Wood species
The wood belonging to the corresponding tree species is referred to as wood species . In the simplest case, the name is derived from the botanical name of the tree species and consists of the generic name . So is z. B. the wood species Afzelia derived from the botanical name of the tree Afzelia africana or Afzelia bipindensis . Often the names are derived directly from characteristic wood properties , as in the case of the red beech (reddish wood) and the white beech (“white” wood). In these and other cases, the wood properties also indicate the tree species. In addition to the color, the smell also plays a role in the designation. In Anglo-Saxon usage, aromatic-smelling woods are often given the name cedar , even if these can be assigned to different types and are not related to real cedar . The giant arborvitae ( Thuja plicata ) is hidden behind the Western Red Cedar , while the Eastern Red Cedar is a type of juniper ( Juniperus virginiana ).
properties
Types of wood differ in appearance (color, texture), structure, density and technical properties and, accordingly, in their use. In particular, the density and structure of a type of wood determine its workability, drying behavior and permeability for liquids (impregnability), but also its strength , elasticity and dimensional stability under changing climates. The presence of biocidal ingredients ( extracts ) in the heartwood determines the durability of the wood. Since wood is a natural product, its properties are also subject to natural fluctuations within one type of wood.
Determination of wood species
The precise determination of a type of wood can be carried out by experts e.g. This can sometimes be done using macroscopic criteria according to color, texture, growth zones, smell and special characteristics of the wood fabric, but in case of doubt this is only possible with the help of a microscopic analysis. The determination of the wood species is a task of the wood's anatomy . One of the largest collections of wood is in the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute in Hamburg.
Types of wood and trade names
The transition from wood species names to common trade names is not always clear. In the case of overseas woods in particular, the trade names, which may have special local names, play a special role. Here, different types are often grouped together under one trade name (examples: rosewood , sandalwood ), which is then occasionally used as a type of wood designation. But also common species in Europe, such as B. the wood of the pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur ) and sessile oak ( Quercus petrea ) are led together with some North American species under the trade name white oak. As mahogany woods several American and African species of the family Meliaceae referred. In the case of the trade name Meranti (different species of the genus Shorea ), the species and origins even differ significantly in terms of properties, so that a differentiation is made according to the density of the wood (Red Balau, Dark Red Meranti, Light Red Meranti).
nomenclature
In order to create more clarity in the field of wood species designation, DIN 4076-1 (designations and abbreviations in the wood field; wood species) was created. The 1985 version contains the names to be used for 257 domestic and foreign softwoods and hardwoods. The German-language standard DIN 4076, however, led to problems in international trade, as the abbreviations of the wood species were formed from the German names.
In 2003, the standard names for round and sawn timber were specified in German, English and French in DIN EN 13556 (nomenclature of the commercial timbers used in Europe) . The abbreviations are formed in the new DIN EN 13556 as a four-letter code from the internationally uniform scientific name of the species. The first two letters of the generic name form the first and second letters and the first two letters of the species name form the third and fourth letters of the abbreviation. For example, was the abbreviation of Fagus sylvatica ( European beech ) in DIN 4076-1 "BU" (derived from Bu che), the new designation to DIN EN 13556, however, is "FASY" (derived from Fa gus sy lvatica ).
literature
- Wagenführ, Rudi (2007): Wooden Atlas. 6. Edit again and exp. Aufl. Leipzig: Fachbuchverl. Leipzig im Hanser Verl. ISBN 3-446-40649-2
- Wagenführ, Rudi (2004): Bildlexikon Holz. [264 European and non-European timber species; 344 texture images as well as names, occurrences, features and references]. 2. verb. and exp. Edition Munich: Fachbuchverl. Leipzig im Hanser Verl., ISBN 3-446-22851-9
- DIN 4076-1: names and abbreviations in the wood sector; Types of wood
