Wood Products and Wood Components

June 11, 2023June 28, 2023 Agric4Profits

The early migration of man including the exploration of the world is closely associated with the utilization of wood. Similarly, the advancement in science and technology has brought about diverse and more sophisticated uses for wood, such as lumber, poles, posts, wood veneer, plywood, particleboard, fibreboard, match splint, toothpick, transparent filament, charcoal, etc.

Thus, there is also a close association between the level of economic development of a nation and the dependence of the nation on wood both in its conventional and modified forms.

Wood is a complex material of biological origin derived from the forest such as trees, shrubs, certain climbers, and woody liana in the process of growth. They are composed of cellulose (reinforcing material), hemicelluloses (matrix and binding materials), and lignin (cementing material).

Extraneous materials are of diverse chemical compositions and include sugars, starches, gums, pectins, polyphenols, tannins, dyestuff, proteins, organic acids, and ash minerals.

These materials are responsible for the beautiful color, durability, susceptibility to bio-deteriorating agents, impermeability, greasy, feel, smell, and difficulties in sawing, bonding, and pulping characteristics of certain wood species.

Uses of Wood

The use of wood by humans dates back to antiquity when pre-historic man relied on wood for survival, shelter, tools and hunting implements (weapons, such as clubs, spears, bows, and arrows), fuel, and construction of primitive furniture (small-sized trees stems and branches).

The advancement of science and technology has facilitated the development of different wood product industries that engage in the production of sawn wood, wood-based panel products, pulp and paper, furniture and joinery, energy, chemically-treated wood, wood-derived chemicals, and specialty products such as toothpicks and tool handles.

Manufacturing Wood Products

These include;

1. Chemical products and extractives

These are products of wood obtained through chemical processing resulting in the complete structural transformation of wood.

The products include those from pulping such as cellulose (pulp), lignin, alcohol and yeast, dimethyl sulfide, lingo-sulphates, and purified lingo-sulphate; tall oil, wood bark products such as esters and rubber latex, chemicals from foliage such as chlorophyll and leaf protein.

2. Semi-finished wood products

These are primary products of wood that serve as input raw materials for other wood products e.g. sawn timber, plywood, particle boards, and fibre boards.

3. Final (finished) wood products

These are made up of construction materials, furniture products, packaging materials, technical articles, and special products. The construction materials include products that range from doors, windows, and formwork frames to prefabricated wood buildings.

Furniture products are variable depending on their area of use, namely household furniture, school furniture, office furniture, and furniture used in a standing position (shelves, cupboards, wardrobes, workbenches), in a sitting position (chairs, tables, desks), and sleeping position (wooden beds).

Other furniture items are peculiar to people and places depending on history, culture, conception, technology, interaction, and standard of living. Packaging materials are cases/ boxes and drums.

Technical articles are partially produced from wood and completed with other components which are non-wood materials e.g. pencils, match splints, ice-cream holders, and rulers.

Special products are products of wood that are used in special areas such as sports (skis, crosses for hockey, tennis rackets), music (drums, violin, guitar), and transportation (veneer, plywood, and densified wood for boats, platforms, and body of vehicles).