Planed timber

Both at home and in other life situations we use products from timber. We encounter them every day, they are ordinary part of our lives and on rare occasions someone thinks about their production method seriously. However, there is a long process until the tree turns into a specific product. Usually one of the steps in the process is planing.

Since the Iron Age the plane was already being used. This tool has been especially popular amongst carpenters and joiners, who used it to even out wooden surfaces. Nowadays planes are encountered very rarely, and planing are usually mechanized.

What is timber planing? It is a process by which timber is processed. In most cases this treatment is carried out with a help of special machine-tool. Timber which is planed has smooth surface, it is soft and easy to clean and maintain. Timber texture particularly highlights if the planed surface is painted.

Taking into account that the texture of planed timber highlights if painted, the timber for planing is selected very carefully and responsibly. Because of modern technology timber is planed very evenly and neatly. Usually softwood is selected for planing. Such timber is characterized by lightness, softness, and is processed easily. Probably the most valued is planed pine timber. This type of timber is characterized by its insensitivity to humidity, flexibility and it is easy to plane. Pine doesn’t branch out too much, therefore its timber has a fine texture. This type of timber is also chosen because it is highly resinous. High concentration of resin leads to timber’s longevity.

Planed timber is usually used for flooring, stairs, fencing, girders and cladding. Due to highlighted timber texture such timber can often be used to create various interior features.

The only disadvantage of planed timber is that paint penetrates very hard into smooth and soft surface. Due to this reason painted planed surfaces serves for shorter period of time. However, in order to paint not planed timber surface, it would take much more paint compared to planed, because this kind of surface absorbs dye very well.

What to choose – planed or not planed timber? It depends on the individual needs. The essential difference is that planed timber is ready for use and does not require any more special treatment.