New
New
Year 8

Timbers properties, sources and stock forms

I can identify timber categories, sources and stock forms.

New
New
Year 8

Timbers properties, sources and stock forms

I can identify timber categories, sources and stock forms.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Timbers can be catergorised as softwood, hardwood or manufactured boards.
  2. Timber is sourced from trees.
  3. Timber is available in planks, sheets, mouldings and dowel.

Keywords

  • Softwood - timber from coniferous trees, typically lightweight and easy to work with

  • Hardwood - a dense, durable timber from broad-leaved, deciduous trees

  • Manufactured board - engineered wood products made by bonding layers or particles of wood together

  • Stock form - a standard pre-made size or shape of a material

Common misconception

Softwoods are soft and light, hardwoods are hard and heavy.

The terms softwood and hardwood don’t refer to how soft or hard the wood is. They classify trees based on their seed type. Many softwoods are softer than hardwoods but it's not a strict rule. Balsa is a hardwood, but it’s one of the softest woods.


To help you plan your year 8 design and technology lesson on: Timbers properties, sources and stock forms, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Try to have a variety of examples to pass around the pupils. Contact a local hardwood supplier for a box of offcuts.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Examples of softwoods, hardwoods and manufactured boards in their different stock forms.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why do designers consider different materials?
to select the strongest
to select the brightest colour
to select the cheapest
to select the easiest to manufacture
Correct answer: to select the most appropriate
Q2.
Which of the following are sourced from trees?
Correct answer: timbers
polymers
metals
Correct answer: papers
Correct answer: boards
Q3.
Timber can be replaced by planting more trees, this makes timber a material which is .
Correct Answer: sustainable, environmentally friendly, renewable
Q4.
Scales of production refer to the or volume of goods produced.
Correct Answer: amount, number, quantity
Q5.
Match the scale of production to its key component.
Correct Answer:one-off,usually handmade

usually handmade

Correct Answer:batch,a specific number are manufactured

a specific number are manufactured

Correct Answer:mass,mainly automated

mainly automated

Correct Answer:continuous,runs constantly

runs constantly

Q6.
All design and technological practice takes place within that inform outcomes.
Correct Answer: contexts, context

6 Questions

Q1.
Timber can be categorised into which groups?
wood
Correct answer: hardwood
Correct answer: softwood
Correct answer: manufactured boards
medium wood
Q2.
Identify the properties of softwoods.
Correct answer: lightweight
dense
Correct answer: straight and open grain
Correct answer: fast growing
highly durable
Q3.
Match the timber category to the timber example.
Correct Answer:softwood,scots pine

scots pine

Correct Answer:hardwood,oak

oak

Correct Answer:manufactured board,plywood

plywood

Q4.
A stock form refers to the standard shapes, sizes, and types of …
components
Correct answer: materials
manufacture
designs
Q5.
Identify the common stock forms for timbers.
Correct answer: planks
pipe
pellet
Correct answer: boards
Correct answer: dowel
Q6.
What is the stock form of timber called in this illustration that is used to make plywood?
An image in a quiz
vector
vessel
Correct answer: veneer
vernier