Types of wood

Description

Types of wood, such as birch, pine, poplar, mahogany, maple and tulipwood.

Alternative labels

kinds of wood
varieties of wood
categories of wood
sorts of wood
type of wood

Skill type

knowledge

Skill reusability level

cross-sector

Relationships with occupations

Essential knowledge

Types of wood is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:

Table saw operator: Table saw operators work with industrial saws that cut with a rotating circular blade. The saw is built into a table. The operator sets the height of the saw to control the depth of the cut. Particular attention is paid to safety, as factors such as natural stresses within the wood may produce unpredictable forces.
Veneer slicer operator: Veneer slicer operators slice lumber into thin sheets to be used as a cover for other materials, such as particle board or fibre board. Veneer slicers may use various machines to obtain different cuts of wood: a rotary lathe to produce cuts peripendicular to the growth rings, a slicing machine to create plank-like cuts, or a half-round lathe which gives the operator the freedom to make a selection of the most interesting cuts.
Carpenter: Carpenters cut, shape and assemble wooden elements for the construction of buildings and other structures. They also use materials such as plastic and metal in their creations. Carpenters create the wooden frames to support wood framed buildings.
Frame maker: Frame makers build frames, mostly out of wood, for pictures and mirrors. They discuss the specifications with customers and build or adjust the frame accordingly. They cut, shape and join the wooden elements and treat them to obtain the desired colour and protect them from corrosion and fire. They cut and fit the glass into the frame. In some cases, they carve and decorate the frames. They may also repair, restore or reproduce older or antique frames.
Engineered wood board grader: Engineered wood board graders inspect finished engineered wood products for quality issues such as inclomplete gluing, warping or blemishing. They also test load bearing qualities of the wood. Graders sort products for quality according to guidelines.
Wood technology engineer: Wood technology engineers develop materials and components made of wood, construct production facilities and control and monitor the production. They also examine products and materials and advise customers.
Wood sander: Wood sanders smoothen the surface of a wooden object using various sanding instruments. Each applies an abrasive surface, usually sandpaper, to the workpiece to remove irregularities.
Planer thicknesser operator: Planer thicknesser operators use machinery to shave wood planks to a uniform thickness. The machine usually planes both sides of the plank in one operation. They feed the plank into the machine carefully to prevent excess planing at the edge known as ‘snipe’.
Wood drying kiln operator: Wood drying kiln operators control the process of applying heat to moist or ‘green’ wood in order to obtain usable dry wood. Depending on the type of kiln, the drying operator will be responsible for moving the wood into and out of the kiln, temperature control, and ventilation.
Edge bander operator: Edge bander operators tend machines that veneer materials, mostly wood, to increase durability and make them aesthetically pleasing. They also regulate the speed of the belt, set temperature control to regulate heat, brush glue on edges of panels and start and regulate the machine.
Hardwood floor layer: Hardwood floor layers install floors made of solid wood. They prepare the surface, cut parquet or board elements to size, and lay them in a predetermined pattern, straight and flush.
Cooper: Coopers build barrels and related products made of segments of wood, like wooden buckets. They shape the wood, fit hoops around them, and shape the barrel to hold the product, which contemporarily is usually premium alcoholic beverages.
Antique furniture reproducer: Antique furniture reproducers duplicate and recreate antique furniture. They prepare drawings and templates of the article, create, fit and assemble parts and finish the article after original specifications.
Furniture restorer: Furniture restorers analyse materials and techniques in order to assess the state of an old piece of furniture and to identify and classify it according to art and cultural history. They use old or modern tools and techniques to restore the piece and give advice to customers as to the restoration, conservation and maintenance of such objects.
Wooden furniture machine operator: Wooden furniture machine operators run machines that manufacture wooden furniture parts, according to the established operating procedure. They ensure the machine works smoothly and repair parts if necessary.
