The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has just released the new edition of Wood Handbook – Wood as an Engineered Material, as part of the FPLs centennial celebration. You can download the PDF from the FPL website, either in its entirety or chapter-by-chapter.
The seventh edition of the publication’s first update was published in 1999. It contains chapters about wood as a sustainable resource material. There is also a discussion on wood microstructures, wood moisture interactions, preservation practices and preservation techniques. Low-magnification micrographs are also available for cross sections of commercial species.
Robert J. Ross, the editor, writes in the introduction that The Wood Handbook was originally focused on solid-sawn timber construction. The state-of the-art in wood construction techniques and the variety of wood-based products that are available to consumers have significantly changed since the first edition. We have made every effort to include the more current references, in addition to many historic ones, to help guide the reader to the appropriate sources of information.
Chapter 5: Mechanical Properties of Wood
Orthotropic Nature of Wood; Elastic Properties; Strength Properties; Vibration Properties; Mechanical Properties of Clear Straight-Grained Wood; Natural Characteristics Affecting Mechanical Properties
Chapter 8: Fastening
Nails; Spikes; Staples; Drift Bolts; Wood Screws; Lag Screws; Bolts; Connector Joints; Metal Plate Connectors; Joist Hanger; Fastener Head Embedment
Chapter 10: Adhesives with Wood Materials
Bond Formation and Performance; Surface Properties of Wood for Bonding; Physical Properties of Wood for Bonding; Adhesives; Bonding Process; Bonded Joints; Testing and Performance; Standards
Chapter 16: Finishing of Wood
Factors that affect finish performance; Exterior wood finishes; Application of finishes, special uses; Finish failure or discoloration; Interior wood finishing; Wood cleaners and brighteners; Paint strippers; Lead-based paint
This important document is too complex to cover in one blog post. However, suffice it to state that Wood Handbook is worth downloading if you are interested in more than simply picking up S4S at your local home center. You have nothing to lose, and plenty of useful and interesting (and maybe a little geeky!) wood information to gain.
– Megan Fitzpatrick
(a self-proclaimed geek)
Want to dig a little deeper into specific uses for various woods? Check out Wood for Woodturners, by Mark Baker, which discusses 150 species with information on seasoning and turning characteristics (just in our Woodworkers BookShop).
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