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WOOD WORKING LESSON 101

ABOUT WOOD

The majority of hardwood comes from hotter climates, namely tropical areas. Many of the hardwoods used in Chinese furniture were not native to China, but were introduced to China through trade. Chinese furniture is treasured for its value from meticulous craftsmanship, joinery, design, and cultural significance as well as for its wood.

Shrinking and Swelling and its effects on furniture

Exceptional furniture construction begins with wood, and since wood is a natural material, it has characteristics that require special consideration. When trees are harvested, they have quite a bit of moisture in them. The moisture will dry out over time if the wood is allowed to age. A combination of air and kiln drying systematically controls moisture content and prevents wood from splitting.

The grain of the wood can expand and contract for years, even if the wood is kiln dried and finished. Heat and humidity affect the expansion and contraction. Sometimes this expansion/contraction will cause a split in a piece of solid wood furniture. This is particularly true when furniture is stored in contrasting hot/cold temperature extremes and humid/dry conditions.

Most of our items are made of elm and elm can split or warp if it is not used correctly and the fault can lie with the consumer just as much as the maker! The atmosphere in homes has been much drier because of Air conditioners and dehumidifiers and this has caused problems for all wood furniture. If your piece is placed by a window - with no curtains - in direct sunlight - it's being hit by strong sun and cold dry air from the A/C. Makers of new furniture have tried to overcome the problems by using veneers in construction and by drying more of the moister out of the timber before it's used. But this does not guarantee against splitting.

Shrinking and swelling of wood occurs as a result of the response of the wood to changes in atmospheric humidity. In general, shrinking and swelling cannot be prevented.

The key is not in the fluctuating relative humidity, but rather in how quickly it affects the furniture. Wood responds to stresses, provided that those stresses are gradual. In general, splitting becomes probable when the relative humidity drops 25% to 50%. Note, however, that if the drop occurs over several months, a piece of furniture may be able to survive a 40% drop without damage; if the drop in relative humidity occurs over one week, then damage may occur after only a 25% drop. Today checking the humidity percentages for Hong Kong in one day : it started at 70% and within an hour climbed to 80% and mid day dropped to 40%. That's a 50% drop in a few hours, not a week.

NEW FURNITURE - NEW WOOD:

Please review the next page on large factories vs small factories. Our factories are not climate controlled. The craftsmen are working in extreme heat and humidity in the summer and cold dry air in the winter. If the wood is kiln dried for 4 weeks (however wood should be conditioned for at least a year) - it is still exposed and absorbing moisture in the uncontrolled atmosphere of the warehouse while under production. It's then crated and moved to your home where there is still another environmental change. Be prepared for what might happen.

There is no way to get around this - we are not manufacturing in Northern China or large sophisticated compounds that require minimum orders.

Cracking and Warping

Wood is a natural material and it may or may not have the characteristic of splitting or cracking. We don't know when it will happen or if it will happen. Manufacturing at different times of year can be better than others - for instance in the Fall when there is less humidity. Air conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter and direct sunlight can all be factors that affect the wood while in your home.

We work with about 6 factories - these are small Chinese factories making furniture the old world way....you won't find huge compounds with assembly lines, you will find 'not everything is perfect', none the less I am able to discover a piece of furniture that will last, suit my budget, and fulfill my needs - some of it treasured items from another century, well worth taking a risk on. Some items that are designed and special ordered might have slight imperfections in the wood but will obtain a 'cottage' charm and the prices are incredible .

We do not guarantee that any of the items purchased will not crack or warp. Many of the items we make have the aged and antique look to give the piece more personality if this does occur.

Items 80 years and older are less likely to crack. They've had years to expand and contract. Sometime when making new items - we request the use of old wood - if it is available - and create an aged look reproduction.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL

Please contact us if you need an item repaired. We have a reliable repair person available.

Humidity and Heat

All wood used for furniture construction needs to be properly dried to a certain humidity level to help prevent the wood from splitting. Drying is done by a combination of air drying and kiln drying. Wood that has been cut into boards is stacked so that air can circulate through it. Forklifts move the stacks into room-sized ovens. The wood is then gently heated to remove excess moisture and stabilize the wood.

Even finished furniture can develop open cracks where heat and humidity fluctuations cause the wood grain to open in what is known as a "season crack". It is important to keep furniture in places where it isn't exposed to excessive heat, cold, dryness or humidity.

The table below presents the characteristics of the most commonly used woods. Grades 1-4 (grade 1 is the best) designate the hardwoods while grades 5-7 designate the lesser quality and more commonly available softwoods.

