Lecture 3:

Timber Construction

Building Construction and Technology 2

Learning Outcomes

Types of timber for construction

Timber construction techniques
Jointing systems
Wood protection & treatment

Types of timber for

Construction

Timber for Marine & Heavy

structures

Medium/Light Construction

Falsework

close grained, dense wood,

natural resistance to:
impact (deliberate and accidental), close grained,
high density
heavy loading
Chemical resistance
infestation (insects, sea creatures, borers)
fungal attack (wet rot, other fungi)
salt or wave erosion and temperature variations.
Oak, Larch, and Teak
natural oils for preservatives

Roof trusses, partition, floors, walls

resistance to insects and fungal attack,
minimum dimension changes
flame resistance
market availability
Douglas Fir, Southern Pine, Hemlock, Redwood, (other
softwoods)
Plywood, board, formwork, glue lam supports
inexpensive
available
weight
ease of handling and storage
resistance to impact and abrasion (reuse and stripping
ease)
any graded wood, hemlock, pine, softwood

Types of Malaysian Timber for

Construction

Timber
Construction
Techniques

Timber Construction Techniques

Depends on the building design
Construction sequence:
- Sub-structure
- Superstructure/Frame
- Floors

- Roof
- Suspended Floors
- Staircase

- Walls

Construction & Jointing System:

Sub-Structure Construction
Elements:
- Fad/strip or raft
foundation
- Column stump/loadbearing wall
- Bean/bearer

Moisture
- Moisture Barrier
- Raised from ground

Foundation
- Masonry materials
(brick and/or concrete)
- Stability: Rest on pad,
strip or raft foundation

Ground Floor
- Raised Floor
- Sleeper wall
- Under floor ventilation

Construction & Jointing System:

Sub-Structure Construction

Construction & Jointing System:

Ground Floor Construction

Construction & Jointing System:

Ground Floor Construction

Moisture
- Moisture Barrier
- Raised from ground
- Under floor insulation

Construction & Jointing System:

Superstructure Frame Construction
Frame/Primary
Structural Element
- Post/column
- Beams/bearer
- Bracing

Frame/Secondary
Structural Element
- Framed walls (see wall)

Jointing/connections

Construction & Jointing System:

Superstructure Frame Construction

Construction & Jointing System:

Roof Construction
Roof Truss
- Rafters
- Tie
- Struts
- Bracing
- Hip
- Ridge
- Eaves
- Battens
- Purlins
- Hip
- Gable
- Fascia
- Dormers

Roof Coverings
- Insulation
- Battens
- Tiles
- Sheet roofing

Rainwater Components
- Gutters
- Downpipes
- Flashings

Construction & Jointing System:

Roof Construction - Connectors

Construction & Jointing System:

Roof Construction - Connectors

Construction & Jointing System:

Roof Truss

Construction & Jointing System:

Suspended Floors
Column

Bearer

Joist

Open
web
joist

Down
Beam

Column

Construction & Jointing System:

Suspended Floors

Construction & Jointing System:

Staircase

Construction & Jointing System:

Staircase

Construction & Jointing System:

Walls

Construction & Jointing System:

Walls

Construction & Jointing System:

Walls

Timber Jointing
Systems

Construction & Jointing System:

Joints

Dowel Joint
Dowels come in different sizes , 3/8, , 5/8 etc.
These joints are hidden and add strength to the joint.
Dowel holes are drill and glued and clamped
together.

Dado
Dado's are typically used in making book shelves,
they support the shelf without the benefit of any
additional fasteners, any glue or hardware simply
holds the shelf in place.
Dados may be made with a dado blade on a table
saw

Rebate/Rabbet Joint
This type of joint is made by using the
dado blade.
Each side of wood is cut to a specific
length, then glued or brad nailed to
make a stronger joint.

Lap Joint
A lap joint is when two piece are cut on
a dado and glued or nail together to
create a stronger joint.

Dovetail Joints
Most commonly used to
attach drawer sides to
drawer fronts, dovetails
joints almost always
indicate quality furniture.
Typically cut using a
manufactured jig to cut
these. Can be done by
hand.

Mortise and Tenon

The mortise and tenon joint is one of the
strongest wood joints.
Mortise and tenon joint is normally formed by cutting a
square tongue (the tenon) on the end of one piece of
wood and an equal size square hole or slot (the
mortise) in another.