Wood boring machine operator: Wood boring machine operators use milling machines or specialise boring jigs to cut holes in wood workpieces. Wood boring differs from routing mainly in that the main movement is into the workpiece as opposed to across its surface.
Wood products assembler: Wood products assemblers put together products from premade pieces of wood. They operate machines, often hydraulic, that bind the various elements of a product together using joints, glue or other fasteners. Assemblers put the elements in place, operate the machine and look out for problems.
Guitar maker: Guitar makers create and assemble parts to build guitars according to specified instructions or diagrams. They work wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Sawmill operator: Sawmill operators work with automated lumber mill equipment which saws timber into rough lumber. They also handle various sawing machines which further process the lumber in various shapes and sizes. These processes are nowadays often computer controlled.
Carpenter supervisor: Carpenter supervisors monitor carpentry operations in construction. They assign tasks and take quick decisions to resolve problems. They pass their skills on to apprentice carpenters.
Manufactured wooden building assembler: Manufactured wooden building assemblers put together wooden elements for use in construction. The elements, or modules, may consist of walls with windows and doors built-in, or may be as large as whole rooms. The assemblers put together the supporting structure, insulation materials, and covering, and fasten it together to obtain usable modules.
Wood caulker: Wood caulkers drive oakum into the seams between planking in deck or hull of wooden ships to make them watertight. They mainly use hand tools to heat marine glue and force it into the seams. They can also hammer hemp ropes and cotton lines into the seams and smear hot pitch over them.
Band saw operator: Band saw operators work with industrial saws that feature a continuous flexible blade revolving around two or more wheels. Band saws are most effective at producing irregular shapes.
Woodturner: Woodturners use a lathe to remove superfluous material from wood. The lathe turns the workpiece around its axis, as shape tools are used to obtain the desired shape.
Lumber grader: Lumber graders inspect lumber, or wood cut into planks. They test the lumber, look for irregularities and grade the wood based on quality and desirability of the pattern.
Basketmaker: Basketmakers use stiff fibres to manually weave objects such as containers, baskets, mats and furniture. They use various traditional techniques and materials according to the region and the intended use of the object.
Wood treater: Wood treaters apply treatments to wood to make it resistant to environmental factors like mould, cold, moisture, or staining. Treatments may also contribute to the colour of the wood. Wood treaters may use chemicals, heat, gasses, UV light, or a combination of these to treat wood.
Veneer grader: Veneer graders inspect slices of veneer for quality. They look for irregularities, blemishes and production errors, and grade the slices for the desirability of the patterns.
Woodcarver: Woodcarvers manually shape wood into the desired shape using equipment like knives, gouges and chisels. Woodcarvers produce wooden products to serve as decoration, to be integrated into a composite product, as utensils or as toys.
Crosscut saw operator: Crosscut saw operators use a manual crosscut saw. Crosscut sawing is used for ‘felling’ and ‘bucking’ trees, or taking off the limbs to obtain logs. Crosscut sawyers may also work with smaller crosscut saws in a workshop to make manual cuts.
Engineered wood board machine operator: Engineered wood board machine operators work with machines to bond particles or fibres made from wood or cork. Various industrial glues or resins are applied to obtain fibre board, particle board or cork board.
Digester operator: Digester operators, or cooks, cook wood chips with soda ash or acid to separate the wood pulp from unwanted constituents. They test the resulting solution.
Violin maker: Violin makers create and assemble parts to create violins according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Wood router operator: Wood router operators work with industrial routers to cut wood into the desired shape. Routers have a routing head that moves over the wood, going up and down to regulate the depth of the incision. Contemporary industrial wood routers usually are computer controlled for extremely fine and consistent results.
Cabinet maker: Cabinet makers build cabinets or other pieces of furniture by cutting, shaping and fitting pieces of wood. They use different kind of power and hand tools, such as lathes, planers and saws.

