Wood.

Oak

• softwood

• hardwood

Pine

• softwood

• hardwood

larch

• softwood

• hardwood

ash

• softwood

• hardwood

meranti

• softwood

• hardwood

cedar

• softwood

• hardwood

Softwood that is straight grained, but knotty, quite strong and easy to work. Pale yellow incolour.

• larch

• oak

• cedar

• pine

Hardwood, reddish in colour, quite strong. A common hardwood used in schools.

• oak

• mahogany

• birch

• larch

tick all the environmental reasons for using softwood

• produces less sawdust

• grows faster than hardwoods

• doesn't contribute to deforestation in the rainforest

• less transport pollution as it can be grown locally

• looks nicer

Made from veneers glued together with the grain direction at 90° to the one next to it. Very stable and costs less than solid wood.

• MDF

• Blockboard

• Plywood

• Hardboard