Mitre with Wood Spline

Tongue and Groove

Tongue and groove or T&G is a method of fitting
similar objects together, edge to edge, used mainly
with wood: flooring, parquetry, panelling, and similar
constructions. Tongue and groove joints allow two flat
pieces to be joined strongly together to make a single
flat surface.
The effect of wood shrinkage is concealed when the
joint is beaded or otherwise moulded

Metal Jointing

Timber
Defects

Diseases and Defects

Trees are prone to diseases
and defects.
Diseases and defects affect
the strength and quality of the
wood. However, it can make
the timber more valuable
because it looks well.
Timber we get from trees can
be subject to any of the
following:
a. Natural Defects
b. Artificial Defects
c. Fungal Attack
d. Insect Attack

Natural defects
Natural defects are often
pleasing to the eye while
others are unwanted
defects.
Heart Rot- caused by a
fungus that rots the pith or
the heartwood

Spike Rot- reduces the

strength of the wood
Spiral Grain- tree may
twist when growing

Knots
Knots form where branches of a tree are cut off or stop
growing
Loose knots are called Dead Knots branch has
stopped growing before tree is felled
Other knots are called Live Knots
All knots reduce the strength of the timber.

Resin Pockets
Most common in conifers
Forms in internal cracks/cavities in the wood
Cracks caused by high wind or extremes in
temperature
Reduce the strength of the timber

Natural defects
Shakes- these are splits in the end
grain. They are either Radial,
Tangential or Cross(thunder) shakes
Radial- along ray lines include heart
or star shake
Tangential- in annual rings at old
age, seasoning or strong winds
Cross- split across the grain when
tree is subject to shock in felling

Artificial Defects
Artificial defects occur as
a result of stresses
caused by poor
stacking or seasoning.

They include:

Cupping
Bowing
Twisting/Warping
End splitting
Case hardening
Honeycomb checks

Artificial Defects
Cupping-this form of shrinkage
forms a curve if you look at the
plank from either end. Caused by
incorrect stacking during
seasoning.

Bowing-where the timber is

taking the form of a bend along
the length of the piece. Like
cupping. It is caused by incorrect
stacking during seasoning, often
the incorrect positioning of the

stickers.

Artificial Defects
Twisting or warping-the two ends
of the piece have twisted in
opposite directions while the sides
of the piece have remained straight.
End splitting-this is caused by the
end of the piece drying out too
quickly. Most common in natural
seasoning where there has been
excessive exposure to the heat or
sun. Can be prevented by covering
or treating the ends during
seasoning.

Artificial Defects
Case Hardening-this occurs when
the piece is seasoned too quickly and
moisture is still trapped within the
wood. The surface and the centre
have different drying rates creating
compression at the centre and
tension at the surface.
Honeycomb checks-the inside of
the wood splits and like case
hardening the timber is seasoned too
quickly for the centre to be dried out.
When it does there is shrinkage
causing splits within the piece.

Fungi attack causes damage by feeding

on the cells of the wood. The wood
becomes soft and eventually decays.

A fungus is made up of cells called

hyphae. A large number of hyphae
together will form a mycelium.

These hyphae penetrate the wood to

feed and get moisture. They will then
produce food bodies called sporophores.

The cycle will now repeat itself when the

spores produced are blown on to new
wood.

The following conditions are required:

Moisture
Food supply
Oxygen
Warmth

Fungal Attack

 Wet Rot (white rot)-Usually occurs

outdoors where it will rot fence posts,
window frames, logs, doors, etc.
The affected wood will become very moist
and slimy and will produce a white
residue.
Dry rot (brown rot) -This type is usually
found indoors, eg under wooden floors.
This fungi attacks wood and eats the
cellulose found in the wood. Wood will
appear dry and contain rectangular cracks
in it.
Treatment of this type of rot must be
immediate and severe as the rot can
cause extensive damage.

Fungal Attack

Fungal Attack
Treatment process
1.

All infected wood needs to be removed as well as

uninfected wood 500mm around the area.

2.

All surrounding brickwork and materials must be

scorched or treated to kill remaining fungicide

3.

The cause of the dry rot must be remedied before new

preserved timber is put in place.

Some insects will attack and feed on

timber much like fungal attack.
1.The adult lays the egg in an old
insect hole
2.
The egg hatches and the
larva/grub will feed on the starch in
the wood this creates the tunnels

3.The larva makes a cocoon-like shell

around itself before it settles for a
period of time to change into an adult
bettle.
4.
The adult then emerges and
breaks out to the surface to begin the
cycle again.

Insect Attack

Insect Attack
Furniture Beetle (woodworm)
This common beetle, more
often known as woodworm is
probably the most common in
Ireland.
Woodworm will attack both
softwoods and hardwoods,
mostly just the sapwood of
these timbers.

Insect Attack
Treating timber with woodworm
1.

Apply coats of insecticide following the instructions on

the container.

2.

Ensure that all surfaces and cracks are coated with

the chemical

3.

Use an applicator to insert insecticide to the exit holes

of the woodworm.

Construction Detailing to Overcome

Decay and Insect Attack

Copyright Fadzil CPIM UiTM2011

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