All About Wood

Wood is an organic (living) material that comes from trees. Trees are our greatest natural resource: they remove excess carbon from our air, cool the environment through transpiration, provide shade and shelter, prevent erosion, reduce air and water pollution, and serve as a source of beauty and recreation. They are also the source of a broad array of materials. Wood is the most abundant and most widely used material in the world (see image on left). Its characteristics have made it a material that can be formed with the simplest of tools and minimum skill and effort. It is important to understand the nature of wood. The original tree is responsible for whatever qualities or shortcomings that the lumber may have.