Chinese homophone	English	Colour	Characteristics	Grade
Zitan	Red Sandalwood	Reddish-brown to golden-yellow	Shimmering surface with abstract patterns	1
Huanghuali	Yellow Rosewood	Blackish-purple to blackish-red	Fine, lustros suurface	2
Jichimu	Chicken-wing Wood	Deep brown	Brown, gray patterns resembling feathers	3
Tieli	Iron Wood	Grayish black	Coarse texture	4
Hongmu	Chinese Mahogany	Reddish-brown to blackish-red	Used only after the 18th century	5
Nanmu	Evergreen Laurel	Olive-brown to reddish-brown	Shimmering surface, smooth texture	5
Hetao	Walnut	Golden-brown to reddish-brown	Open-grained texture; fragrant	6
Jumu	Southern Elm	Yellowish-brown to coffee-brown	Medullary rays; feathery patterns	6
Zuomu	Oak	Grayish-yellow to grayish-brown	Medullary rays; lustrous flakes	6
Yumu	Northern Elm	Yellowish-brown to chestnut-brown	Layered, feather-like patterns	7
Zhangmu	Camphor	Reddish-brown	Light/dark striped pattern; strong fragrance	7

Pinyin	English	Properties

Bai mu	Cypress	An incredibly dense and smooth blonde wood, without obvious grain, found in both Northern and Southern Chinese furniture. A finished Bai wood surface is like that of satin or silk to the eyes or to the touch of the hand. Seems much denser and harder than the American Cypress. This wood is also recognized in Ming furniture. Northern furniture made with Bai wood is often more prized than that made with Southern Bai wood.

He tao mu hardwood	Walnut	With large beautiful and more delicate grain than that of Yu wood. Very dense wood. Usually found in Northern Chinese furniture. It is considered a rare and better wood by furniture dealers and collectors in China. Ming and Ching furniture made with this wood can occasionally still be found today.

Hua li mu hardwood	Rosewood	With pleasant lighter yellow hue, unlike most of the dark heavy rosewood, and is probably the least expensive rosewood. A wood often confused for Huanghuali wood by amateurs.

Huang hua li hardwood	Yellow Rose Wood	There are apparently over sixty variety of Rosewood in the world. Therefore, rosewood is only a general term for some particular types of hardwood. However, Huanghuali is a totally different species of wood from what we normally call rosewood. "Huang", however, does mean yellow. A world-wide collectable and museum sought-after wood for Ming scholar's furniture.

Hong mu hardwood	Mahogany	Also considered a type of rosewood. Often used in prominent Ching Dynasty furniture. It is probably the heaviest and the most dense rosewood. Most popular collectible wood by coastal Chinese, such as Taiwanese, Cantonese, and Shanghainese collectors

Ji chi mu hardwood	Phoenix Tail or Chicken Wing Wood	This name came from its tight and feather-like grain resembling the iridescent quality of lights and shadows on some chicken or pheasant's feathers. It is an expensive wood often used for Ching Palace furniture. There are few examples of Ming Dynasty furniture made with Ji chi mu that exist. Old furniture made with Ji chi mu ranks with furniture made with Zitan or huanghuali.

Ju mu	Southern Chinese Elm	Probably the most praised and used Chinese soft wood for Ming furniture. Southern Elm is considered better and less common wood than Northern Elm (Yu Mu.) The grain is a little tighter and a little more refined than that of a Northern Elm.

Liu mu	Willow

Nanyu mu	Southern Elm	This term is often used by Northern Chinese furniture dealers or the Northern Chinese wood workers to differentiate that of the Northern Elm


Shan mu	China Fir	Common wood used in many of the Southern Chinese provincial furniture pieces, buckets, stools, cabinets, etc.

Song mu	Pine	Commonly used in many of the less expensive Southern Chinese furniture pieces. For example, kitchen cabinets w/ lattice design, or Hong Chu.

Tie li mu hardwood	Iron Wood	Poorman's Ji Chi Mu. It has similar color and grain like Ji Chi Mu, but not as dense and heavy. This wood was also used in Ming furniture. Ming furniture made with Tie li mu is costly but can occasionally be found and bought in China

Xiang mu or Gao li mu hardwood	Oak	Gao Li is a term for ancient Korea. This means this wood is not native to China and came from Northern border. This is why some of the Mongolian style folding chairs were made of this wood.

You mu	Teak	Teak timber is valued in warm countries principally for its extraordinary durability. In India and in Burma, beams of the wood in good preservation are often found in buildings many centuries old, and teak beams have lasted in palaces and temples more than 1,000 years. The timber is practically imperishable under cover. Teakwood is used for shipbuilding, fine furniture, door and window frames, wharves, bridges, cooling-tower louvres, flooring, paneling, railway cars, and venetian blinds. An important property of teak is its extremely good dimensional stability. It is strong, of medium weight, and of average hardness. Termites eat the sapwood but rarely attack the heartwood; it is not, however, completely resistant to marine borers.

Ying Mu hardwood	Burl wood	Burl wood is a general term for certain cut of the wood near the root or at the root section. There are several kinds of burl, some being more expensive than others. Burl, being a small section of certain variety trees, is scarce in its availability and is a costly wood since the time of ancient China. It has long been treasured by Chinese wood workers. It was often used only for the small surface areas of furniture made with other hardwoods.

