Material Properties (Static and Dynamic)

Static - These include strength and hardness

Strength the ability to resist force without breaking - there are three fundamental kinds of static loading:

• Tensile - a strected wire will need tensile strength
• Compressive - A mine roof-prop will need compressive strength
• Shear - a train coupling bolt will need to resist the equal and opposite forces pulling each other across the component

• Elasticity - a materials ability to return to it's orginal shape after being deformed
• Plasticity - a mateerials readiness to deform to a stretched state when a load is applied. The plastic deformation is permanent even after the load is removed. Plastic exhibits plastic deformation.
• Ductility - a materials ability to be drawn longitudinally to a reduced cross section. A ductile material must have high plasticity.
• Hardness- a materials ability to resist wear or indentation of a material.
• Malleabilty - The ability of a material to be stretched in all directions withot fracture. A malleable material can be hammered into shape. 

Wood Veneers

Veneers

Veneer is the term given to a thin layer of wood that has been taken from the trunk of a tree. Hardwoods are usually the materials that make up veneers because they are more durable and decorative.

The use of veneers makes the manufacture cheaper because low-costing materials can be used as the main inner material coated with a veneer for decorative features.

Paper Backed Veneers

These are very thin, typically about 1mm on a paper backing. The paper backing supports the veneer and stops the veneer splitting.

Flexible Veneers

Flexible veneer is manufactured by slicing very thin sheets of veneer and then treating the veneer to make it more pliable. Once the cutting and treating is done, the sheets of veneer are then jointed together. Finally, a paper backing is permanently mounted to the back to bond it and give more flexibility

Standard Veneers

The sheets are cut from a log, stacked in consecutive order, then sent to a drier and once again stacked consecutively.

Standard veneer should not only be purchased in consecutively sliced sheets, but it also should be of good quality: relatively flat, with little or no knots or sapwood, generally uniform in color, with very few or no checks or splits.

Certain highly figured veneers like burls and crotches are almost impossible to find in perfectly flat sheets, free of splits or some knotholes. This is because highly figured woods are not as stable as flat or quartered cut veneers and tend to warp and buckle much more.

The price varies depending upon species.