Types of Wood and Uses

Of all construction materials, wood is probably the most often used and perhaps the most important. The variety of uses of wood is practically unlimited. Building professionals accomplish few construction projects without using some type of wood. It is used for permanent structures as well as concrete forms, scaffolding, shoring, and bracing. The wood from these temporary structures is reusable again and again. The types, sources, uses, and characteristics of common woods are given in Table 1. The types of classifications of wood for a large project are usually designated in the project specifications and included in the project drawings.