Yu mu	Northern Chinese Elm Wood	Large tree with elaborate and obvious grain. It is a good wood commonly used for Northern Chinese furniture. Furniture made of this wood is very popular outside of China for its solid wood construction and beautiful grain.
Zao mu hardwood	American Oak	It is not a common wood found in old furniture surviving today, with the exception of one certain type of Southern stool with bamboo slats. There are, though rare, examples of Ming furniture made out of this wood.
Zhang mu hardwood	Camphor Wood	Found in both Northern and Southern Chinese furniture. Some of our FC style furniture and carvings are made out of camphor wood. It is considered a good wood by Chinese because of its density, grain, and the repellant quality to bugs (similar to cedar.)
Zitan hardwood	Red- Purple Sandal Wood	"Zi" means purple. "Tan" means Sandle wood. This is the most expensive wood in the world. It is so dense that it's the only kind of wood that sinks in water rather than float. In ancient Chinese literature, it was recorded that Zitan and Huanghuali were worth as much as and as expensive as gold. It is the most prized and expensive wood used in Ming and Ching furniture. Few Ming Dynasty Zitan wood furniture pieces exist outside of museums & famed collections

Soft Woods and Hardwoods

Solid wood furniture may be made from many types of wood from pine to oak. Softer woods come from evergreen trees. The grain in the wood is more porous than in hardwoods, and it may dent more easily. Wood from evergreen trees grows faster, making it less expensive. Chinese Elmwood is used instead of Pine � which will have the same characteristics. It is also a less expensive wood.

Typically these are woods easily sourced by local craftsmen. Since they are readily available, they are used for more common pieces of furniture. They comprise the bulk of furniture in today's market, ranging from Yumu (northern elm) and Huaimu (locust)-in the northern provinces of Hebei and Shanxi-to Jumu (southern elm)-in Jiangsu province-and Xiangzhang (camphor)-in the south.

Hardwoods (trees that loose their leaves once a year) like cherry, oak, maple, birch, ash and mahogany come from deciduous trees. They have a tighter, less porous grain. These trees take longer to grow and are usually more expensive than soft woods as a raw material. Their tighter grain makes them harder, so they resist denting more than soft woods do.

Trees classified as hardwoods are not necessarily harder than softwoods. Density and moisture content affect the strength of wood; in addition to load-bearing strength, other variable factors often tested include elasticity and toughness.

Best Uses for Solid Wood or Veneers

Solid wood is required for carving; framing a dresser, chest or entertainment center; and for posts or legs that support furniture. Veneers are a better choice when using rare or expensive woods, especially to achieve matching grain patterns throughout the entire piece. Veneer is also an excellent choice for shapes like curved drawer fronts or where you need to use thin pieces of wood that have great strength.

Well-done veneers help control the expansion and contraction of wood. Since wood moves in the direction of its lengthwise grain pattern, gluing strips of wood together with perpendicular grain patterns helps prevent shrinkage and expansion in the wood. Slices of wood with lengthwise grain are glued against slices with crosswise grain. When the lengthwise grain absorbs humidity and tries to lengthen, the crosswise grain holds it in place.

Solid Wood Doesn't Necessarily Mean Better Construction

You may be bombarded with advertising suggesting that solid wood furniture is made from "pure" wood and is therefore better quality. Quality furniture is made with solid woods, veneered woods, and a variety of other materials. Some solid-wood furniture is well constructed from kiln-dried woods and is an excellent choice for your home.

Caring for Furniture

Living with wonderful furniture and protecting it from damage is often a matter of common sense. Wood furniture is happiest when it lives in a room that's between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit with the relative humidity in the 50 - 55% range. Furniture should not be placed in direct sunlight because it will fade and dry the wood.

If you choose to use a piece of glass on top of a chest or dresser, place felt disks between the glass and the wood to allow for air circulation.

Today's furniture lacquers need very little care. There should never be moisture left on the furniture after dusting. Dust in the direction of the grain pattern to prevent noticeable scratches from dust particles. Spray furniture waxes and polishes are not necessary and can cloud the furniture finish. Wood furniture does not need to be "fed" with lemon oil or other preparations.

Repairing Furniture

Varathane Wood Stain Touch-up marker (by Rust-oleum) are a fast and easy way to touch up minor scratches on stained wood.

Colors complement :

Color Group 1 - Natural, Golden Pecan, Spring Oak

Color Group 2 - Summer Oak, Traditional Pecan, Ipswich Pine

Color Group 3 - Chestnut, Colonial Maple

Color Group 4 - Golden Oak, Provincial, Golden Mahogany

Color Group 5 - Light Cherry, Traditional Cherry

Color Group 6 - Red Oak, Red Chestnut, Red Mahogany

Color Group 7 - Cabernet, Black Cherry

Color Group 8 - Light Walnut, American Walnut, Gunstock

Color Group 9 - Early American

Color Group 10 - Dark Walnut, Espresso

Unit Rate @HK$70.00/pc.

Local distributor, Hawking International (HK) Ltd. Please call the direct line of Ms. Ellie Tao at 2317-1398 or email her at et@hawking.com.hk local distributor, Hawking International (HK) Ltd. Please call the direct line of Ms. Ellie Tao at 2317-1398 or email her at et@hawking.com.hk

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