Wood Characteristics

State Practice Exam

Softwood come from what kind of trees:

Conifers (Needle bearing trees)

Hardwoods come from what kind of trees:

Deciduous (Leaf bearing trees)

Which is the advantage of plywood over solid wood?

A.Natural beauty of the wood can be shown

B. It is stronger with the grain

C.Splitting is reducedD.More stable

When cutting plywood on a table saw, place the good face:

A.UpB.DownC.Away from the

fenceD.Toward the fence

The term S4S refers to lumber that is:

A.Planed to thicknessB. Jointed both edgesC.Planed both sides and

jointed both edgesD.Planed one side and

jointed both edges

In cabinetmaking, the term 5/4 refers to a:

A.1” boardB.1 ¼” boardC.1 ½” boardD.2” board

The FAS grade of hardwood should have at least:

A.100% clear cutB.83 1/3% clear cutC.66 2/3% clear cutD.50% clear cut

Wood fibers are held together by a natural substance called: Lignin

Growth of the tree occurs in what layer? Cambium

Most furniture in America is made from:

A.HardwoodB.Softwood

Walnut is softer than:

A.OakB.PineC.WillowD.Alder

Good quality cabinetmaking wood should be dried to a moisture content of:

A.6 – 9 percentB.12 – 15 percentC.15 – 18 percentD.20 – 25 percent

Probably the most difficult wood defect to work with would be a:

A.Cupped boardB.Bowed boardC.Crooked boardD.Twisted board

Quarter sawn lumber warps less than plain sawn lumber.

A.TrueB.False

The fastest method to season or dry lumber would be:

A.Air dryingB.Sun dryingC.Pressure dryingD.Kiln drying

When wood fiber is at the saturation point, it will be about:

A.10% moistureB.20% moistureC.30% moistureD.40% moisture

The very center of a cross section of a tree is called the:

A.SapwoodB.CenterwoodC.HeartwoodD.Pith

Shrinkage of wood doesn’t begin until the moisture is below the fiber saturation point.

A.TrueB.False

Some hardwoods are softer than some softwoods.

A.TrueB.False

Wood shrinks more in:

A.LengthB.Width

The best grade of hardwood is:

A.#1 CommonB.SelectC.FASD.Superior

Trees generally grow faster in the Spring than in the Summer.

A.TrueB.False

Which wood is highly resistant to decay?

A.CherryB.OakC.Douglas FirD.Redwood

If you are sanding a project by hand, which direction should you go?A. Sandpaper doesn’t leave marks

so it doesn’t matter which direction.

B. You should never sand by hand.C. Across the grain, which leaves

less obvious marks.D. With the grain, which blends

better.

Will all wood float in water? Why or why not?

No—All woods are made up of cells with hollow areas in between, however some species are so dense that their specific gravity is greater than 1 and will therefore sink in water.

Oak is an example of what kind of lumber?A.Hardwood

Pine is an example of what kind of lumber?A.Softwood

Maple is an example of a closed grain wood.A.TrueB.False

Ash and Oak are examples of open grained wood.A.TrueB.False