guides
Pests and decay 2 guides
Identifying, quality and trade 4 guides
Wood in our world 4 guides
What are some ecological benefits of using wood as a…
Wood in modern architectureFor a century, wood was the material for small buildings. Since laminated panels arrived, it has been used for residential towers.
How will technology such as 3D printing influence the future…
What are some innovative applications of laminated wood in…
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Understanding wood
If you know how wood behaves, a small crack won't alarm you, you'll pick the right species for the right spot and you won't get your sums wrong. Here are the basics in plain language — from growth rings and heartwood to cubic metres and quality.
Ready to choose? Here is what we make from it.
The other sections
Wood species100 guides →
Care & finishing28 guides →
Choosing & buying16 guides →
Build it yourself51 guides →
Trees & forests31 guides →
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: End grain of an oak trunk showing growth rings, heartwood and sapwood — Friedrich Böhringer, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT · Planed Douglas fir boards with clearly visible growth rings — Philipp Zinger, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wooden table and benches on a patio among potted plants — Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hand with hammer and chisel carving letters into a wooden plank — Frédérique Voisin-Demery, CC BY 2.0 · Beech (Fagus sylvatica) in full leaf — Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0