Optional knowledge

Types of wood is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.

Bridge construction supervisor: Bridge construction supervisors monitor the construction of bridges. They assign tasks and take quick decisions to resolve problems.
Stringed musical instrument maker: Stringed musical instrument makers create and assemble parts to create stringed instruments according to specified instructions or diagrams. They sand wood, measure and attach strings, test quality of strings and inspect the finished instrument.
Staircase installer: Staircase installers put in place standard or custom designed staircases between the various levels in buildings. They take the necessary measurements, prepare the site, and install the staircase safely.
Casting mould maker: Casting mould makers create metal, wooden or plastic models of the finished product to be cast. The patterns are then used to create moulds, eventually leading to the casting of the product of the same shape as the pattern.
Boiler operator: Boiler operators maintain heating systems such as low-pressure boilers, high-pressure boilers and power boilers. They work mostly in large buildings like power plants or boiler rooms and ensure a safe and environmentally friendly operation of boiler systems.
Pulp grader: Pulp graders grade paper pulp based on a number of possible criteria, such as pulping process, raw materials, bleaching methods, yield, and fibre length.
Industrial arts vocational teacher: Industrial arts vocational teachers instruct students in their specialised field of study, industrial arts, which is predominantly practical in nature. They provide theoretical instruction in service of the practical skills and techniques the students must subsequently master for an industrial arts-related profession, working with wood and metal, such as carpenter or sheet metal worker. Industrial arts vocational teachers monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate their knowledge and performance on the subject of industrial arts through assignments, tests and examinations.
Paper machine operator: Paper machine operators tend a machine that takes in pulp slurry, spread it out over a screen, and drains out the water. The drained slurry is then pressed and dried to produce paper.
Filing machine operator: Filing machine operators set up and tend filing machines such as band files, reciprocating files and bench filing machines in order to smoothen metal, wood or plastic surfaces by precisely cutting and removing small amounts of excess material.
Toymaker: Toymakers create or reproduce hand-made objects for sale and exhibition made of various materials such as plastic, wood and textile. They develop, design and sketch the object, select the materials and cut, shape and process the materials as necessary and apply finishes. In addition, toymakers maintain and repair all types of toys, including mechanical ones. They identify defects in toys, replace damaged parts and restore their functionality.
Debarker operator: Debarker operators operate debarking machines to strip harvested trees of their bark. The tree is fed into the machine, after which the bark is stripped using abrasion or cutting.
Bridge inspector: Bridge inspectors inspect bridge structures for joint break, cracks, rust and other faults. They also carry out or organise the maintenance of the structures.
Recreation model maker: Recreation model makers design and construct recreation scale models from various materials such as plastic, wood, wax and metals, mostly by hand.
Lacquer spray gun operator: Lacquer spray gun operators operate lacquer spray guns designed to provide otherwise finished metal, wooden or plastic workpieces with a hard, durable finishing coat, through lacquer coating or paint that is either matte, sheen or highly glossy, but is always meant for hard surfaces.
Shipwright: Shipwrights build and repair small type of water vessels from pleasure craft to naval vessels. They prepare preliminary sketches and create templates. They use hand and power tools to construct smaller boat themselves or supervise a team of shipbuilders. They also construct cradles and slipways for the ship’s construction, transportation, launching and slipping. Depending on the vessels, they might work with different materials such as metal, wood, fibreglass, aluminium etc.
Wood painter: Wood painters design and create visual art on wooden surfaces and objects such as furniture, figurines and toys. They use a variety of techniques to produce decorative illustrations ranging from stenciling to free-hand drawing.
Chipper operator: Chipper operators tend machines that chip wood into small pieces for use in particle board, for further processing into pulp, or for use in its own right. Wood is fed into the chipper and shredded or crushed using a variety of mechanisms.
Router operator: Router operators set up and operate multi-spindle routing machines, in order to hollow-out or cut various hard materials such as wood, composites, aluminium, steel, plastics; and others, such as foams. They are also able to read blueprints to determine cutting locations and specific sizes.
Brush maker: Brush makers insert different types of material such as horsehair, vegetable fiber, nylon, and hog bristle into metal tubes called ferrules. They insert a wooden or aluminium plug into the bristles to form the brush head and attach the handle to the other side of the ferrule. They immerse the brush head in a protective substance to maintain their shape, finish and inspect the final product.
Wood pallet maker: Wood pallet makers create wood pallets for use in storage, shipping and manipulation of goods. Pallet makers operate a machine that takes in usually low-grade softwood planks treated with heat or chemicals and nails them together. The material and shape of the pallets, the treatment methods, and the number and pattern of nails used are all highly standardised to make exchange of used pallets possible.
Pulp technician: Pulp technicians perform technical tasks in the production of pulp. They work in pulp production teams where they maintain machines, resolve technical malfunctions and ensure the production process runs according to specifications.
Wood production supervisor: Wood production supervisors monitor processes involved in the conversion of felled trees into usable lumber. They follow the production process and make quick decisions to resolve problems. ​They ensure that production targets, such as quantity and quality of products, timeliness and cost-effectiveness, can be achieved.
Paper engineer: Paper engineers ensure an optimal production process in the manufacture of paper and related products. They select primary and secondary raw materials and check their quality. In addition, they optimize machinery and equipment usage as well as the chemical additives for paper making.
Product grader: Product graders perform preventive and operational quality control on products and rescources. They inspect, grade and evaluate the materials at various stages to make sure it conforms to the desired standard, and send the product back for repair or improvement if necessary. They work in companies and industrial facilities to ensure the produced commodities achieve quality standards.
Dip tank operator: Dip tank operators set up and tend dip tanks, which are coating machines, designed to provide otherwise finished work pieces with durable coating by dipping them in a tank of a specific sort of paint, preservative or molten zinc.
Civil engineer: Civil engineers design, plan, and develop technical and engineering specifications for infrastructure and construction projects. They apply engineering knowledge in a vast array of projects, from the construction of infrastructure for transportation, housing projects, and luxury buildings, to the construction of natural sites. They design plans that seek to optimise materials and integrate specifications and resource allocation within the time constraints.
Wood assembly supervisor: Wood assembly supervisors monitor the various processes in the assembly of wood products. They have a thorough understanding of the production processes under their supervision and take quick decisions when required.
Idiophone musical instruments maker: Idiophone musical instruments makers create and assemble parts to make idiophone instruments to specified instructions or diagrams. They shape, drill, sand and string the parts that are mostly made out of glass, metal, ceramics or wood, clean, test the quality and inspect the finished instrument.
Wind musical instrument maker: Wind musical instrument makers create and assemble parts to make wind instruments according to specified instructions and diagrams. They measure and cut the tubing for the resonator, assemble parts such as braces, slides, valves, piston, bell heads and mouth pieces, test and inspect the finished instrument.

 


 

References

  1. Types of wood – ESCO

 

Last updated on September 20, 2022