Solid timber is rapidly becoming scarce and expensive due to logging and the long periods of time it takes for most trees to grow. There are many different lumber on the market that range in price, characteristics and strength.

The two categories that lumber can be put into are hardwoods and softwoods and the two can be defined by their differences in the woods microstructure which determines its density and strength.

This timber is an excellent choice for any sort of woodwork but if you want a good quality timber with minimum flaws, be prepared to pay a bit extra due to the reasons above. Cheaper lumber such as pine can be good but don't compare in aesthetics and quality to dearer timbers.

In my opinion solid natural lumber is the best type of lumber for cabinet making and furniture use because it has the best features and characteristics. Manufactured boards are also good but nothing compares to solid natural lumber.

Particle board is a manufactured board that is often used in furniture because it can be made cheaply and is more affordable than solid lumber but has a similar look.

It is mostly found in furniture that require large pieces such as table tops, desks and TV cabinets, this saves people from having to bond two pieces of timber together to achieve the same size.

This type of manufactured board is made from wood chips which are glued together and then compressed under heat in a large board shape, it is then dried and cut into various sizes to be sold.

These boards can either be bought bare or it can be covered with thin sheets of veneer or a plastic laminate, these two materials give the board a solid lumber look and feel while costing marginally less.

Particle board is a good alternate option when buying furniture to a budget because it gives the impression of solid lumber and it usually lasts for long periods of time if looked after and taken care of well, like all solid lumber.

Plywood is another manufactured board that it is made from layers of solid lumber veneer that are usually about 1/8 inch thick. Because it is made in layers it is incredibly strong but also light in weight.

The interior layers of these boards are usually made from an inexpensive wood while the outer veneer layers are made from more expensive lumber to give the board a nice wood grain appearance.

This type of board is manufactured from layers of veneer that are glued together and compressed under heat, they are then cut into appropriate sizes. With each new layer of veneer added the grain is rotated at 90 degrees each time, this is done to maximise the boards strength and to prevent warping and twisting.

This manufactured board is used as a more affordably option to solid lumber or as an alternate to other manufactured boards. You are most likely to see this wood used in places such as school desks, furniture, wood paneling and some flooring although usually only the faces are shown due to the unattractive look of the edges.

MDF stands for medium density fiberboard because it is a manufactured fiberboard similar to particle board. The difference between the two is the size of the particles, particle board is made from larger wood chips and medium density fiberboard is made from a very fine wood dust.

Medium density fiberboard is made basically the same way as particle board which is by gluing the fibers together with a resin and then compressing the board under heat, later the board is cut into appropriate lengths after it has dried.

The resin used in this fiberboard is toxic and because the fibers are so fine they are easy to breathe in so the lumber should be cut in a well ventilated area or somewhere with a dust collection system.

Fiberboard is a useful woodwork product mainly used in cabinet making due to its affordability, lack of natural defects and range of sizes. Medium density fiberboard is usually covered with a plastic laminate and sealant to increase the aesthetics and prevent the fibers from becoming loose and airborne.

Veneer is very thin timber that is cut 1/8 inch or less and used to cover either particle board or MDF to give the surface a wood grain appearance.

Strips of this wood are also used to make plywood as it is glued in layers to make it light weight and strong.

This product is widely used in woodwork because it is a useful product that is used to make cheaper furniture like particle board look more like high quality furniture.

More expensive woods are usually used when making it to increase the quality look and feel of the product it is being applied too. MDF and particle board can also be covered with a plastic laminate but it does not give a quality feel like strips of wood do.

It is fairly easy to bond to manufactured fiberboards, panels and flooring as long as the surface is relatively flat and a good adhesive is used such as PVA glue.

You can also buy this product raw so that a finish of some sort can be applied to increase the strength, durability and appearance of the wood.

If you are attempting to Glue your own veneer to a manufactured board you must be very careful and delicate because it does not take much to damage the sheets.

Also try not to leave any unwanted marks or dirt on the sheets because it may be difficult to remove as you generally can’t sand it because of how thin the sheets are.